Sikhism

One of the most moving places that we visited in Delhi was the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, a Sikh temple in Connaught Place. Sikhism was founded in India in the 15th century, almost as a social movement rejecting the caste system. Sikhism a welcoming, open, and friendly religion - they believe all gods are the same god, and everyone is equal - gender equality, selfless service, and social justice are all important beliefs. There is no prosetylizing and no conversions – you either are or aren’t a Sikh.

There are five articles of faith known as the Five Ks that are important to Sikhs:

1. Kesh – uncut hair, because it is important to be as natural as possible, so they do not cut any hair from their bodies. God made humans, so kesh is a symbol of God’s perfection. Their turbans are to take care of their hair, and also to identify them as sikhs.
2. Kangha – the comb, which is kept in the hair. This is a symbol of cleanliness.
3. Kara – the bangle, or bracelet, which is worn at all times and is a reminder that the things someone does with his/her hands is a reflection of God. The circle of the bracelet symbolizes the neverending nature of God, and it bonds Sikhs to one another.
4. Kachera – underwear, which symbolizes both the Sikhs’ willingness and readiness to go to battle, and a symbol of purity and faithfulness.
5. Kirpan – the dagger, part of the warrior heritage of the Sikhs, and a reminder to come to the defense of those in need.

Because we were entering a temple, we had to take off our shoes, cover our hair, and wash our hands and feet before we went in.

The temple complex itself is large and bustling - inside the temple, a priest continuously chants the prayer while devotees and visitors walk counterclockwise around the room (keeping the left (unclean) side away from the priest). Outside is a giant reflecting pool, where Sikhs go to wash away disease and impurities.

On the opposite side of the complex, a giant cafeteria feeds over 20,000 people each day (over 50,000 on weekends), all for free. They do not turn anyone away, and people from all walks of life come to eat, both rich and poor. This is just another way that everyone is equal. Everything is run by volunteers, and the food that is distributed all comes from donations. It was absolutely amazing to see the scope and scale of what was going on.

The communal kitchen

Over 20,000 people from every religion, class,
and caste are served free meals every day!

The basic message that our Sikh guide told us was be nice to everyone, and do good things. With such a welcoming and open experience, many of us went away feeling like maybe we were actually Sikhs!