Charlie and Blue Go to a Gurdwara

A reader of the Guru Granth Sahib, who leads services at the Gurdwara.

A Sikh might say, “Any Sikh can take on the role of the Granthi and read passages from the Guru Granth Sahib, our Holy Scriptures.”

Sikh place of worship or temple. This literally means, ‘the doorway to the Guru’.

The Gurdwara is where Sikhs gather to worship God, to hear readings from the Guru Granth Sahib, to sing hymns and to prepare and distribute vegetarian food for all who come. The Gurdwara’s kitchen is called the Langar.

A person regarded as a spiritual messenger, master or teacher who has been inspired by God.

For Sikhs there are ten human Gurus, beginning with Guru Nanak (1469 – 1539 CE), plus the 11th Guru, the Guru Granth Sahib – the Sikh holy scriptures.

The holy scriptures of Sikhism, containing the actual words, hymns and prayers spoken by the founders of Sikhism, plus writings of the holiest people of Hinduism and Islam who lived at the time the scriptures were being written down.

The Guru Granth Sahib is regarded as a living Guru and so is treated with the greatest respect and honour.

The community kitchen in a Gurdwara, where a free vegetarian meal is served to all visitors.

The langar is designed to show how equality between all people can be put into action; everyone can share in the meal, regardless of differences in identity.

The triangular Sikh flag, showing the Khanda, a Sikh symbol named after the double-edged sword (used in the initiation ceremony) it features.

The Nishan Sahib is flown at gurdwaras and symbolises the values of the Sikh faith.

Sikhism is the religion of about 27 million people worldwide. ‘Sikh’ literally means ‘learner’ or ‘disciple’. A Sikh is a person who believes in the ten Gurus and the Guru Granth Sahib; and who has no other religion.

Sikh terms are largely drawn from the Punjabi language. When the Sikh scriptures were written down, the script in which they were written was called Gurmuhki.

This literally means ‘Wonderful Lord’ and is a Sikh name for God. Guru Nanak also called God ‘Akal Purakh’, the Eternal One.

Many Sikh hymns and greetings include the name ‘Waheguru’, and this contains the idea of light and goodness overcoming darkness and evil.