The Sikh Gurdwara of San Jose is a
gurdwara
A gurdwara or gurudwara () is a place of assembly and place of worship, worship in Sikhism, but its normal meaning is "place of guru" or "home of guru". Sikhism, Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths and rel ...
(a
Sikh
Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
place of worship) located in the
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...
district of
San Jose, California
San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...
. It was founded in 1984 by leaders of the then-rapidly growing community of Sikhs in the area. It is the largest Gurdwara in the world outside of India.
History
Initially, the community met in a rented community center, but soon bought a small building in east San Jose. After buying nearby land in 1995, they decided it would be too expensive to build in the city limits, so they sold that land and bought a larger property further east. The first phase of the project of almost was completed in 2004.
The second phase was completed in April 2011, making it the largest gurdwara in North America at . The chief architect and designer of the project is the late Malkiat Singh Sidhu. The largest audience at the San Jose Gurdwara was on opening day when some 20,000 people were thought to have come.
Architecture
The gurdwara includes a prayer hall, called the "main Diwan Hall", that sees 10,000 in attendance every Sunday. It also includes a kitchen and accompanying hall to provide
Langar
Langar may refer to:
Community eating
*Langar (Sikhism)
*Langar (Sufism)
Places
Afghanistan
*Langar, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
*Langar, Bamyan, Afghanistan
*Langar, Faryab, Afghanistan
*Langar, Herat, Afghanistan
*Langar, Wardak, Afghanistan
...
service. Additionally, the grounds include a school wing that hosts about 700 students every Sunday for
Punjabi
Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan
* Punjabi language
* Punjabis, Punjabi people
* Punjabi dialects and languages
Punjabi may also refer to:
* Punjabi (horse), a ...
,
kirtan
Sikh ''kirta''n with Indian harmoniums and '' Kenya.html" ;"title="tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya">tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya (1960s)
''Kirtana'' (; ), also rendered as ''Kiirtan'', ''Kirt ...
, and
gurbani
Gurbani (, pronunciation: , lit. the Guru's words) is a Sikh term, very commonly used by Sikhs to refer to various compositions by the Sikh Gurus and other writers of Guru Granth Sahib. In general, hymns in the central text of the Sikhs, the Gu ...
classes, basketball courts, and a free health clinic.
See also
*
Gurdwaras in the United States
A gurdwara or gurudwara () is a place of assembly and worship in Sikhism, but its normal meaning is "place of guru" or "home of guru". Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths and religions are welcomed in gurd ...
References
External links
Official websiteEvent Guide
Culture of San Jose, California
Sikh places
San Jose
Buildings and structures in San Jose, California
Religious buildings and structures in Santa Clara County, California
1985 establishments in California
Buildings and structures in Santa Clara County, California
{{US-religious-struct-stub