Freemasons visit the Sikh Temple - Blackburn

Asa Di Vaar Prayers Saturday 30 March 2019 8:00am to 9:00am Followed by breakfast Team to meet at 7:45am

A Gurdwara is a place of where come for congregational worship. The literal meaning of the Punjabi word Gurdwara is 'the residence of the Guru', or 'the door that leads to the Guru'.

In a modern Gurdwara, the Guru is not a person but the book of called the . It is the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib that gives the Gurdwara its religious status, so any building containing the book is a Gurdwara.

Inside the Gurdwara there are no idols, statues, or religious pictures in a Gurdwara, because Sikhs worship only God, and they regard God as having no physical form. Nor are there candles, incense, or bells, or any other ritualistic devices.

The focus of attention, and the only object of reverence in the main hall (or Darbar Sahib) is the book of Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, which is treated with the respect that would be given to a human Guru.

Langar is used for the communal meal served at the . Every Gurdwara has a attached to it where food is served to anyone without charge.

Before going to the Gurdwara all visitors to the Gurdwara should remove their shoes and cover their heads before entering the main hall. It is forbidden to smoke or take tobacco on to the premises and visitors cannot enter the Gurdwara while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Note: There will be scarfs for both the men and the women at the temple, but you can bring your own. Men usually wear a bandana / handkerchief to cover their head, and women wear a scarf.

On entering a Gurdwara Sikhs will bow to the Guru Granth Sahib as the first thing they do, touching the floor with their forehead. This not only shows their respect but also indicates that they submit themselves to the truths contained in the book.

Seating in a Gurdwara everyone sits on the floor in a Gurdwara. This is to be humble before the Guru Granth Sahib and because it gives everyone a place of equal status to sit. Most people sit cross-legged. Cushions and seats are not allowed. No-one should sit with their feet pointing at the Guru Granth Sahib. There are seats and benches along the side and back for those who find it difficult to sit on the floor.

Sacred food is served in the Gurdwara towards the end of a service karah prasad, a sweet vegetarian food that has been blessed, will be served. This should be taken and received in cupped hands as a gift of God.

Asa Di Var means a ballad of hope; it is one of the basic sacred compositions for the Sikhs and is sung every morning in congregation in gurdwaras. It was partly written by , the first Guru of the Sikh Faith, and added to by , the fifth Guru.

The Asa Di Var does not tell a story, its theme is: How to become a spiritual person. In it, Guru Nanak also warns us against the rituals and tricks of priests and monks. The most important thing is how to build up one's character and how to remove the obstacles that lay in the path of a disciple, the most important of which is the ego, selfishness or conceit.

On the day, we should all gather at the Sikh Temple at 7:45am, where Manjot Singh will guide you through the ceremony. Ravinder Sehmi (JGD) and Rita Sehmi and our friends will also be there to assist you all with the protocols.

Dress code: Comfortable clothing that covers the legs as you will be seating on the floor.

Address: Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 127 Whitehorse Road, Blackburn