A Gurdwara is open to all people irrespective of their faith, gender, race, orientation or any other aspect that defines them. First time visitors are welcome to visit Gurdwara Sahib at Everett. There are a few basic guidelines when visiting a Gurdwara:
- Dress modestly and appropriately so that you are able to sit cross-legged for as long as you plan to attend the service. Chairs are provided for those with physical limitations to sit down.
- Before entering the main prayer hall, please leave your footwear in the shoe-racks provided downstairs.
- All visitors must cover their head before entering the prayer hall. A large, knotted handkerchief or scarf can be used for this purpose. The Gurdwara Sahib also provides scarves for while you are here so, please don’t worry in case you forget to bring yours.
- Absolutely no smoking, drinking or other intoxicants are permitted in the vicinity of the Gurdwara Sahib.
- At the end of the service, visitors are provided Karah Parshad (flour based sweet food) for their consumption. If you aren’t sure about eating it, please request for a small portion but please do not refuse or throw it away.
- A free communal meal is offered after the service consisting of Indian vegetarian food. Again, if you aren’t sure about eating the food please ask for small quantities initially or ask to be excused from the meal. We highly recommend that you have the meal as it is an integral part of attending Gurdwara. (Langar is usually served only on Friday evenings and Sunday during the day, and on special occasions. Please check the Gurdwara website for updates).
While at the Gurdwara, please feel free to talk to one of the sewadars (volunteers) if you like to, to introduce yourself or learn more about the Sikh faith from them. You may also write to us in advance if you wish, so we are able to receive you.
Please note that upon attending service anytime, you are in no way obligated to attend again or become a member of the Gurdwara at any point. You may visit the Gurdwara only when you like to do so. Having said that, we are always happy to see you join us in the services. Please write to us or talk to one of the sewadars when you are here if you have any questions.
Resources
In the age of audio and video content, a great online resource to learn about the Sikh faith is a YouTube channel called Basics of Sikhi. They have several curated playlists for beginners such as Basics, and one on Sikh history and philosophy. These are good starting points while one can explore more advanced topics at their own pace.
For those who still prefer turning pages to clicking links, there are various books on Sikh history that you can find on Amazon or another place. Khushwant Singh‘s books on Sikh history from 1469 till 2004 are a bit easy to get started with. Patwant Singh’s book The Sikhs provides a detailed and accurate description of the origins, traditions and beliefs, and more recent history of the Sikhs.