Do You Like The Way Gurudwaras Look/are Built?

[tavleen]

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

That's kind of a weird question, I suppose. But ever since I got to see some new/old/indecipherable Gurudwaras last year, I have been caught in a dilemma.

I understand the point of a Gurudwara is for sangat to get together, for langar to be run, and for any other types of sevaas to have room and resources to function (medical clinic, schools, etc.)

So, stripped down to those basics, there really isn't a need for a Gurudwara (and I think by that I really only mean Indian Gurudwaras...since I find myself scrutinizing those the most...) to be an architectural wonder.

But, then, on the flip side, my mammoth haumai leaves me wondering, why NOT have amazing Gurudwaras? Why settle for anything less than the best? And then my western education kicks in and my mind wishes for Gurudwara buildings to be as awe-inspiring as Catehdrals in France and England and elsewhere. Can you imagine stepping inside a Gurudwara that just takes your breath away, and the only thing that can come out of your mouth is "Vaheguru!" ?

This is just a brief summary of the double-mindedness that has been occupying my conscience for a lonnnng time. I would love to hear what others of you have to say on this.

What is your experience from visiting Gurudwaras?

Do you view the decorations as beautiful? gaudy? unnecessary? tacky? awesome?

Do you ever think twice about the building you stepped in and out of after you've left?

How important is it to you to have an architecturally-built Gurudwara?

Do you think your attitude to attending Gurudwara, sitting in Divaan would change any if you're not sitting in a drywall cube with a dome above your head?

(My only request is that we please steer clear from issues of right and wrong about what goes on in Gurudwars..i.e numerous akhand paath rooms, lighting of joths, etc.

..that's an entirely different issue, maybe we can start another thread on that...)

Thank you and many apologies for all the stuff that makes no sense and is pointless...

and thanks in advance for replies. :-)

chardee kalaa!!

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

[Wicked Warrior]

Sri Harminder Sahib was never originally golden - that was done by maharaja Ranjit Singh. However, had the Guru wished, it would have been Golden from the beginning.

There is nothing stopping the architecture of the Gurdwara from being "wow". AFAIR the architecture of the Gurdwaras built in the times of the Guru in his ten human forms was influenced by the contemptory style of the time. Had a gurdwara been built now by the Guru, it may well have been different in design.

I personally think that a Gurdwara should be easily recognisable. There are some gurdwaras here in the UK that are built into old houses and the only way you know it's even there is if you recognise the ever shrinking Nishan Sahib. They should be beautiful but simple and solid - there is no need for Xmas lights everywhere etc.

I remember going to the gurdwara in southall (can't remember the name right now, the really big one). It was big, newly constructed, flashy etc but there was hardly any sangat! The Darbar was so huge and with so few sangat, it looked empty. If there's a huge Sikh community (eg Handsworth, Birmingham), then it follows that there should be a large gurdwara for all of the sangat to be able to attend without having to stand outside in the cold. Similarly, having too big a Gurdwara is a waste of money that could have been spent elsewhere - like on the poor and needy.

There's no need for giant statues/monuments etc around the gurdwara but there is a need for easy access so no one is disadvantaged.

I've seen some Nanaksar taaths where everything is very basic but functional and the only expenditure has been on Guru Maharaj and His Throne.

Summary

- simple architecture

- minimal expenditure

- must be recognisable instantly

- function over form

[fauji07]

all of them have there charm. i personally love going to gurdwaras with really nice architecture, like hari mandir sahib, keshgarh etc but they don't need to be. but i think if sangat has the money than we should have very nice gurdwara's because after all that is the house where are guru resides and i think others should pass by and say "wow that is really beautiful it must be something of significants". however i don't think gurdwaras should be big for the sake of being big. too often as wicked warrior point out there is never any one there so you don't really feel has connected to the sangat as you would in a smaller darbar. i think they should be beautiful, but not big and abtrusive. it seems in india people have an idea that big is better, so they tear down beautiful gurdwara's that have been there since the guru's time just to rebuild them as big but not so beautiful guruwara just to show of the power and money of SGPC. it wouldnt surprise me if some people wanted to rebuild harimander sahib so that it was bigger. so i don't think the sangat should waste money on destroying things with historical significants. but if the sangat doesnt have the money then the gurdwara should be simple and the money should go towards making the inside nice by having nice palki's, and rumalas etc. and please no more christmas lights, and other tacky decorations like not well painted guru ji pictures with flashing lights in them. i personally think that we should not have any guru ji pictures but im sure many people like them.

it might be nice if gurdwaras had sports facilities next to them to promote strength and fitness for the sangat like in guru angads time when the gurdwaras used to have places for wrestling

just my 2 paise

[SikhSoulja]

For me its the Nishaan Sahibs, just knowing your Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj is there should be all that matters. Go to Anandpuhr Sahib, i was like Wow Waheguru, this is our home.

[Matheen]

I dont like most modern ones - it's as though the architects (if the committee hired one!!) don't have a clue about proportion and aesthetics. A Gurudwara is Maharaj Ji's house (for the physical sareer i.e. Guru Granth Sahib Ji) so should be the most beautiful building around. It doesn't need to be big - just look at the few original Gurdwarey in India, beautiful but simple.

The ones rebuilt by Maharaj Ranjit Singh all look similar but there were covered in frescoes and artwork, sadly most of this has been whitewashed in the name of karseva.

Guru Sahib also planted gardens around Harmandir Sahib but most have been built over. The photo below is of an unmodified Gurudwara (Gurdwara Baba Kaladhari) built in 1706 in Himachal Pardesh:

Another original Gurudwara, from the mid 1600s:

Gurudwara Sahib Singh Bedi - built in the late 1700s:

[Bundha]

I would echo what people have said.

All Gurdwaras in India are awesome, and need to be. This is our homeland where ourGurus lived and preached and the Gurdwaras should be as awe-inspiring as they are.

Now for the Gurdwars in the UK, some as someone has pointed out are built in houses or other buildings, and the reason for this may be financial. It takes are lot of effort to build a new gurdwara let alone raising all the money and dealing with all the politics.

The old Gurdwara in Leeds was awe inspiring, built in a converted church it had a huge dome in the main hall, the hall was circular in nature with huge sweeping arches all the way round. The new one, although very nice (as all guru-ghars are ) is basically a large rectangular hall.

One thing you never see at any Gurdwara in the UK, as far as I am aware, is a nice lawn around the Gurdwara or to the side where the old can relax and sit on benches and the young can let off steam and play in a safe environment. Space is normally paved over or as in the case of the big Gurdwara in Southall the Gurdwara is made so big there is no room left for anything else, and was it really necessary to have it that big ? It could have been made smaller and maybe have a nice lawn and small trees area for the sangat to enjoy.

Facilities like classrooms, conference rooms and meeting areas or maybe small kirtan rooms seem to be an afterthought and are normally cold, uninviting and poorly lit. The Kirtani rest rooms where Kirtanis stay are totally neglected with just a couple of mattresses on the floor and bedding that is well past the sell-by date.

I agree sports facilities would be nice, also we have to accept that boys and girls will meet each other and in today’s climate would it not be much better that they meet in a safe environment that you could control to some extent and if they pair up and marry within the faith is that not a good thing?, is that not better then them messing about outside and maybe going off with other people? Maybe we need areas where they can meet with games and activities for them to do.

[Guroo Guroo Jaap]

They were going to build a "sports room" upstairs and a recording studio in da cellar in our local Gurdwara

[k_S_T]

I would echo what people have said.

All Gurdwaras in India are awesome, and need to be. This is our homeland where ourGurus lived and preached and the Gurdwaras should be as awe-inspiring as they are.

Now for the Gurdwars in the UK, some as someone has pointed out are built in houses or other buildings, and the reason for this may be financial. It takes are lot of effort to build a new gurdwara let alone raising all the money and dealing with all the politics.

The old Gurdwara in Leeds was awe inspiring, built in a converted church it had a huge dome in the main hall, the hall was circular in nature with huge sweeping arches all the way round. The new one, although very nice (as all guru-ghars are ) is basically a large rectangular hall.

One thing you never see at any Gurdwara in the UK, as far as I am aware, is a nice lawn around the Gurdwara or to the side where the old can relax and sit on benches and the young can let off steam and play in a safe environment. Space is normally paved over or as in the case of the big Gurdwara in Southall the Gurdwara is made so big there is no room left for anything else, and was it really necessary to have it that big ? It could have been made smaller and maybe have a nice lawn and small trees area for the sangat to enjoy.

Facilities like classrooms, conference rooms and meeting areas or maybe small kirtan rooms seem to be an afterthought and are normally cold, uninviting and poorly lit. The Kirtani rest rooms where Kirtanis stay are totally neglected with just a couple of mattresses on the floor and bedding that is well past the sell-by date.

I agree sports facilities would be nice, also we have to accept that boys and girls will meet each other and in today’s climate would it not be much better that they meet in a safe environment that you could control to some extent and if they pair up and marry within the faith is that not a good thing?, is that not better then them messing about outside and maybe going off with other people? Maybe we need areas where they can meet with games and activities for them to do.

i agree with wot penji/parji has sed

guru jis house should be nice but simple not soo simple that all u see is guru ji on a manji sahib

one of the gurdwara i like and i respect the sangat for building it in such a nice way and with so much is love is the one in America its simple but very nice

hear sum pics of it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsikhnet/241...57594281083865/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsikhnet/241...57594281083865/

a gurdwara should have a nice darbar sahib and nice area where guru ji will be

a nice and open suchkand sahib not so small u cnt even get 5 singhs init iv seen soo many new gurdwaras with soo lil suchkands but then we think would we ever sleep in such a smalll room

from my point is there no need for such big gurdwars like Southall havelock one its sooo big and out side like parji / penji sed no green land out side

[k_S_T]

one other gurdwara is reading gurdwara near TVU i thiink the darbar sahibs so simple but nice ssoo peace full it used to be a church

[mAhA_pApI]

i did a thesis act on this topic...n what i can in conclusion is this...

-during the era when Guruji build Gurdwaras...the sewadars were mainly Hindu and

Islam...n so it effect on the architecture that has been adapt in Sikhism....

-domes...are design and intoduce by Rome...or in other word...during the dark ages...in

Architecture....Rome era are known as the dark ages....so in my place i do wonder

when people told me that Domes belong to Islam and we should not put on

Gurdwars...and that happen when a new Gurdwara was been bulit...they have tear

down the Dome....

so basicly...from my ponit of view...we cant call our Gurdwara design as Sikhism Architecture...but if we all agree that the combination of design we have is our architecture...the we can call it Sikhism Arcitecture....mmmm...or in other word...its up to us...