Three U.S. Gurdwaras You Should Know About
- Taaran Kaur
- Apr 29, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: May 4, 2023
By: Taaran Kaur
Gurdwaras are Sikh places of worship and people from all religions are welcome to visit. There are Gurdwaras all over the United States, though they are unevenly distributed; some states do not have a single Gurdwara while others have many. These are three Gurdwaras that are particularly important in understanding Sikh history in the United States.
1) Gurdwara Sahib Stockton
Location: Stockton California
Founded: 1912
The Gurdwara Sahib Stockton was the first Gurdwara opened in the United States. Originally called the Sikh Temple, it was opened in 1912 and operated similarly to a church, with the congregation sitting on chairs instead of on the floor and with head coverings being optional. In the late 1920's the Gurdwara Sahib began to resemble a more traditional Gurdwara when a second building was constructed; the congregation sat on the floor, head coverings were required, and shoes were removed at the door. All tables were removed from the langar hall, or dining area, in 1998 in accordance with the Sikh tradition of emphasizing equality through langar. Today, the Gurdwara Sahib Stockton continues to be a symbol of Sikh History and serves the sangat of California.
2) Guru Nanak Dwara
Photo Credit: https://www.gurunanakdwara.com/
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Founded: 1972
Literally translated to "The door to Guru Nanak," the Guru Nanak Dwara in Phoenix is one of the main examples of a Gurdwara where Euro-American Sikhs and Punjabi Sikhs are a part of the same community. The first gurdwara to open in Arizona, it was founded by the Euro-American Sikh community with assistance from Darshan Singh Teji in 1972 and moved to its current location in the 1980s. Punjabi Sikhs began to come to this Gurdwara by the mid 1980-s and both the Eastern and Western cultures began to mix. The constuction of the current building began in 1996, embracing the blend of traditions. This Gurdwara is one of the larger ones in the United States and has a beautiful building and exterior campus. The Guru Nanak Dwara continues to be the center for both Sikh traditions in Arizona.
3) Sikh Temple of Wisconsin
Photo Credit: https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2022/08/03/10-years-later--reflecting-back-on-the-sikh-temple-shooting-tragedy
Location: Oak Creek, Wisconsin
Founded: 1997
The Sikh Temple of Wisconsin was founded in 1997 by Sikh families who rented community halls in Milwaukee. In 1999, it received an official location in Milwaukee. However, when the congregation grew to about 400-500 people they needed to switch to a larger location. Construction of the current Gurdwara was completed in 2007.
On August 5, 2012, five years after the new building was completed, an armed gunman entered the temple and shot and killed 6 people and injured 4 more, one of whom died from their injuries later. The shooter, a 40 year old white supremacist named Wade Micheal Page, was shot by police officers at the temple when he refused to surrender his weapon. This horrible shooting was traumatic for Sikh individuals throughout the country and beyond because they were no longer safe to practice their religion in a country founded on the basis of religious freedom. Following the shooting, the community slowly rebuilt and healed. They hold prayer services in memory of the shooting's victims and held a candlelight vigil for the 10th anniversary in 2022.
Here is a link to the Gurdwara's website page in memory of the people who were killed in the shooting.
While there are only three on this list, all Gurdwaras have important and interesting histories. Gurdwaras are open to visitors of all religions and visiting a local Gurdwara is a great way to learn more about the Sikh religion and Sikh culture. We only ask that you cover your head, dress modestly, and remove your shoes (most gurdwaras have shoe cubbies at the entrance where you can store them). If your local Gurdwara has a story you would like to share, drop me a comment and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks for reading!
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