World Religions in Greater Boston: Home

History

The New England Sikh sangat (community) began meeting in 1968, after the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 made it possible for Sikhs to emigrate from India to America. The community began by word-of-mouth among the small number of Sikhs living in New England. They worshiped in each other's houses until the mid-to-late 1970's, when their expanding population made it necessary for them to rent worship space in facilities such as schools and churches. In order to raise funds to pay for the rent of these spaces, the sangat needed to choose a name and file for the non-profit status of a religious organization. Their name officially became the New England Sikh Study Circle, Inc., but the non-profit status was harder to attain. Those working in law and government were unaware of the Sikh tradition, so gaining official recognition as a religious organization was complicated. With the assistance of a local Sikh lawyer, the New England Sikh Study Circle, Inc. eventually attained their non-profit status in 1979. In the late 1980's they began looking for a space of their own and in 1990, bought their current gurdwara (Sikh house of worship) in Milford.

Description

The New England Gurdwara Sahib is located in a former house of worship. After buying the property it went through additions and alterations to make the property suitable for Sikh worship. It has its own parking lot and is located next to a strip mall on a main road. Downstairs there is a commercial kitchen (added during first additions), langar (community meal) hall, restrooms and classrooms. The downstairs also has bedrooms for the Raagi jathas (religious musicians) to stay in; these musicians come from India and are hired on a temporary basis, usually for four weeks, at which point they travel to another gurdwara and new musicians come to perform kirtan (devotional music). On the main level is the darbar sahib (main hall), and a smaller room where the Guru Granth Sahib (holy scripture) rests. There are also smaller meeting rooms, bathrooms, and an apartment for the granthi (priest) on this floor.

Plans for Expansion

Although the facilities are impressive, the space is no longer adequate for the growing community. The sangat is therefore planning an expansion project which will make many alterations to the structure of the building, as well as enlarge the parking lot. There are many changes to be made on the first floor: enlarge the darbar sahib, add coat rooms, an area for shoe storage, male and female bathrooms, a hand washing area, acashier’s office and a large lobby and vestibule. At the basement level, a Sunday school (with four new classrooms) will be added, as well as male and female bathrooms with showers and facilities for the Raagi jathas. The langar hall in the basement will also be expanded and renovated.

Community Concerns

September 11, 2001 posed many problems for Sikhs throughout the nation. Because men wear turbans for religious purposes, some assume Sikhs to be the terrorists they associate with Islamic extremism. Many Sikh communities felt the ramifications of this misinformation and prejudice, and the New England Sikh Study Circle was no exception. On September 12, a member of the gurdwara was on a train from Massachusetts to Virginia when it was stopped in Rhode Island and he was arrested. Upon hearing this, four members from the sangat drove down that day to talk to officials and help them understand the true identity of the arrested man. They also wrote many letters to government officials to make them aware of these misdirected offenses. The arrested man was released later that night, but clearing him of the criminal record took almost a year and a half, during which many local organizations advocated on his behalf. Many of these organizations, such as The Sikh Coalition and Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), were formed as a response to the prejudices Sikhs experienced after 9/11. They have been defending the legal rights of Sikhs and educating the public about Sikhism ever since.

Community Outreach

Members of the New England Gurdwara Sahib have also been actively involved in informing their community about their religious identity. They hold educational programs at local schools, educating the children about who Sikhs are and what they believe in. The sangat also holds weekly seminars with law enforcers such as the police and airport security officials. They inform these officials of the initiation agreements of Sikhism, such as having unshorn hair which creates the need to wear a dastar (turban), and carrying a kirpan, a dagger of symbolic religious significance. They then explain proper ways for the officers to accommodate these religious observances while abiding by security guidelines. In addition to having a strong relationship with their community, the sangat also has a partnership with another Boston area gurdwara, Guru Ram Das Ashram and Gurdwara in Millis, a Happy, Healthy, Holy Organization (3HO) community. The Euro-American founders of Guru Ram Das Ashram and Gurdwara sought the assistance of the New England Gurdwara Sahib, called New England Sikh Sangat Society at the time, to help them grasp the Punjabi language shortly after their formation in 1974. In 1980, when members of the Guru Ram Das Ashram purchased their land in Millis, they had a large amount of space, and many local Indian Sikhs began worshiping with them at the center. When the Indians of the New England Sikh Study Circle purchased their own gurdwara in 1990, the two communities decided to form several joint programs. This relationship is still strong, and there are even members from the Millis sangat who are on the expansion committee in Milford.

Activities and Schedule

Worship Schedule: Sunday Diwan (worship) includes music provided by the children's Kirtan group, followed by Raagi jathas. English translations of these hymns are projected during the Sunday Diwan. The worship is followed by langar, a free community meal. Friday Diwan is a joint program between the Milford and Millis gurdwaras. It is held three times a month in Milford and once a month in Millis. (For worship times and other details, see website at nessc.org) Children’s Classes: Classes run during the school year in a variety of subjects: Punjabi (language), Sikh history, Kirtan and reading from the Guru Granth Sahib. There are generally 4-6 different classes, with 15-20 students in each class. Holiday Events: There are three main holiday events: Baisakhi (Khalsa Creation Day), Guru Nanak’s Avtar Purab (birthday) and Guru Gobind Singh’s Avtar Purab. They are celebrated with Guru Ram Das Ashram and Gurdwara, and also draw Sikhs from other sangats. The birthdays of the first and last bodily gurus, Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh are celebrated in November and January, respectively. The Vaisakhi Festival celebrates the “The Creation of Khalsa.” The khalsa (initiation) was created by the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, while Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak. Although it is traditionally celebrated on April 13th, New England Gurdwara Sahib and Guru Ram Das Ashram and Gurdwara choose to celebrate it in May, when April showers will not prohibit the Jaloose (parade) from occurring. The distance is about 8 miles long and the Jaloose goes from one gurdwara to the other, swapping starting locations each year. The event brings many Sikhs together to celebrate their heritage, and government officials also attend, recognizing the importance of the holiday.

Demographics

Attendees are of South Asian descent, primarily Punjabi. All age groups are represented, and most speak Punjabi. Weekly Sunday Diwan is attended by 250 people, and large holiday events draw around 700 Sikhs from across New England.

Temple Leadership

The sangat has a management council called the “Gurdwara Council,” consisting of two separate committees with a total eleven members. Each member in the council has one vote. All people holding leadership positions must meet requirements regarding how many years they have been members of the gurdwara and be reliable in paying their annual membership fee. The first committee which makes up the “Gurdwara Council” is the “Board of Trustees.” It has six members operating on a rotating schedule, where every year two new members take the place of two departing trustees. Therefore, trustees serve three year terms. This Committee’s main role is to look into and plan for the long term goals of the community. The other governing body is the “Executive Committee,” which presides over the daily affairs of New England Gurdwara Sahib. It has five members, each of whom can serve for a maximum of two years and must take a year off before pursuing another position. This committee consists of a president, secretary, joint secretary, treasurer and youth representative. Each member gets one vote in all matters and is elected by the Nomination Committee. This Nomination Committee consists of seven people who serve three year terms. This group is important, as it is feared that a strictly democratic election for Council positions would create too much internal strife among the members of the gurdwara. The Nominating Committee members have a minimum residency (community and gurdwara participation) requirement of ten years.

Date center founded:

Sangat (community) began in the 1960s, Milford center purchased in 1990.

Ethnic composition:

South Asian Descent, primarily Punjabi

Languages spoken:

Punjabi, English

Affiliations:

Partnership with Guru Ram Das Ashram and Gurdwara in Millis, working relationship with other New England sangats. Optimistic about all working together for future holiday celebrations.