Sikhs mark birthday of religion’s founder
When India’s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj requested a global celebration of the birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion, Houston’s Raj Bhalla heeded the call. “It touched my heart,” Bhalla said. He listened as Swaraj explained that the year 2019 will mark the 550th anniversary of the birth of the first Sikh Guru and that the government of India has kicked off celebrations around the world that will last the entire year.
Bhalla and his wife, Kanwal, asked the India Culture Center to join forces in planning festivities in Houston.
The organization’s president, Nisha Mirani, jumped at the opportunity. “Our whole board wholeheartedly agreed,” she said. “It’s a great program and a great outreach. And Guru Nanak has good teachings that ask all people to do good deeds and live better lives.”
She explained that as a secular organization, the India Culture Center embraces holidays that
“Guru Nanak had three main teachings — live honestly, share what you earn and meditate God’s name. In simple things, in simple ways, he taught the world.” Raj Bhalla, organizer of celebration marking the birthday of Guru Nanak
highlight all member religions.
A birthday celebration is planned 6-9:30 p.m. Saturday at India House, 8888 W. Bellfort. The event is by invitation only and is open to 250 attendees.
“We will have music, Guru Nanak’s hymns and his poetry,” Bhalla said.
In addition, there will be guest speakers and a video of the speech from the Indian minister that inspired it all.
“Then we will have a nice dinner, with everything topclass,” Bhalla said. “This is the most important holiday, because it’s the birthday of the founder of the Sikh faith.”
Bhalla, who is Sikh, told some of Nanak’s story, explaining that when the guru was young, he refused to get into farming or business. Nanak’s father gave him some money to begin trading with a neighboring town.
“His father thought that he would get a taste for profit,” Bhalla said.
Instead, Nanak gave the money to help the poor. “What can be a better bargain than to feed the hungry and clothe the naked? He did nothing but sing the praises of God,” Bhalla said.
He said that Sikhs are monotheists. “We are all created by the same God,” he said. “Guru Nanak had three main teachings — live honestly, share what you earn and meditate God’s name. In simple things, in simple ways, he taught the world.”
When Nanak died in 1539, he passed the baton to subsequent leaders. There were nine who followed him. The final Guru passed on the responsibility to the Sikh scripture known as Guru Granth Sahib, instead of to a human leader, Harjit Singh Galhotra said.
Galhotra serves as secretary and on the architectural committee of the Sikh National Center, a new religious campus under construction on 20 acres at 7500 North Sam Houston Parkway W.
“Our scripture is essentially a living saint,” Galhotra said. “We have full respect for it and sit below it.”
He said the Sikh tradition asks for respect for all, including women. “Our first saint stressed this,” Galhotra said. “He asked, why look down on women, who gave birth to all the kings and rulers?”
All religions are respected, Galhotra added. “We believe in freedom of religion,” he said. “We believe God is the same for all people. Different religions follow different paths but they all end up in the same place.”
Galhotra said Houston has the largest population of Sikhs in Texas. Hardam Singh Azad, chairman of the Sikh National Center, estimates that there are between 15,000 and 20,000 Sikhs in the greater Houston area.
He has lived in the area since moving from India in 1962 and watched firsthand as the population grew. The Sikh Center of the Gulf Coast Area started in the early 1970s.
The Sikh center of worship, known as a “Gurdwara,” was the first to open in Houston.
“Sikhs have been in this country for more than 100 years, in relatively small numbers,” Azad said. “It’s really been an evolution.”
He expects the opening of Sikh National Center to be an important next step in establishing the religion’s presence in Houston — and said construction will be complete by late next year.
There already are six Gurdwaras in Houston, which welcome all to learn more about the Sikh culture.
“We’re devout people, but we’re totally attuned to local customs and culture,” Azad said.
He said that the American philosophy of “all men are created equal,” is perfectly aligned to Sikh ideals. In addition, the religion is centered on charity.
“If you are hungry, no one will ask you what religion you are, what caste or creed,” Azad said. “We feel it is our duty to feed you. If you need shelter, no one in the Sikh religion would deny it.”
He said the Gurdwaras started celebrating Guru Nanak’s birthday on Nov. 23 this year.
In Swaraj’s speech, she said that in today’s troubled times, remembering the teachings of Nanak and his message of religious tolerance is pertinent.
Azad agreed. “It’s important to remember every day, something taught in the Sikh tradition, that mankind is all one family,” he said.