Virtual Tour: Watford Gurdwara

Learning Objectives

Organisation and Resources

Content and Differentiation

Introduction
In classroom: discuss the Christian place of worship and what happens there - worship God by singing, praying, reading the Bible, having a collection, bread and wine, Sunday School, etc.

Explain that a Sikh place of worship is called a Gurdwara, which means doorway to the Guru. In other words, a Gurdwara is God's house. It does not have to be a special building. Especially in India, Gurdwaras may be in ordinary houses or other buildings. The most important thing is that the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book, is there. It is a place where people meet to worship, to learn, to have fun, and to have meals together.

All Gurdwaras have a kitchen so that everybody can share a meal after the service is over. The kitchen has a special name - the langar. There may be a room where you can leave your shoes and you can wash your hands and feet.

Virtual Tour

Take class to hall. Look at virtual tour of Gurdwara on data projector and laptop.

Explain that nearest Gurdwara is in Chatham so we can't go and visit it, but we can do the next best thing - have made the music room into a place very like a Gurdwara, so we can imagine what it would be like to worship there. Behaviour - as in a church, quiet, show respect, walking not running. Shoes off as we go in, leave them neatly outside. Men and women usually sit separately so the boys are to sit on the floor on the right, girls on the left. Feet behind you and you must not turn your back on the Guru Granth Sahib. Adults would cover their heads with a turban for a man and a scarf for a lady, but as you are children it's okay. See what you notice outside the music room door.

Experience in our own Gurdwara

Did you notice a yellow flag outside? It has the Sikh emblem called the Nishan Sahib. You usually see this outside a Gurdwara. The emblem on the flag is called a Khanda. It is a double edged sword surrounded by a circle and two swords. It reminds Sikhs to serve God by being truthful and wanting what is right.

We are in the prayer hall of the Gurdwara. The Gurdwara also contains a langar, a sleeping area for the Guru Granth Sahib and probably a library. This room is for worship. It is often decorated with tinsel and small lights. There may be pictures of Guru Nanak and the other Gurus on the walls. It usually has a carpet but no seats. Everyone sits on the floor as a sign that everyone is equal.

Now let's think about the worship that would take place in the Gurdwara. There would be prayers, singing, listening to readings and shared food. The worship would be led by a Granthi who reads from the Guru Granth Sahib.

One of the most important parts of the worship would be the reading of the sacred book called the Guru Granth Sahib. It is put on a small platform (like where a throne would be) and is covered with a cloth. This is the most important part of the room. It might have a canopy above it. To show respect for it and as a symbol of authority, a fan called a Chauri is waved over it.

The Guru Granth Sahib is seen by Sikhs as God in their midst. It is treated as a living person and is kept in a small room like a bedroom. Listen to some of the first words in the Guru Granth Sahib. Normally they would be read in an Indian language called Punjabi. (Child to read Mool Mantar.)

In front of this, people can leave gifts of food or money. They kneel down and touch the ground with their forehead, and then give their offering of food or money before they go and sit down in their places. (Two children to give offering.)

The services in a Gurdwara are usually in Punjabi. They might last up to five hours, but you don't have to stay for the whole time. The service ends with a special prayer which reminds everyone to remember God and the ten Gurus, and to pass on the teaching of the Guru Granth Sahib. Prayers are said for Sikhs everywhere, and there may be special prayers said for people who are ill.

There is no special day for worship, but in Britain it is usually on a Saturday or Sunday. There would be singing of hymns or songs from the Guru Granth Sahib. It would be played on drums and a harmonium by the musicians called Ragees. (Select three children to be musicians.)

Let's listen to some music. A special pudding is given to everyone. It is called Kara Parshad and is made with flour, sugar, water and butter, which is heated and made into little balls. Everyone eats some to show they are all equal. (Two children to offer this round.)

After the service, everyone enjoys a meal together cooked in the langar. It is an important part of Sikh worship, which goes back to the days of Guru Naka. In India in those times, there were strict rules which said that different groups of people should not eat together. Guru Nanak said that being a Sikh was more important than these rules, and the meal became a symbol of the Sikh belief that all people are equal.

The food is cooked by both men and women, and is given free to everyone. It is paid for by money which people give at the beginning of the service. The meal is simple and wholesome, and always consists of the sort of food you would eat in India, in the Punjab. The food is vegetarian, so that people who do not eat meat can still take part.

Discussion in classroom

Ask children to use their senses to describe what it felt like to worship in a Gurdwara. What did they see, hear, taste, smell, touch? How did it feel different to being in a church? How could you see that people are treated equally?

Plenary

Why are places of worship special? What should we remember if we go into a church or Gurdwara? What have you learnt from today's lesson?