Archive for category: News

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!!

Saadh Sangat Ji,

Please join us in remembering Shaheedi of Guru Arjun Dev Ji onSunday, 20-June-2021.

NOTE: The limit for number of sangat members in Gurdwara is waived now. All other rules since reopening of Gurdwara are still effective.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji was the first martyr of the Sikh faith and fifth of the ten Sikh Gurus, who compiled writings to create our holy book Guru Granth Sahib Ji. 

One of the greatest contribution of Guru Arjan Dev Ji made to the Sikh faith was to compile all of the past Gurus’ writings, along with selected writings of other saints from different backgrounds which he considered consistent with the teachings of Sikhism into one book, now the holy scripture: the Guru Granth Sahib.

Guru Arjan was arrested under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir and asked to convert to Islam. In June 1606, the Mughal Emperor Jahangir ordered that Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Sikh Guru be tortured and sentenced to death after the Guru had refused to stop preaching his message of God as started by Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The Guru was made to sit on a burning hot sheet while boiling hot sand was poured over his body. After enduring five days of unrelenting torture, Guru Arjan Dev Ji was taken for a bath in the river. As thousands watched he entered the river, never to be seen again.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

Dear Sadh Sangat Ji,

Covid has adversely impacted our lives. Our Sangat also went through a lot of difficulties due to Covid but we are thankful to Waheguru ji for keeping our families safe. Our Sangat, sevadars and Bhai Sahib’s safety is our highest priority and that is why we kept Gurdwara closed. Many of you have been asking about the status of Sikh Gurdwara reopening. We would like to update you on our plan to reopen the Gurdwara with all safety measures. As of February, vaccines are being administered everywhere in United States and by now most of our elder community members have taken Covid Vaccine. We plan to reopen Gurdwara responsibly and follow DC government’s guidelines. For those who are 65+ and have not yet taken the vaccine, we encourage all our members to sign up and get vaccinated. Below are the websites for Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia to register for vaccine. 

• https://covidlink.maryland.gov/content/vaccine/#prereg
• https://dchr.dc.gov/page/covid-19-vaccine-registration
• https://vaccinate.virginia.gov/

Even though we have decided to reopen the Gurdwara, we will be taking all the precautions, follow Washington DC’s guidelines and restrictions for gatherings. Below is our Covid plan to reopen the Gurdwara:

• Sikh Gurdwara DC will resume services on April 04, 2021.
• Only ONE diwan will be held from 11:00 AM to 01:00 PM. We will start and end on time, so please cooperate by coming on time for diwan.
• We request sangat members to please do not enter Gurdwara premises before 10:45AM because of safety reasons.
• Sangat members are allowed to enter Gurdwara on FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS till total occupancy (66 members) is not reached.
• Only ONE door (back door next to parking at the back of Gurdwara Sahib) will be kept open for the entrance and no one will be allowed to enter without checking temperature. Please use hand sanitizer placed in front of the door before entry for everyone’s safety. If you have been tested positive for Covid 19, have come in contact with person who is tested positive for Covid 19 within 14 days or experience any symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, body aches, fever, nasal congestion or cough etc, please stay home and consult your doctor.
• As per DC government occupancy guidelines, only 25% of total occupancy (see attached) are allowed at a time, so we will be monitoring the count at the door and MAXIMUM 66 members of sangat are allowed at a time inside the Gurdwara premises. If the limit has reached, we will request people to wait in their vehicle until other people leave the Gurdwara. Please do not take any offense in this process.
• Total occupancy of 66 includes children, sangat members in diwan hall, kitchen and any section inside the Gurdwara premises.
• To-go Langar will be provided.
• All visitors, staff and Granthis are required to wear mask, please bring your own masks. 
• We will be implementing social distancing policies; seating areas will be marked 6 ft apart from each other, 10 ft away from Bhai Sahib ji and we ask sangat to sit on the marked areas only. During Covid we are not allowing sangat to do Kirtan, Parikrama or Chor Sahib seva. We will be assigning a few members to do Chor Sahib seva.
• Families can sit together as that will help in social distancing
• Parents are responsible to supervise and make sure kids follow the safety guidelines for safety of kids and everyone
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water.
• Keeping the safety of Bhai Sahib ji’s family in mind, no one will be allowed to go in their apartment, and no one will be allowed to use the bathroom upstairs in their apartment.
• NO PREPARED OR READY TO EAT FOOD WILL BE ALLOWED TO BRING IN GURDWARA, ONLY RAW MATERIAL OR MONETARY DONATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
• No more than 5 people will be allowed in the kitchen to prepare langar and we are only allowing people who are fully vaccinated to prepare the langar for the sangat.
• Khalsa school will remain closed and we will notify you when services will be resumed.
• A couple fo volunteers are needed for Seva and they are included in total occupancy
• For any questions, please call Bhai Sahib ji at 202 403 9885.
• For quick reference and personal safety, we have attached the poster that we found online, and we feel the information is very important to follow anywhere. We have also attached the screenshot of DC Government’s website that lists the occupancy limit at this time. 

We request your cooperation in helping us maintain a healthy environment by practicing safety, wearing masks, and maintaining social distancing. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas feel free to email us.

Warm Regards,

Gurdwara Management Sevadars

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Whaeguru Ji Ki Fateh!!

Saadh Sangat Ji, please join all of us to celebrate the Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Gurupurab with special diwan on Fri, 23-Nov-2018 and on Sun, 25-Nov-2018 in DC Gurdwara. Baljit Kaur Khalsa Jatha will be here for kirtan.

Guru Nanak Gurpurab also known as Guru Nanak’s Prakash Utsav and Guru Nanak Jayanti, celebrates the birth of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Apart from Sikhs, Hindus and other followers of Guru Nanak’s philosophy also celebrate this festival. Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, was born on April 15, 1469.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji travelled far and wide teaching people the message of one God who dwells in every one of His creations and constitutes the eternal Truth.He set up a unique spiritual, social, and political platform based on equality, fraternal love, goodness, and virtue.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teaching is understood to be practiced in three ways:

• Vaṇḍ Chakko: Sharing with others, helping those with less who are in need
• Kirat Karo: Earning/making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud
• Naam Japna: Meditating on God’s name to control the five weaknessesof the human personality.

These five weakness are kaam (lust), krodh (rage), lobh (greed), moh(attachment) and ahankar (conceit).

   

Guru Nanak Dev Ji widely acknowledged to have made four major journeys, spanning thousands of kilometres, the first tour being east towards Bengal,Assam and Manipur, the second south towards Sri Lanka, the third north towards Kashmir, Ladakh, Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh and the final tour west towards Baghdad, Mecca and Medina on the Arabian Peninsula.

Baljit Kaur Khalsa: One of her random videos from youtube

Friday, November 23 – Arambh Akhand Paath at 6:00 AM
7:15 PM to 7:45 PM : Baljit Kaur Khalsa
7:45 PM to 08:30 PM: Bhai Surinder Singh Ji
Followed by Anand Saheb, Ardas, Vaak and Sukhasan

Sunday, November 25 – Samapti Akhand paath at approximately 7:30 AM
Asa Di Vaar – 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Special Kirtan diwan from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM – Kirtan by  Baljit Kaur Khalsa Jatha
Followed by Kirtan from Sangat
Kirtan by Bhai Surinder Singh Ji Jatha

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!!

 

NOTE: New Date 14Oct2018 – 13th Annual Unity Walk In DC With Sikh Gurdwara DC

Saadh Sangat Ji, did you know this?
The sacred scripture of Sikhism is called Guru Granth Sahib in reverence. It’s a large collection of hymns of Gurus and other innumerable Muslim and Hindu saints. This makes it one of the world’s only “interfaith scripture”!
#knowyourneighbor

People of all faiths and cultures from around the DC region will walk down “Embassy Row” and visit houses of worship and other religious centers in a public celebration of unity and support for our diverse community. The Unity Walk is open and free to everyone.

 

Unity Walk
Sunday, October 14th 01:45PM EST – 06:00 PM EST

Check in and Resource Fair: 01:45 PM – 02:30 PM
Opening Ceremony: 02:30 PM – 03:00 PM
Walkers will be visiting the Gurdwara between 3:10 PM and 4:15 PM

Address: Washington Hebrew Congregation
3935 Macomb St NW, Washington, DC 20016
Closing Ceremony: 05:30 PM – 06:00 PM
Address: Islamic Center of Washington DC
2551 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008

You can also see all other information about the day of the walk here:
https://ifcmw.org/programs/unity-walk/unity-walk-faq/

 

 

On Sunday, May the 6th, 2018, we are delighted that Nalinanand ji will perform Kirtan at the DC Gurudwara from 12 noon till 12:45PM. Please be sure to join us on this special occasion and invite others as well.
Gyani Nalinanand ji truly demonstrates the concept of renunciation (Tyag) for ‘Dharma’. Born with the proverbial silver spoon in 1979 in an affluent and respected Sood family of Patiala, he gave up on all his worldly comfort and took up the path of celibacy and ‘Dharma’ at the young age of 21 years.
He has a mastery of many scriptures.  His lectures and bhajans are interspersed with examples and quotes from Guru Granth Sahib ji, teachings of Sufi saints, and many others.  He works hard to spread the affection among all beings. He is loved and revered by his followers across the globe of various religious beliefs.

Nalinanand ji is a gifted Raagi, who has presented his Kirtan at various Gurudwaras around the world leaving the Sangat mesmerized with his melodious voice and singing style.