Sikhs have new temple in North Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Religious Affairs Malik Fajar inaugurated on Wednesday a new Sikh temple in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, in a ceremony attended by at least 500 members of the Indian Sikh and Sindhi communities here.

The ceremony, which included a 30-member gamelan orchestra from the Saraswati School of Dance, was attended by Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Muttu Venkatraman, among others.

Gansham Jivatram Lalchandani, a Sindhi entrepreneur who also is a member of the temple's 10-member caretaker committee, said the construction of the white, dome-shaped temple took 10 months.

The temple, which occupies some 400 square meters of a 1,600- square meter plot of land on Jl. Melur IV/8, is designed to accommodate up to 1,000 people.

Gansham said the temple was built after the land on Jl. Jepara in Tanjung Priok, where the previous Sikh temple had stood since 1925, had to be returned to the government for the expansion of Tanjung Priok harbor.

"Under the land appropriation deal we were compensated for the old land with a plot of land in Marunda and a certain amount of money. But we felt, who will come all the way to Marunda to pray," Gansham said.

Therefore, a new plot of land, where the new temple now stands, was bought in 1997.

The one-floor temple has a large prayer hall where worshipers can pray to the 10 Gurus of Sikhism, considered the youngest of all religions.

"It (Sikhism) is barely 500 years old. The founder, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, introduced it in the late 1400s when there were lots of disturbances and communal riots in India," Gansham said.

"Guru Nanak was the saint who made people aware that there should be no differences in caste, creed, race or religion dividing mankind. Both man and woman deserve equality in every respect."

Gansham explained it was on these grounds that Guru Nanak had his followers and disciples allow people of all religions to come and pray in their temple.

"He only had one request. Before entering the temple, cover your head and wash your feet and hands."

Guru Nanak's teachings of Oneness in Truth and Truth in the Name of God were reinforced by the following nine gurus, the last being Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

According to Brar, a Sikh entrepreneur who attended Wednesday's ceremony, Guru Gobind Singh introduced a distinct costume and appearance so Sikhs could be easily recognized.

All Sikhs are to have kesh, or unshorn hair, a kanga, or comb, for neat hair, kaccha, the undergarments worn as a symbol of agility and readiness for action, kirpan, a sword or knife to be used for defensive purposes and a kara, a steel bracelet to remind Sikhs of their bond with God.

Male Sikhs are to cover their hair with turbans. They also must allow their hair to grow to its natural length because it would be against the law of God and nature to cut their hair.

Brar said that on April 13, 1699, Guru Gobind Singh assembled his followers and baptized five of his beloved, calling this brotherhood the khalsa.

All Sikhs, according to the khalsa brotherhood, are required to add Singh (Lion) to their surnames and devote their lives to the service of mankind. Women are given equal status to men and are required to add Kaur (Princess) to their surnames.

In 1708, Guru Gobind Singh christened Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs, as the only existing Guru.

"It is the only book carrying the philosophy and fundamentals of Sikhism which was written and authenticated by the founders of Sikhism," Brar said.

Teachings in the book include that one must work hard and share one's money, which must be earned by righteous means, with the less fortunate. (ylt)