Gurdwaras at work - Gurdwaras mission?
Satpal Singh Dhesi Business at work (Gurdwaras at work.) Gurdwaras mission? The mission of all Gurdwaras are the same, which is to provide for the community, to help others, to do seva, provide guidance to follow the correct path, and it is the place where we can all find refuge and salvation in times that we either need or want. The Gurdwara is established so that we the community can congregate together as followers of Guru Ji. Gurdwaras objective? The main objective for Gurdwaras is to bring together all the sangath and treat them as equals. Bringing all the sangath together is needed for when doing the ardaas, as Sikhs together are more powerful than a single voice. Its target is to provide the place where all people no matter what race, colour, or religion, are able to find refuge. Not only is a Gurdwara a place where the sangath joins together, but it is where the sangath have made little donations which have led to thousands and thousands of pounds where charities such as Khalsa Aid where formed to help the less able, poor, starving, and other victims such as tragedies of war. Market Share? The market share that the Gurdwara can be associated within could such as charitable organisation like The Red Cross. Gurdwaras all over the world have been recognised for its charity of Langar, which is known as the free kitchen. Khalsa Aid brought together by the Gurdwara
You Do Not Have to go to a Gurdwara to Be a Good Sikh
"You do not have to go to a Gurdwara to be a good Sikh" The Gurdwara is a Sikh place of worship where the Guru Granth Sahib and other Sikh scriptures are kept; the Guru Granth Sahib acts as the Guru which means that any building that contains this is effectively a Gurdwara. Followers of the religion also congregate here to worship and partake in activities such as teaching, learning or serving/helping others. Sikhs believe in karma; actions performed by human beings. The Sikh teaching is that what you do in this life will directly affect your samsara (circle of life), and that the quality of each life depends on the behaviour of a person in a previous life. A part of karma is sewa; service to fellow individuals, this builds good karma. Sikhs believe that samsara is the continuous cycle of birth, life and death and that mukti is the spiritual liberation from the cycle. To reach mukti, the person must be gurmukh. This is a person centres themselves around God, following the ways and teachings of the Guru's, and not temptations or desires. A Sikh must understand, experience, and put their focus and attention on God. God cannot be entirely understood by humans but however can be experienced through means such as love and worship. Therefore, regardless of where it takes place, prayer can lead you to mukti. Reaching mukti also means you are gurmukh as you are following God's and
Explain the importance of a Gurdwara in the life of a Sikh today.
Explain the importance of a Gurdwara in the life of a Sikh today. The Gurdwara is the Sikh place of worship. Gurdwara means 'the doorway to the Guru'. A Gurdwara has three main functions, these are: * Religious importance * Social importance and * Emotional importance In this section I will be writing about the three main functions of a Gurdwara and its importance to a Sikh today. Religious importance Sikhs believe in only one God. In a Gurdwara they can be in a room with God, thank God e.g. for a baby and sing to God. Basically they go to be close to God. This is a sign of respect and is a Sikh tradition. Sikhs respect the holy book the Guru Granth Sahib, as it is to the last of the Gurus, they show respect by: a Chauri (fan), a palki, dais (type of throne), a Manji sahib (a small bed) etc, being in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib is important to a Sikh because the Guru Granth Sahib is a Guru (teacher) and is there fore treated like a living Guru. The Guru Granth Sahib is central in the public worship of Sikhs and is the central importance to a Sikh life, work and worship. A Gurdwara is also a place to celebrate rites of passage including birth, marriage and funeral services, this is to do them in front of God and the Guru as it shows respect to all. Sikhs can demonstrate SEWA, which is a religious duty by attending the Gurdwara, there are 3 types of SEWA,
Guru Nanak.
Guru Nanak Guru Nanak was born in the western Punjab village of Talwandi on October 20th, 1469. Guru Nanak was gifted with spiritual powers when he was very young. When Guru Nanak was a boy he was very intellectual. His father's name was Siri Kalyan Das Mehta. His mother's name was Mata Tripta. A shining star shone amongst his head since his very early childhood. The older Guru Nanak had got, the more religious and the more wise he got. When Guru Nanak was at the age of 16 he was to get married. His wife's name was Sulakhni. She was the daughter to Bhai Mula. She gave birth to two sons. Their names were Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das. When Guru Nanak once went to bathe in the neighbouring river called Baeen her was disappeared in the water for three days. During those three days he was with God. He was given Amrit. God gave Guru Nanak his Divine name. After Guru Nanak had come back some people saw hallow around his head. Guru Nanak travelled around the world by foot and he met all kind of cultures and races. Guru Nanak was the founder of the Sikh religion and his messages were: * Share their earnings with others who are less fortunate - "Vand Chakna" * Always remember God - "Naam Japna" * Live a honest Life and to earn their living with honest labour - "Kirat Karna" How is Guru Nanak's Birthday celebrated? Guru Nanak's birthday is celebrated every November. They celebrate
How To Be Wed Properly In The Punjabi Tradition
How To Be Wed Properly In The Punjabi Tradition From the time they are little, girls dream about one day being a bride. Regardless of the culture girls are excited about dressing up, and looking beautiful for their handsome "Prince Charming". This is certainly true for girls in the Punjabi culture. In the East-Indian Tradition there is a special sequence of ceremonial events. First, in modern times the couple announces their engagement. Everyone is delighted and a party takes place. At the engagement party, the bride's parents give the groom's parents a Shagan, a gift of money. During the ceremonial party the families exchange other gifts. The bride's mother presents the groom with a silver platter, Thaal, covered with symbols of the Sikh faith: sweets, saffron, and flowers. As well he receives some gold jewelry. At this point the bride and groom exchange rings of promise, now the couple are officially engaged. The next day the families invite a Guru to come and set the date of the wedding, according to the alignment of the stars when the bride and groom were born. After the engagement, the second event of importance is the Shri Akhand Path. This is a marathon of prayer in which the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book, is read continuously for a period of forty-eight hours to ensure that this is a sacred union. This ceremony takes place a few
The Sikh Religion and Charity
Sikhism and charity This essay is going to talk about the Sikhs views of charity and also charity itself, furthermore I will be discussing about the Sikh teachings of equality and principles and also some of the different viewpoints that different religions have of charity. What are human rights? Human rights are the rights that every living person is obliged to and must be given and acted as an act of humanity. Human rights belong to every person in this world and cannot be taken away from us regardless of gender place of residence or status and some of our human rights are: . We all have the right to life 2. We all have the freedom of opinion and speech 3. These rights belong to everyone 4. Clean water and food 5. Nobody has the right to hurt or torture us 6. The law applies to everyone What are charities and why are they important? Charities are groups of people or foundation who as an act of humanity help other people across the globe by supplying funds, supplies, medical support and many more ways and make our planet a better place for everyone. Furthermore charities show love and generosity towards others or humanity and are helping those who are less fortunate and in need. Furthermore the reason why charities are important is because without charities those who are suffering would never been able to live because they do not have any support from their
drama of sikhism
(........ comes walking in ) ......: granny how does a Sikh funeral take place Sophie: well sanjeet this is how a funeral takes place... (...........take places and ...... lies down and ...... and ....... Act as though you are praying) Sophie: first after a person has passed away they wash the body to keep it clean for the carnation... ...... what does carnation mean? Sophie: it means to die and to come back to life as a different form. .............: oh so I could come back to life as a cricket! Sophie: yes! As I was saying, so the body is washed and covered in a white cloak by family members ready to be burnt to ashes. (.............act as though you are covering ...........) Sophie: they are then taken to a part where they can be cremated... .............: meaning? Sophie: to be burnt. There hymns are recited which induce feeling of detachment the congregation. This was given to the Sikhs by Guru Gobind Singh. .............: what we are reading has not been taken to heart and we are only reading a small part of the prayer as it goes on for a long time. .............: just because we are reading it does not mean we believe in it so please do not think we do. (Start acting as though you are praying) Ek-Oankar. Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh God is One. All victory is of the Wondrous Guru (God). Sri Pagothi ji Sahai May the respected sword (God in the form of the
Issue of arranged marriages Sikhism
Issue of arranged marriages – Sikhism Arranged marriage is a practice whereby two families decide if a couple within their household should marry each other. It is practiced commonly throughout South Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It is also practiced to a lesser extent in Southeast Asia and East Asia. During arranged marriage, it is usually the parents or an older family member who decided on the marriage of a couple and acts as a matchmaker. There is a lot of worldwide controversy regarding arranged marriages; such controversies are caused by issues during the process of arranged marriages such as an involuntary forced marriage. Alongside this, a forced mismatch could be possible during arranged marriages if the arranger were to arrange a marriage for his or her own benefit. Despite its controversy, many religions still practice arranged marriage. A major world religion which still practisesthis is Sikhism. Sikhs believe that when a girl is mature enough, it is a parent’s responsibility to find a match for her. They believe that marriage is a holy union between two souls and are united as one. Because of this tradition and belief, Sikh’s agree that there is nothing wrong and immoral with arranged marriage but is seen as a sacred and holy ceremony. However, in Sikh marriages, it is impossible to divorce a partner because of the fact that when two people marry,
Explain the importance of music in the Sikh community.
Religious Studies coursework R2: Explain the importance of music in the Sikh community. Music is a very important part of Sikh worship. This is because Sikhs find that music is a good way for one to learn and absorb scriptures and Sikh beliefs. Shabads (hymns) are sung in a slow and steady tone so that the message contained is clearly understood by the worshippers. Music is used to magnify the emotional appeal of the lyrics sung. The scriptures even encourage music, Guru Arjan said: "Day and night sing Kirtan of God and you will never go into the cycle of transmigration" (Adi Granth 861/9) Kirtan is the singing of hymns to the accompaniment of music and is considered as a means of salvation. A lot of Sikh prayers are said to music as it is a way of remembering and understanding the words. The morning prayer, the Japji Sahib, is usually sung and Sikhs usually keep a recording in their car and play it during long journeys. Music is also a way of introducing people to Sikhism. There is a story of a man who was converted to Sikhism, through the power of the words in the music. The story is: A man named Saijan had created a shelter for pilgrims. He had even provided a mosque and mandir, for the Muslims and Hindus respectively to pray and sleep. In the middle of the night he would kill them and take the possessions that they had. Sometimes they would be carefully