SIKH GURDWARA OF ROCHESTER
2041 Dublin Road, Penfield NY 14526. USA.
Phone: (585) 377-2771

The Sikh Gurdwara of Rochester was founded in 1986.

The Sikh community of Rochester began about 1976, meeting twice a month at various private homes for worship. As the community expanded, members started looking for a permanent site for a gurdwara, or temple and located their current site in the Rochester suburb of Penfield.

Founded:  The Gurdwara of Rochester was founded in December of 1986. Gurdwara means “the gateway through which the Guru can be reached.” According to a news item from the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (May 17, 1994), "… the Gurdwara has four doorways, each facing one of the cardinal directions, a sign of welcome to people from all geographical areas and walks of life.”
According to an article in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (March 22, 2001), some members of the Rochester area Sikh community have started a yoga ashram and intend to expand the gurdwara into the city. A large and popular Indian restaurant is located nearby. Organizers of this ashram maintain close ties to the gurdwara in Penfield.

Worshippers: Sikhs majority. Non-Asian and Americans are welcome. The languages spoken are Punjabi, English, and other languages The congregation is made up of men, and women, as well as their children. While inside the center of worship, the women sit on the left, while the men sit on the right. The children are involved in the service by running one at the end of each month. The temple draws attendees from as far away as Watertown and Ithaca for its Sunday services. In general, members of the Sikh community are drawn from the professional class

Activities: A few hundred Sikhs including Americans and others attend the Gurdwara.
Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m., there is a Gurbani reading from the Guru Granth Sahib, the Holy book (contains 1439 pages). Kirtan, Anand Sahib, Ardas (common prayer) and HukamNaama from Guru Granth Sahib are all followed by Prasad and Guru ka Langar (the meal prepared before the services). Services normally end at about 2:00 p.m. The children run the service the last Sunday of every month.

Physical Description of the Gurdwara:   When you enter through the main door you walk into a small foyer. Straight ahead of you is the main worship hall; to your left is a small hallway with a room for coats and a small bathroom. Slightly to the right is a kitchen where the women and some of the men prepare food before the services. This is known as the Langar. Further to your right is a large open room, mostly used for meetings and the meal, with a couple of chalkboards, some folding tables and a low window looking into the kitchen area. Everything is carpeted and cream colored, and there are many windows to let the sunlight in. The exterior of the building is brick, with a very large circular window at the very top, seeing through to the back of the building. Handsome crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling in the main hall and the sacred Guru Granth Sahib is covered by an ornate canopy.

The Service:  Every one is equal at the Gurdwara. During the service itself, the men sit on the right, where as the women sit on the left, with about the same distance from each other. Both men and women cover their heads out of respect towards the Guru Granth Sahib, and shoes must be removed before entering the center of worship. When approaching the Guru Granth Sahib one is expected to bow down and touch the floor as a sign of further respect towards the Eternal Sikh Guru. Everyone is expected to stand facing the Guru Granth Sahib when the Ardas (common prayer) is read. The Kirtan is the singing of hymns, and the Katha is a reading from the Guru Granth Sahib

Guidelines for new visitors: When you arrive, you will most likely observe reading of prayers going on in the main hall. Others would be performing seva (voluntary services) within the premises.Other volunteers will be busy preparing the large meal for the congregation.Please observe the usual basic simple protocol when entering the main hall:
Cover your head, walk straight to the altar (Guru Granth Sahib).Bow down once.
find a place to sit down and listen attentively to the proceedings.
Don't worry about the rules - just follow others. Most people don't know what to do the first time. It is a good idea to call ahead of time to talk to someone at the Gurdwara to familarise yourself, but it is not compulsory. All respectful visitors are welcome. It is also wise to bring along something to cover your head with, but there is always something available there if you do not.

Food/Langar Service: Only vegetarian food is served from the Langar (kitchen) so that no one may be offended and all people of all religions can sit together to share a common meal irrespective of any dietary restrictions. Everyone sits on the floor to demonstrate equality and simplicity. Finally the congregation would socialise a bit, showing their care and concern for others, offering help and comfort for those who need them and praise those who have done well. The atmosphere is warm and pleasant.
 


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Launched January Jan-2004 - Updated: January 2004