Visiting a Sikh Temple, have some questions ?

[Vrindavan]

When visiting a Sikh Temple, entering the main temple room, are there any customs to follow ?

e.g.
What i need to do after entering the temple room ?
What i need to do before leaving the temple room ?

Why we have to cover the head (both men and women? ) with a cloth when entering the temple room or the dinning hall ?

It seems there is no deities installed inside the temple room for worship, but there is an altar as well ?

Thanks for your help.

[amra]

The focus of all Sikh temples is the Adi Granth or Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Sargun form of the Absolute and Shabad-Guru of all Sikhs. The main hall where the Guru is sat is called the Darbar Sahib. It is called this because the royal courts where the Mughal emperors used to recieve supplicants was called the Darbar. Where the Adi Granth is installed is not an altar its more apt to say the Guru is seated on a throne, a chauri is continiously waved over the Adi Granth. The Guru is temporal and spiritual hence the royal ambience. This is why the head must be covered. To cover the head is a sign of respect. In the times of the Guru's all well-to-do people would where turbans. People entering the temple would wear turbans, due to the decline of morals and the changes in the style of life, many people now cover the head with a cloth out of convinience. Once you enter the temple you can circumambulate the Adi Granth, in a clockwise direction. And then in front of the Adi Granth you must 'Matha Tek" or bow and touch your forehead to the ground. Most temples now have a donation box where you bow and you can put some money if you like, I personally do not think it should be in front of the Adi Granth. When you leave you can just leave or bow once again and then leave. Some people are very strict and do not show their back to the Adi Granth and walk out backwards.

Unfortunately Sikh temples have become 'sanitised' of all deities and even to the extreme of having no incense or aarti. Where I live in the west due to the mania people have of preserving their identity they have adopted a form of Sikhism propogated by the British in India for their own debased dirty ferengee aims. This form of sikhism is like fundamentalist Islam, and anything not conforming to some doctrine these people discovered somewhere they call anti-gurmat or anti-panthic. This normally includes anything to do with hinduism or islam. Having said that many Sikh temples are populated by very spiritually wise men called Gyanis, and many temples have a very uplifting vibrational quality, or CHARDI KALA as we say.

[Vrindavan]

also learn that wearing socks is not allowed, why bare foot is better than wearing socks ?

[amra]

it is up to you whether you wear socks, i live in the west and nearly all people wear socks in the temple whereas when I went to India I noticed it to be the other way around, maybe it is to do with climate.

[squid]

When visiting a Sikh Temple, entering the main temple room, are there any customs to follow ?

e.g.
What i need to do after entering the temple room ?
What i need to do before leaving the temple room ?

Why we have to cover the head (both men and women? ) with a cloth when entering the temple room or the dinning hall ?

It seems there is no deities installed inside the temple room for worship, but there is an altar as well ?

Thanks for your help.

Guru granth sahib ji is center stage of any Gurudwara


inside view of Gurudwara sahib



for first time visit one can check Sikhiwiki

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Visiting_a_Gurdwara