Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is a important Sikh house of worship. It is associated with the eighth Sikh guru, Guru Har Kishan. It was built as a Sikh shrine by Sardar Bhagel Singh in 1783. It is situated near Connaught place, New Delhi.
Important Components
Gurudwara has a special significance in Sikh religion. It is the house of God, the house where Guru lives. It is combination of two words “Guru” i.e. “God” and “dwara” i.e. “door/entry”. The most essential element of Gurudwara is the presence of Guru. The Guru is the holy
book i.e. “Shri Guru Granth Sahib”. It is the living Guru. Sikh Shrines have four entries or gates which means people of all the castes can enter in the shrines. Sikh religion came into existence at a time when the society was facing many problems such as the rigid caste system, attacks by Mughals, inequality etc. Basically, it is based on the concept of social service, equality and
nondiscrimination. The concept is reflected from the components of a Gurudwara (Singh,2007).
The name of the temple (Bangla) is actually derived from the word ‘bungalow’ since it was the residence of a Rajput King. The second word, Sahib, is an honorific in Sikh religious culture Sikh temple consists of various components and all have an integrated relationships. The
important components are: Main Shrine, Sarovar (water body), Langar (free community kitchen), Serai (place for stay in), Jora Ghar(place for keeping shoes) and Gathri Ghar (Cloak room)(Singh,2007).
LANGAR HALL: The concept of free community kitchen is also one of the components of a Gurudwara i.e. people of all castes will have to sit on the floor and eat together. At the langar, only vegetarian food is served, to ensure that all people, regardless of their religion, can eat as equals. Mata Khivi the wife of second Guru Shri Angad Dev raised the tradition of Langar. For cultivating this tradition she is referred as the “shade of a leafy tree”.
SAROVAR: The concept of Sarovar is another component of a Gurudwara , it’s the nectar and anyone can dip in it irrespective of caste, religion or economic status.
“The Guru is the holy book i.e. “Shri Guru Granth Sahib”. It is the living Guru.
