Religious Studies Visit to Local Gurdwara
As part of Year 4's Religious Studies topic on Sikhism and Vaisakhi, we visited a local gurdwara to learn more about Sikh beliefs and practices. When we arrived, we showed respect by washing our hands, removing our shoes and covering our hair, as is expected when entering a gurdwara.
We were welcomed warmly and invited to share langar, which is the free community meal served in every gurdwara. Langar is an important part of Sikhism and teaches the values of equality, generosity and service, as everyone sits together and is offered the same food, regardless of religion, race, age or gender.
During our visit, we learnt that Sikhism is centred around treating everyone with kindness and respect, and the belief that all people are equal. We also discussed the importance of being generous and helping others. We learnt about karma and reincarnation, and how Sikhs believe that good actions lead to positive outcomes in this life and the next.
We learned about the process of becoming a baptised Sikh (Amritdhari) and were able to ask thoughtful questions to deepen our understanding. We also saw where the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, is kept. We learnt that it is treated with great respect, placed on a raised platform during the day, and taken to a special resting place at night. Children were given the opportunity to bow as a sign of respect and to sit quietly and meditate if they wished.
Overall, the visit helped us to understand Sikh beliefs more deeply and gave us a meaningful insight into how faith, respect and equality are shown in everyday Sikh life.
