(Editor’s Note: This is the fourth story in a series on Religious Diversity Journeys. This week’s story features Sikhism. Nine Brandon Middle School students are participating in the InterFaith Leadership Council program. Find previous stories at thecitizenonline.com)
Metal trays and cups are lined up on the floor in long rows in front of thin cloth runners on March 11 in a room at the Rochester Hills Sikh Gurdwara.
In the community kitchen, Kuldip Dulai stirs an enormous pot of rice, then moves on to stirring a pot of an equal amount of beans, and sprinkles herbs into a giant pot of potatoes. Around the corner, men and women roll out dough for flour tortillas at a table, while behind them, more volunteers flip the tortillas on an industrial size stove.
They are about to serve lunch to roughly 150 hungry middle school students as well as a few dozen teachers and parents. Among the diners are Ava Scheys, a Brandon Middle School seventh grader, who accepts offerings of strawberries, salad, potatoes and tortilla, served by volunteers. The guests may be of differing backgrounds, races, religions, but in the Gurdwara, they will all sit on the floor together symbolizing one very important tenet of the Sikh religion? all are equal in the eyes of God.
‘Everyone sits on the floor to symbolize equality,? said Mohanpal Singh Dulai, a member of the Sikh Gurdwara. ‘We are all of equal status regardless of whether we are rich or poor, regardless of birthright, caste or wealth, and we serve anyone that comes in. Our community is the world. We try to have no distinction. This is a free kitchen, free food for everyone, no one is refused.?
The community kitchen, or langar, is part of seva, defined in Sikhism as acts of selfless service. A common saying among Sikhs is ‘feeding the mouth of a hungry person is like putting money in a treasure chest.?
Sikhs are asked to give 10 percent of their earnings as part of seva, although that money may be used not just for langar (the community kitchen), but for any charitable work, including free clinics, shelters, or various community service projects.
Mohanpal notes that at the Golden Temple, the central Gurdwara for Sikhs located in Amristar, India near the border of Pakistan, anywhere from 70,000-100,000 free meals are served on average in a single day, made possible by volunteers and donations.
Sikhism was initiated by Guru Nanak, born in 1469 in Punjab in south Asia and which is now an area divided between India and Pakistan. During Guru Nanak’s lifetime, Mohanpal explained to students, he traveled through much of south Asia and the middle East, teaching ‘equality, selflessness, compassion honesty and that everything happens according to God’s will.?
Nine successors followed Nanak and they compiled scriptures into the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy text, the first passage of which contains a short summation of Sikh philosophy, that there is one God, the name of which is true, real, existential and powerful; an all-pervading creator, without fear, without enmity, a form not bound by time, without birth, self-existing and realized with Guru’s grace.
Sikhs believe that one must allow one’s ego to be completely destroyed, as the ego is compared to a chronic disease which causes suffering, Mohanpal said.
Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world, with 25 million followers, 700,000 of whom are in the United States.
Mandeep Singh, a member of the Rochester Hills Gurdwara, was born in Houston and raised by Sikh parents who immigrated in 1976 from India.
‘We have three basic principles as Sikhs,? he said. ‘Whatever you do, work hard and make an honest living. Whatever you earn, you share with those who are in need. And through all your actions, you have the remembrance that this is all a gift of the divine.?
He notes that one of the main misconceptions of his religion is that Sikhs are a part of Hinduism or Islam, but Sikhism is its own religion and way of life.
Bhajanpreet Singh (Singh is a common last name for males in the religion, as Kaur is for females) said there is no specific clergy at the Gurdwara, and no specific day for holy worship. Sikhs have prescribed prayers and during services, music is the central theme.
‘Music sets the mood for teaching hymns in the holy book,? said Bhajanpreet. ‘It’s all written in poetic form and according to specific music traditions.?
‘For me, my favorite part (of Sikhism) is that it’s very practical, it breaks the norms of society,? he continued. ‘The goal is something I want to achieve in this life, not about what might be waiting after. Sikhs want to take advantage of their time now, you never want to be stagnant and always want to be moving forward. The emphasis is not on the afterlife, but on the here and now.?
After the introduction to Sikhism, students moved into different sessions to learn about different aspects of the religion, including the ?5 K’s,? articles of faith that Sikhs are to wear on their person at all times. The 5 K’s are a keski, a turban which covers their hair (which Sikhs do not cut) and represents honor; a khanga, a small wooden comb, representing respect and cleanliness; a kara, an iron bracelet to represent good deeds; kacchera, an undergarment representing modesty; and kirpan, a short dagger representing justice as Sikhs are to protect all.
Mandheer Singh Dulai explains the 5 Ks to students as his wife, Jassu Kaur Dulai, wraps turbans around the heads of students, including BMS student Sarah Pesta.
‘Unfortunately in this day and age, turbans are associated with terror and something bad,? said Mandheer. ‘But a turban is about respect. 99 percent of the time, when you see someone wearing a turban, it is a Sikh.?
His religion is not judgmental of others, he continued, instead, they just encourage a person to be good regardless of what religion they practice.
‘Be a good Hindu, be a good Christian, be a good Muslim,? he said. ‘We all pray to and praise the same God… Pick a path and follow it, be dedicated to your path, be honest.?
A short time later, he shows BMS student Patria Moua a kirpan. The weapon, he notes, was tolerated well by airport security prior to Sept. 11, 2001. After, many were prosecuted for the religious article, but charges were dismissed.
Mohanpal notes that Sikhs have proudly served in the U.S. armed forces since World War I and that the Sikh community looks forward to giving back so that all of humanity can share in freedoms enjoyed by Americans.
‘We ask you to let our unique appearnace invoke feelings of trust, integrity and siblinghood,? he said. ‘Finding God in everyone and everything is our aim. Everyday, millions of Sikhs pray for the well-being of all of humanity; that all men, women, and children be able to connect with God and be uplifted from suffering.?