.jpg)
Carrer de l'Hospital, 97 08001 Barcelona
Gurdwara Phone: 934 438 882
During the times of the early Gurus, Sikh places of worship were referred to as dharamsalas. They were a place where Sikhs could gather to hear the Guru speak or sing hymns. As the Sikh population continued to grow Guru Hargobind introduced the word Gurdwara, meaning the gateway through which the Guru could be reached. Thereafter all Sikh places of worship came to be known as Gurdwaras. Any place where the Guru Granth Sahib is installed and treated with due respect can be referred to as a Gurdwara, whether it is a room in ones house of a separate building.
The main function of the Gurdwara is to provide Sikhs with a meeting-place for congregational worship through ‘Keertan’, the collective singing of God's praise through the Shabads (Sacred Hymns) in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee, and seeking support and guidance from the Guru.
Visiting a Gurdwara.
People of all religious backgrounds or of no religious faith are welcomed into a Sikh Gurdwara. However, it is necessary that all visitors remove their shoes, wash their hands and cover their head before entering the Gurudwara. Visitors are also forbidden to go into the gurdwara while they are inebriated or possess alcohol, cigarettes or any intoxicating substance.
Customs and etiquette.
Devotees will sit cross-legged on the floor. All those who enter the hall must remove their shoes, wash their hands and cover their heads before entering. On entering the hall, devotees walk slowly and respectfully to the main throne (called the takht) on which the Guru Granth Sahib rests. Devotees then stand before the Holy Scriptures, often say a silent prayer, and then bow humbly.
