Location: Interviewed:
Sikh Society of Florida Sakthi
16000 Stirling Road Gurpaul
Southwest Ranches, FL 33331 Maria
Sunday- July 5, 2015
9:00 am Asa Di Var (Bhai Kirpal Singh)
10:30 am Kirtan (Local Sangat)
11:45 am Kirtan (Bhai Makhanjit Singh)
1:00 pm Samapti/Guru Ka Langar
In today’s generation, one often hears “I’m not religious, but I’m spiritual.” It was
not until discovering Sikhism that I truly understood the sentiment. Sikhism, one of the
top five religions of the world. Sikhism is considered an offshoot of a bhakti cult of
Hinduism. Sikh translates to disciples which is convenient as the Sikhs are the disciples
of 10 gurus beginning with Nanak. Sikhism’s founder, Guru Nanak, was born in 1469.
Guru Nanak spread a simple message of “Ek Ong Kar”: we are all one, created by the
One Creator of all Creation. This was at a time when India was being torn apart by castes,
sectarianism, religious factions, and fanaticism. He aligned with no religion, and
respected all religions. He expressed the reality that there is one God and many paths, and
the Name of God is Truth, “Sat Nam”.
For this visit site, I attended the Gurdwara “Sikh Society of Florida” in Broward
county. Gurdwara means the gateway through which the Guru could be reached. What
first attracted me to Sikhism is it’s humble nature and Gurdwaras are consistent with this
view. Any place where the Guru Granth Sahib is installed and treated with respect can be
considered a Gurdware, like a room in your house. A Gurdwara carries three functions;
kirtan, katha, and langar. Kirtan is the singing of hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib.
Katha is the reading of the Guru Granth Sahib and explanations. Langar is a free
community kitchen for all visitors of any religion.
In order to fully emerge myself in a complete Sikh experience I decided to attend
a Sunday program at the Sikh Society of Florida. According to their website they offer it
every Sunday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. While dress code is not fully enforced, I did
take note on the protocols listed in most Gurdwaras. Upon entering, one is advised to take
off their shoes and cover their head as a sign of respect to Guru Granth Sahib. Once
inside, hands are feet are to be washed. In the room is a Guru Granth Sahib installation
and one is expected to bow down and touch the floor for respect to the sovereignty. The
