Surrey, BC – The festive spirit is growing in the Sikh community as it readies to celebrate the 541st Birthday of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism. He founded Sikhism on the universal principle of equality of all people regardless of class, colour, creed, religion or gender. He taught us to honour and respect people from all walks of life. In the spirit of his teachings, the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey is planning a series of multi-faith events to celebrate the occasion this coming weekend and we extend an invitation for all to attend.
The festivities will begin on November 18th with the beginning of a three day continuous reading of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh scriptures). Throughout each day, cooks will prepare an amazing array of dishes available for everyone. These volunteers are excited to celebrate this occasion by sharing their culinary creations. Jatinder Singh, Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Society General Secretary stated, “We have been preparing for this weekend for months, it is a very big day for the community. We’re more excited this year as we attempt to bring in the community.”
On Friday, November 19th festivities will continue with the annual tradition of inviting local school children to attend the Gurdwara. There will be various educational activities and they will celebrate the occasion with pizza and cake.
On Saturday, November 20th, volunteers will prepare a special meal for the less fortunate in the morning and serve this meal in Surrey in the afternoon. The afternoon program at the Gurdwara also includes a unique set of educational documentaries on the Sikh faith for the youth, followed by hymn singing into the early morning hours.
In conjunction with the Multifaith Action Society, a multi-faith social will be held on Sunday, November 21st from 4pm-6pm at the Gurdwara. There will be tours of the Gurdwara, great food and lots of opportunities to ask questions and connect with people from many different faiths. The evening will be capped by fireworks at 9pm. Bikramjit Singh Sandhar, Society President, stated his excitement, “The birth of our first Guru is always an exciting occasion. This year we’re trying very hard to reach out to the community, we’re inviting local school children and the public to come take part in the festivities.” All communities of Surrey and Delta are invited to join the Sikh community in celebration at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.
