This article makes a general introduction of Sikh religion to our readers and presents its profile in the context of Bangladesh. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded by Guru Nanak in 15th century in India. It is also known as Gurumat because of its religious philosophy and expressions. In the system of Sikh beliefs and practices, we may find some syncretistic assimilation of Indian and Semitic religious concepts. Fundamentally, Sikhism beliefs in one God, Waheguru, and advocates the path of salvation through meditation on the name of God. The followers of Sikhism are ordained to follow the teachings of the Sikh Holy scriptures, the teachings of Sikh Gurus.
Sikhism started its journey with the teachi9ngs of Guru Nanak, the first Guru of Sikh religion in 1499. Sikhism started its journey when its preacher was only 30 years old. It is here it it bore similarity with the initiation of other major religions like Christianity when Jesus Christ was 30 years old, Buddhism when Gautam Buddha was 29 years old and Islam when on 29 years of Gautama Buddha, and Islam when Muhammad (peace be upon him) was 40 years of age.
Like most of the religion, Sikhism maintains a spiritual destination of its followers, spiritual union with God, known as Waheguru. There are five hierarchical levels or Khandas of Sikh spirituality, namely : the level of seeking moral duty; the level of wisdom and knowledge; the level of effort; the level of fulfillment; the level of truth...union with God. The graduation of the levels are shown in the diagram below:
Sikhism beliefs that God is immanent and self-existent into His creation. The Guru Grantha Sahib says that “the Self-Existent God manifested Himself into naam.” The immanent aspect of God has been variously described as His will that directs the universe. Guru Grantha Sahib says that “He creates all, fills and is yet separate.” Sikhism also beliefs God is a Transcendent being. Guru Nanak said that “to think of the transcendent Lord in the state is to enter the realm of wonder. Even at that stage of sunn (void), He permeated that entire void.”
In Sikhism God is described variously. They may recall God as Kartar (The Creator), Akal (The Eternal, Sattanama (The Holy Name), Sahib (The Lord), Parvardigar (The Cherisher), Rahim (The Merciful), Karim (The Benevolent).
Initially, Sikhism did not have any ritualistic approach. Guru Nanak opposed rituals, religious ceremonies, and idol worship and discouraged fasting and pilgrimage. To them, God is everywhere, so, to remember God there is no need to go for pilgrimage. This religion generally is based on justice and social solidarity. However, in later years, many rituals and ceremonies did arise. They observe morning and evening prayer. The morning prayer is Guru Nanak’s Jaap ji and the evening prayer is Guru Govinda Singh’s universal Jaap Sahib.
Sikhism basically a scripture based religion. They have four scriptures to follow. One is Adi Granth. It was compiled primarily by Bhai Gudras under the guardianship of Guru Arjun Dev in the early of 17th century. Another one is Guru Grantha Sahib. It was compilled by Guru Gobinda Singh in 1678. It consists of the original Ãdi Granth with the addition of Tej Bahadur's hymns. The Guru Granth Sahib is considered the Eleventh Guru of the Sikhs. It contains compositions by the first five gurus. It also contains the teachings and hymns of such as Kabir, Namdev, Ravidev, and Sheikh Farid. Another scripture is Dasam Granth. The Dasam Granth is a scripture of Sikh which contains texts attributed to the tenth Guru. Both the dasam granth and Guru Grantha Sahib describe the religious significance of Sikhs. Another scripture is Janamsakhis. It is basically the biography of Guru Nanak.
Sikhism believes in the immortality of the soul. The devotee has no fear of the pangs of death. In fact, he welcomes death, because it gives him a chance for the merger into Divinity. The evil person, however, dreads death. For him, it will lead to the unending cycle of birth and death. After death, man comes to the next birth according to what he deserves. If he has been wicked and evil, he takes birth in the lower species. If he has done good deeds, he takes birth in a good family. The cycle of birth and death keeps the soul away from Divinity. It can merge with God, only if the individual, by spiritual effort, has amassed the capital of the Name and thus lives with the Holy Spirit. The Sikh religion teaches that salvation consists in knowing God, or in obtaining God, or being absorbed into God. The general method of salvation is fairly consistent with the supremacy of an inscrutable God, and with the accompanying doctrines of the worthlessness of the world and the helplessness of man. This method of obtaining salvation by a pantheistic merging of the individual self with the mystical world soul is identical with the method of salvation.
Karma belief says that actions and the consequences of these actions decide whether a soul can be set loose from the cycle. Freedom from the cycle of rebirth is called mukti or salvation. Sikhs believe in reincarnation. This means that a person's soul may be reborn many times as a human or an animal. Sikhs believe that upon death one merges back into the universal nature.
Sikhs do not believe in heaven or hell. Heaven can be experienced by being in tune with God while still alive. Conversely, the suffering and pain caused by ego is seen as hell on earth. Sikhism views spiritual pursuits as positive experiences in and of themselves that transcend death, not as sacrifices made in order to collect a reward that is waiting until after death. The Sikhs believe that the soul has to transmigrate from one body to another as part of an evolution process of the soul. This evolution of the soul will eventually result in a union with God upon the proper purification of the spirit. If one does not perform righteous deeds, one’s soul will continue to cycle in reincarnation forever. A being who has performed good deeds and actions in their lives is transmigrated to a better and higher life form in the next life until the soul of the being merges in God.
The holy place for Sikhs is Gurdwara. The place where Guru Grantha Sahib is installed and treated according to Sikh code of conduct is referred as Gurdwara. Though the first Gurdwara was built in 1521 by Guru Nanak in Punjab but the word Gurdwara was first introduced by sixth Guru, Guru Hargovind. In Gurdwara, everyone is treated as equal. Gurdwara mainly deals with three functions. First one is Shabad Kirtan: which is the singing of hymns from the Guru Grantha Sahib. Second one is Path: which is religious discourse and reading of Gurbani from the Guru Granth Sahib with its explanations. Third one is Sangat and Pangat: which is free community kitchen where langar (food) is served for all visitors irrespective of religious, regional, cultural, racial, caste or class affiliations.
Along with these main functions Gurdwaras around the world also serve the Sikhs community in many other ways including, libraries of Sikh literature, schools to teach children Gurumukhi (Sikh scriptures), and charitable work in the wider community on behalf of Sikhs.
Sikh followers observe some festival and follow Nanaksahi calendar. Because of the controversy over Nanaksahi calendar, most Sikhs follow Hindu calendar. They observe the date of birth and death of Sikh Gurus, pohela boisakh, diwali so on. Every Sikhs follow some moral codes. Which are: equality, personal rights, action counts, living a family, sharing, accepting God’s will, valuing four fruits of life: truth, contentment, contemplation and Naam-in the name of God.
Sikh followers also observe some prohibition in daily life. These are: non-logical behavior: superstitions, or rituals which have no meaning, such as pilgrimages, fasting and bathing in rivers, gambling, worship of graves, idols or pictures, and compulsory wearing of the veil for women, are prohibited.
Another important matter of Sikhism is their concept of Khalsa. During the lifetime of Guru Gobind Singh he established this Khalsa order which means pure. The Khalsa uphold the highest Sikh virtues of commitment, dedication and a social conscious. The Khalsa are men and women who have undergone the Sikh baptism ceremony and who strictly follow the Sikh Code of Conduct and Conventions and wear the prescribed physical articles of the faith. One of the more noticeable is the uncut hair and the Kirpan (ceremonial sword).
Before his death in 1708 Guru Gobind Singh appointed his spiritual successor as Sri Guru Granth Sahib, his physical successor as the Khalsa.
Guru Gobind Singh felt that all the wisdom needed by Sikhs for spiritual guidance in their daily lives could be found in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Eternal Guru of the Sikhs. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is unique in the world of religious scriptures because not only is it accorded the status of being the spiritual head of the Sikh religion, but besides the poetry of the Gurus, it also contains the writings of saints of other faiths whose thoughts were consistent with those of the Sikh Gurus.
Male Sikhs carry five symbols: kes (uncut hair), khanga (small comb), kirpan (steel sword), kara (steel bangle), kachh (loose drawers worn as an undergarment). Sikh men do not cut their hair, but tie it up and tuck it under their turbans. They neither shave nor trim their facial hair. The main Sikh festivals are observances of the birthdays of the gurus. Sikhs also observe the first day of Baishakh. The death anniversaries of their religious heroes are also observed. Sikhs burn their dead and throw their ashes into rivers or canals.
We now focus on introduction of Sikhism in Bangladesh. There has been a number of phases of Sikh inflow in Bangladesh, of course, in very limited scales. Guru Nanak travelled across India extensively in 1499 to propagate his teachings and ideals. Then he journeyed to China, Bhutan, and the Middle East before visiting Maldah and Krishnanagar in West Bengal and Faridpur and Dhaka in Bangladesh. He first propagated Sikhism among the potters of Rayer Bazar in Dhaka, where he excavated a pond for drinking water. At Jafrabad he built a gurdwara (Sikh house of worship). But these works of Guru Nanak are no longer extant. The 9th Sikh guru, Teg Bahadur Singh (1621/2-75), came to Dhaka in 1665. He built a Sikh dharmashala at Bangla Bazar and stayed there for some time. After his death his son, Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708), the 10th and last guru, also visited Dhaka.
Sikhs constitute a small minority in Bangladesh. They usually come from abroad and live here temporarily. Sikh gurus also did not stay very long in Bangladesh to propagate their religion. During the Mughal and British rule, Sikh soldiers used to be posted to Bangladesh for short periods. They kept very much to themselves and did not develop close relationships with the local people from whom they differed not only in religion but also in language and lifestyle. [Sambaru Chandra Mohanta]
In Bangladesh Sikhism exist as a minor religion with approximately 15000-20000 followers. The grand secretary of Gurudwara management committee in Bangladesh told this author that in Bangladesh there are seven Gurudwaras. Those are: Gurdwara Guru Nanak Chowk Bazar, Dhaka; Gurdwara Nanak Shahi, Dhaka university campus, Dhaka; Gurdwara Sangat Tola, Dhaka; Gurdwara Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, Dhaka; Sikh Temple Chowk Bazaar, Chittagong; Sikh Temple Punjabi Lane Phahartali, Chittagong; Gurdwara Sahib Shivpuri, Mymensingh. The main Sikh temple in Bangladesh is Gurdwara Nanak Shahi situated on the campus of Dhaka University. All of above Sikh Gurdwaras is run by charitable fund.
However, various Sikh delegations and visitors visit Bangladesh from time to time. The first-ever large Sikh representative group or jatha to Bangladesh came to Dhaka last year end. The jatha comprising 58 members, including women, will visited various gurdwaras in Bangladesh. The jatha was sent by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) head Jathedar Avtar Singh Makkar. Makkar said jathas will now be sent regularly to Bangladesh. “Earlier, permissions were granted to only granthis (Sikh religious workers) but now the Bangladesh government has agreed to give permission for this large jatha. We will soon meet the Bangladesh High Commissioner in Delhi for granting visas to more Sikh devotees”, he said.
Makkar also offered to build a serai (hospice) at Gurdwara Chittagong near Dhaka. “Various gurdwaras in Bangladesh, built in the memory of visits by Guru Nanak and related to various Sikh historic dates, need repair and we are ready to take on the kar sewa (volunteer service). We will take up this issue with Bangladesh’s High Commission and seek the Government of India’s help, too,” said Makkar.
It may also be mentioned that the Gurdwara in Dhaka University campus has made some interfaith impact in Bangladesh. Practicing what he preaches has won Sikh priest Bhai Piara Singh many admirers in Dhaka, the capital of overwhelming Muslim Bangladesh.
Singh came to Bangladesh 13 years ago from India to head the main Gurdwara, or Sikh temple, in Dhaka, where his doctrine of peace and generosity to all mankind has made its mark on Bengalis of all faiths -- and helped keep his community safe.
"People respect us," Singh told Reuters. "Often I get a chance to speak at inter-religion discussions." "Never we had a communal problem nor did I hear of any. People of all religions visit us. Muslims often donate (money) to help us run the Gurdwara," he added.
The century-old building is protected by the authorities but also fondly preserved by students, who often engage in gun battles on campus.
"All religions preach non-violence, no hatred and love. The Sikhs are a true reflection of that and so they are loved by all," said Atiqur Rahman, Muslim who attended Dhaka University. Sikhs are a major religious community in mainly Hindu India, but they number only a few thousand in Bangladesh, where few wear the traditional turban and heavy beards. The Gurdwara host annual feasts in November, January and April, which politicians and diplomats attend, regardless of their faith. They all eat vegetarian meals and sing Sikh songs.
The temple is one of five offering Friday and Saturday masses to the followers of Guru Nanak, who founded the Sikh faith centuries ago. Hindus often take part in these prayers and sometimes Muslims come to listen as well. Many praise Singh.
Ratan Kumar, a Hindu, said he visited the Gurdwara almost every Friday for last 12 years. "I find it (Sikh religion) very liberal and kind." "Whoever believes in one God is welcome here. There is no bar," he added. Singh and other Sikhs also offer food to anyone who visits the temple on Fridays, attracting a big crowd from all faiths. On Saturdays, the temple gives food to poor children.
"We offer cooked food to children who otherwise find it difficult to find a meal," said Singh. "It's once in a week, but that gives them satisfaction and pleasure for a day.”
Sikhism started its journey with the teachi9ngs of Guru Nanak, the first Guru of Sikh religion in 1499. Sikhism started its journey when its preacher was only 30 years old. It is here it it bore similarity with the initiation of other major religions like Christianity when Jesus Christ was 30 years old, Buddhism when Gautam Buddha was 29 years old and Islam when on 29 years of Gautama Buddha, and Islam when Muhammad (peace be upon him) was 40 years of age.
Like most of the religion, Sikhism maintains a spiritual destination of its followers, spiritual union with God, known as Waheguru. There are five hierarchical levels or Khandas of Sikh spirituality, namely : the level of seeking moral duty; the level of wisdom and knowledge; the level of effort; the level of fulfillment; the level of truth...union with God. The graduation of the levels are shown in the diagram below:
Sikhism beliefs that God is immanent and self-existent into His creation. The Guru Grantha Sahib says that “the Self-Existent God manifested Himself into naam.” The immanent aspect of God has been variously described as His will that directs the universe. Guru Grantha Sahib says that “He creates all, fills and is yet separate.” Sikhism also beliefs God is a Transcendent being. Guru Nanak said that “to think of the transcendent Lord in the state is to enter the realm of wonder. Even at that stage of sunn (void), He permeated that entire void.”
In Sikhism God is described variously. They may recall God as Kartar (The Creator), Akal (The Eternal, Sattanama (The Holy Name), Sahib (The Lord), Parvardigar (The Cherisher), Rahim (The Merciful), Karim (The Benevolent).
Initially, Sikhism did not have any ritualistic approach. Guru Nanak opposed rituals, religious ceremonies, and idol worship and discouraged fasting and pilgrimage. To them, God is everywhere, so, to remember God there is no need to go for pilgrimage. This religion generally is based on justice and social solidarity. However, in later years, many rituals and ceremonies did arise. They observe morning and evening prayer. The morning prayer is Guru Nanak’s Jaap ji and the evening prayer is Guru Govinda Singh’s universal Jaap Sahib.
Sikhism basically a scripture based religion. They have four scriptures to follow. One is Adi Granth. It was compiled primarily by Bhai Gudras under the guardianship of Guru Arjun Dev in the early of 17th century. Another one is Guru Grantha Sahib. It was compilled by Guru Gobinda Singh in 1678. It consists of the original Ãdi Granth with the addition of Tej Bahadur's hymns. The Guru Granth Sahib is considered the Eleventh Guru of the Sikhs. It contains compositions by the first five gurus. It also contains the teachings and hymns of such as Kabir, Namdev, Ravidev, and Sheikh Farid. Another scripture is Dasam Granth. The Dasam Granth is a scripture of Sikh which contains texts attributed to the tenth Guru. Both the dasam granth and Guru Grantha Sahib describe the religious significance of Sikhs. Another scripture is Janamsakhis. It is basically the biography of Guru Nanak.
Sikhism believes in the immortality of the soul. The devotee has no fear of the pangs of death. In fact, he welcomes death, because it gives him a chance for the merger into Divinity. The evil person, however, dreads death. For him, it will lead to the unending cycle of birth and death. After death, man comes to the next birth according to what he deserves. If he has been wicked and evil, he takes birth in the lower species. If he has done good deeds, he takes birth in a good family. The cycle of birth and death keeps the soul away from Divinity. It can merge with God, only if the individual, by spiritual effort, has amassed the capital of the Name and thus lives with the Holy Spirit. The Sikh religion teaches that salvation consists in knowing God, or in obtaining God, or being absorbed into God. The general method of salvation is fairly consistent with the supremacy of an inscrutable God, and with the accompanying doctrines of the worthlessness of the world and the helplessness of man. This method of obtaining salvation by a pantheistic merging of the individual self with the mystical world soul is identical with the method of salvation.
Karma belief says that actions and the consequences of these actions decide whether a soul can be set loose from the cycle. Freedom from the cycle of rebirth is called mukti or salvation. Sikhs believe in reincarnation. This means that a person's soul may be reborn many times as a human or an animal. Sikhs believe that upon death one merges back into the universal nature.
Sikhs do not believe in heaven or hell. Heaven can be experienced by being in tune with God while still alive. Conversely, the suffering and pain caused by ego is seen as hell on earth. Sikhism views spiritual pursuits as positive experiences in and of themselves that transcend death, not as sacrifices made in order to collect a reward that is waiting until after death. The Sikhs believe that the soul has to transmigrate from one body to another as part of an evolution process of the soul. This evolution of the soul will eventually result in a union with God upon the proper purification of the spirit. If one does not perform righteous deeds, one’s soul will continue to cycle in reincarnation forever. A being who has performed good deeds and actions in their lives is transmigrated to a better and higher life form in the next life until the soul of the being merges in God.
The holy place for Sikhs is Gurdwara. The place where Guru Grantha Sahib is installed and treated according to Sikh code of conduct is referred as Gurdwara. Though the first Gurdwara was built in 1521 by Guru Nanak in Punjab but the word Gurdwara was first introduced by sixth Guru, Guru Hargovind. In Gurdwara, everyone is treated as equal. Gurdwara mainly deals with three functions. First one is Shabad Kirtan: which is the singing of hymns from the Guru Grantha Sahib. Second one is Path: which is religious discourse and reading of Gurbani from the Guru Granth Sahib with its explanations. Third one is Sangat and Pangat: which is free community kitchen where langar (food) is served for all visitors irrespective of religious, regional, cultural, racial, caste or class affiliations.
Along with these main functions Gurdwaras around the world also serve the Sikhs community in many other ways including, libraries of Sikh literature, schools to teach children Gurumukhi (Sikh scriptures), and charitable work in the wider community on behalf of Sikhs.
Sikh followers observe some festival and follow Nanaksahi calendar. Because of the controversy over Nanaksahi calendar, most Sikhs follow Hindu calendar. They observe the date of birth and death of Sikh Gurus, pohela boisakh, diwali so on. Every Sikhs follow some moral codes. Which are: equality, personal rights, action counts, living a family, sharing, accepting God’s will, valuing four fruits of life: truth, contentment, contemplation and Naam-in the name of God.
Sikh followers also observe some prohibition in daily life. These are: non-logical behavior: superstitions, or rituals which have no meaning, such as pilgrimages, fasting and bathing in rivers, gambling, worship of graves, idols or pictures, and compulsory wearing of the veil for women, are prohibited.
Another important matter of Sikhism is their concept of Khalsa. During the lifetime of Guru Gobind Singh he established this Khalsa order which means pure. The Khalsa uphold the highest Sikh virtues of commitment, dedication and a social conscious. The Khalsa are men and women who have undergone the Sikh baptism ceremony and who strictly follow the Sikh Code of Conduct and Conventions and wear the prescribed physical articles of the faith. One of the more noticeable is the uncut hair and the Kirpan (ceremonial sword).
Before his death in 1708 Guru Gobind Singh appointed his spiritual successor as Sri Guru Granth Sahib, his physical successor as the Khalsa.
Guru Gobind Singh felt that all the wisdom needed by Sikhs for spiritual guidance in their daily lives could be found in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Eternal Guru of the Sikhs. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is unique in the world of religious scriptures because not only is it accorded the status of being the spiritual head of the Sikh religion, but besides the poetry of the Gurus, it also contains the writings of saints of other faiths whose thoughts were consistent with those of the Sikh Gurus.
Male Sikhs carry five symbols: kes (uncut hair), khanga (small comb), kirpan (steel sword), kara (steel bangle), kachh (loose drawers worn as an undergarment). Sikh men do not cut their hair, but tie it up and tuck it under their turbans. They neither shave nor trim their facial hair. The main Sikh festivals are observances of the birthdays of the gurus. Sikhs also observe the first day of Baishakh. The death anniversaries of their religious heroes are also observed. Sikhs burn their dead and throw their ashes into rivers or canals.
We now focus on introduction of Sikhism in Bangladesh. There has been a number of phases of Sikh inflow in Bangladesh, of course, in very limited scales. Guru Nanak travelled across India extensively in 1499 to propagate his teachings and ideals. Then he journeyed to China, Bhutan, and the Middle East before visiting Maldah and Krishnanagar in West Bengal and Faridpur and Dhaka in Bangladesh. He first propagated Sikhism among the potters of Rayer Bazar in Dhaka, where he excavated a pond for drinking water. At Jafrabad he built a gurdwara (Sikh house of worship). But these works of Guru Nanak are no longer extant. The 9th Sikh guru, Teg Bahadur Singh (1621/2-75), came to Dhaka in 1665. He built a Sikh dharmashala at Bangla Bazar and stayed there for some time. After his death his son, Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708), the 10th and last guru, also visited Dhaka.
Sikhs constitute a small minority in Bangladesh. They usually come from abroad and live here temporarily. Sikh gurus also did not stay very long in Bangladesh to propagate their religion. During the Mughal and British rule, Sikh soldiers used to be posted to Bangladesh for short periods. They kept very much to themselves and did not develop close relationships with the local people from whom they differed not only in religion but also in language and lifestyle. [Sambaru Chandra Mohanta]
In Bangladesh Sikhism exist as a minor religion with approximately 15000-20000 followers. The grand secretary of Gurudwara management committee in Bangladesh told this author that in Bangladesh there are seven Gurudwaras. Those are: Gurdwara Guru Nanak Chowk Bazar, Dhaka; Gurdwara Nanak Shahi, Dhaka university campus, Dhaka; Gurdwara Sangat Tola, Dhaka; Gurdwara Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, Dhaka; Sikh Temple Chowk Bazaar, Chittagong; Sikh Temple Punjabi Lane Phahartali, Chittagong; Gurdwara Sahib Shivpuri, Mymensingh. The main Sikh temple in Bangladesh is Gurdwara Nanak Shahi situated on the campus of Dhaka University. All of above Sikh Gurdwaras is run by charitable fund.
However, various Sikh delegations and visitors visit Bangladesh from time to time. The first-ever large Sikh representative group or jatha to Bangladesh came to Dhaka last year end. The jatha comprising 58 members, including women, will visited various gurdwaras in Bangladesh. The jatha was sent by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) head Jathedar Avtar Singh Makkar. Makkar said jathas will now be sent regularly to Bangladesh. “Earlier, permissions were granted to only granthis (Sikh religious workers) but now the Bangladesh government has agreed to give permission for this large jatha. We will soon meet the Bangladesh High Commissioner in Delhi for granting visas to more Sikh devotees”, he said.
Makkar also offered to build a serai (hospice) at Gurdwara Chittagong near Dhaka. “Various gurdwaras in Bangladesh, built in the memory of visits by Guru Nanak and related to various Sikh historic dates, need repair and we are ready to take on the kar sewa (volunteer service). We will take up this issue with Bangladesh’s High Commission and seek the Government of India’s help, too,” said Makkar.
It may also be mentioned that the Gurdwara in Dhaka University campus has made some interfaith impact in Bangladesh. Practicing what he preaches has won Sikh priest Bhai Piara Singh many admirers in Dhaka, the capital of overwhelming Muslim Bangladesh.
Singh came to Bangladesh 13 years ago from India to head the main Gurdwara, or Sikh temple, in Dhaka, where his doctrine of peace and generosity to all mankind has made its mark on Bengalis of all faiths -- and helped keep his community safe.
"People respect us," Singh told Reuters. "Often I get a chance to speak at inter-religion discussions." "Never we had a communal problem nor did I hear of any. People of all religions visit us. Muslims often donate (money) to help us run the Gurdwara," he added.
The century-old building is protected by the authorities but also fondly preserved by students, who often engage in gun battles on campus.
"All religions preach non-violence, no hatred and love. The Sikhs are a true reflection of that and so they are loved by all," said Atiqur Rahman, Muslim who attended Dhaka University. Sikhs are a major religious community in mainly Hindu India, but they number only a few thousand in Bangladesh, where few wear the traditional turban and heavy beards. The Gurdwara host annual feasts in November, January and April, which politicians and diplomats attend, regardless of their faith. They all eat vegetarian meals and sing Sikh songs.
The temple is one of five offering Friday and Saturday masses to the followers of Guru Nanak, who founded the Sikh faith centuries ago. Hindus often take part in these prayers and sometimes Muslims come to listen as well. Many praise Singh.
Ratan Kumar, a Hindu, said he visited the Gurdwara almost every Friday for last 12 years. "I find it (Sikh religion) very liberal and kind." "Whoever believes in one God is welcome here. There is no bar," he added. Singh and other Sikhs also offer food to anyone who visits the temple on Fridays, attracting a big crowd from all faiths. On Saturdays, the temple gives food to poor children.
"We offer cooked food to children who otherwise find it difficult to find a meal," said Singh. "It's once in a week, but that gives them satisfaction and pleasure for a day.”
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