Did G for Gurdwara instead of garage but the assignment under T for temple.
Praying, religious beliefs, values, and ways of worship are all found in different forms all across the world for every religion. I proudly am a Sikh (Punjabi) and we all go to the temple known as the Gurdwara. The most common time for my community to visit the Gurdwara is on Sunday mornings, although many of us go many times a week no matter the day or time. The Gurdwara doors are open 24/7 with prayers taking place and food (Langar) being served downstairs in the dining hall. One thing that brings me extreme joy and a proud feeling is that anyone from any color, ethnicity or religion is welcome into the temple with no questions asked or skeptical looks given towards them. If someone is going through rough times, they are offered a place to stay, clothes, and warm food at the temple with once again no questions asked. It is a very holy place where no drugs, alcohol, meat or such things, or anyone who has consumed any of those are strictly not permitted around the premises, as it is a disrespect to the home of our Guru.
Upon entering the Gurdwara I am greeted with the strong smell of caramelized onions inside of the many dishes being prepared downstairs in the kitchens. All the spices and smells becoming trapped in your clothes as soon as you step inside. I along with my family make my way through the heavy crowd towards the area where everyone is required to remove their shoes before entering the Darbar Sahib (Main Hall). I see there is an elderly women wiping other peoples shoes with a piece of cloth as she recites a prayer quietly to herself. It amazes me how some have such pure hearts, how they can be so devoted to their guru with serving others for blessings, or just for the fulfilling feeling they get out of doing such deeds, out of serving their children. We all washed our hands and some washed their feet for further purity. Everyone is required to have their heads covered as it is a form of respect and for those who have no scarf , are provided with a triangular piece of cloth to tie on their heads for the time being. Which I tied on both of my younger siblings who had refused to wear traditional clothes on such a hot day.
I made my way inside towards the main praying area called the Shri Guru Darbar, where the holy book filled with scriptures of the Sikhs ( The Guru Granth Sahib ji ) sits to whom we pay our respects to. The Sikhs treat the Sri Guru Granth Sahib as a “living Guru” and so fulfill all the traditions that would be accorded to a “human Guru”, of ancient times. I wait patiently in line behind many other men and women as they pay their respects up front, I turn to my left and see a wave of women and children sitting on the floor, some dressed in foreign clothes and some in a traditional salwar suits. Toddlers ran around from their families to randoms who greet them with smiles and open arms, accepting the child’s attempt to “play”, on my right are all men sitting, calmly. In front of me is the platform of here the Holy book sits, there is an elderly Granthi ( A ceremonial reader of the Shri Guru Granth Shahib ji) standing above it holding a Chaur Sahib which is a implement used to fan the Granth in a sign of reverence and respect for the scriptures. The Chaur Seva is just one of those central traditions that the Sikhs practice to honor their Guru with high regards and respect that the Gurbani deserves. The Sikhs do not ‘worship’ the Guru Granth for this is forbidden – Only the ‘One Almighty God’ is to be worshiped, for He is the Creator of everything that can be perceived and also those things that cannot be perceived.
As its my turn to pay my respects next, I bring my hands in front of my heart creating prayer hands, and recite my prayers/greetings/ and personal thank you’s quietly inside my head, close my eyes, and envision my Guru in front of me. I bow my head in front of the Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and walk around it, bowing down at the back and then again in the front. I then walked towards the side to receive a religious offering called Karah Prashad, which is made up of whole-wheat flower, clarified butter, and sugar all in a mixture, usually offered by a sweet elderly sitting once again on the floor just as everyone else. Some would say it tastes like warm cookie doe. I make my way and sit among-st the ladies on the floor all facing towards the holy book, who are praying along with the Granthi. Sitting on the floor is an expression of humility before the Guru. We sit for as long as we please and pray along, or sit quietly engulfed in our private inner thoughts.
After a while we made our way downstairs into the Langar hall ( Food hall) where there are 1-2 lines of traditional food being offered such as Roti. Besides Roti there are other foods being served on the side sometimes as well, “normal” foods such as pizza, sandwiches, cake, fruit ETC. We eat sitting on the floor once again among-st everyone else and are served every couple of minutes by volunteers to make sure everyone is cared for and served to satisfaction. After finishing our meals completely, as leaving behind left overs in your plate is a form of disrespect, we carry our utensils to the side where they are handed down to a team of volunteers. Some who wipe your plates clean before they are handed down to be washed by hand, then to be put through a drying machine, ending in the back of the room where usually kids wipe and stack up the freshly washed utensils ready to go through the whole cycle once again.
After washing my hands we made our way back upstairs to put our shoes on and to pay our last respects to the Guru while still being in the temple. I walked through the doors finally smelling some fresh air and made my way down the steps of the Gurdwara, turning around and touching the last 1-2 steps of the building, as they are the steps towards my Gurus Home. I bring my hand up to my forehead, my mouth and my heart. A form of personal gratitude towards my guru. Saying thank you for blessing me, I love you, and you will always be in my heart, with me forever.