The Pluralism Project at Harvard UniversityCenter Profile
Gurdwara Sahib Guru Nanak Dwara (2007)
(Sikhism)
Photographs:
Description
History
This Sikh Gurdwara and 3HO community was formed in Phoenix in 1970, with converts to Sikh Dharma and  students of Yogi Bhajan (founder of the 3HO, "Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization"). There was an emphasis on yoga, meditation and the teachings of Khalsa (Sikh community) lifestyle for those living in the ashram. While it attracted Euro-American converts, this style of Sikh discipline sometimes prompted opposition from South Asian (primarily Punjabi) Sikh immigrants and citizens in the U.S. Eventually, in Phoenix and other U.S. metropolitan areas these two communities -- Euro-American converts to Sikhism and Sikhs of South Asian heritage -- gradually began to worship together. Today the Sikh community is estimated at perhaps 3,000 members in the Phoenix area; of these the overwhelming majority claim South Asian origins, and approximately 100 are Euro-American. The Sikh community is currently involved in building a new Gurdwara, and the project, begun in 1996, is well underway. The cost is estimated to be over seven million dollars; the local community has managed to raise most of the financing on its own. Despite the vitality of the community, the Phoenix area Sikh community has dealt with special tensions since the events of September 11th. The 2001 murder of a Sikh convenience store and gas station owner in Mesa, Mr. Balbir Singh Sodhi, was prosecuted as a "hate crime." Mr. Sodhi, with his beard and turban, was attacked because his murderer associated him with the 9/11 attacks. The Valley community responded with shock, sympathy and outrage, but ignorance about Sikh traditions remains. In May, 2003, another Sikh in the Valley was shot and wounded in what law enforcement officials are investigating as a further example of a crime driven by racist motives.Activities and Schedule
Along with providing a setting for daily prayers, meditation and classes, the community also sponsors a vegetarian "Supper Club" designed to bring together like-minded people to share their spiritual experiences over a communal meal. The community schedules Sadhana (morning practices) at 3:45 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and Sundays at 4:30 a.m. Daily Gurdwara services are Monday to Saturday at 5:45 a.m. Gurdwara services and Guruka Langars (communal meals) are scheduled at 7:00 p.m. Fridays and 10:30 a.m. Sundays. There are classes in Sikh faith, meditation and tradition going on daily from 9 am to 7 pm. The community also observes seventeen annual traditional Sikh religious holidays such as Baisakhi (marking the birth of the Khalsa) and the birthdays of the Gurus. Other activities include Akhand Paths (a complete reading of the Sikh sacred writings), Nagar Kirtan (religious parades), and Nishan Sahib ceremonies (changing of the Sikh community flags). Sikh Dharma is tied with other organizations in the central Phoenix area, including the Khalsa School (a chartered Montessori School enrolling over 250 children ages 1 1/2 to 11 years old, with four locations in Phoenix) and the Truthful Living Association which manages a collection of rental properties to provide living quarters for those who choose to live in the proximity of the Gurdwara. In this way at least part of the Sikh community is creating a small but discernible neighborhood clustered around the Gurdwara in central Phoenix.Date Center Founded
1970
Membership
Approximately 3,000 Sikhs in the Valley (ashram estimate)
Ethnic Composition
Roughly 95% of South Asian origins and 5% Euro-American.
Affiliation with Other Communities/Organizations
Sikh Dharma International; Khalsa Council International; 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization)