The largest Sikh temple in the country has opened its doors to worshippers after 10 years of planning.
The grand opening of the Gurdwara took place on Sunday in Glasgow and was attended by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and a host of other dignitaries.
Situated on Berkeley Street in the Finnieston area of the city, the construction of the temple is estimated to have cost £8m, more than 60% of which came from community donations with the rest being secured with a loan. Almost all of the material used in the construction of the Gurdwara was imported from India.
Throughout the project thousands of Scottish Sikhs have given their time to get the building finished, with many going without sleep as the grand opening of the shrine approached.
As well as being Scotland's largest Sikh temple, it is also the largest religious building of any kind in Glasgow and thought to be one of the largest in the country.
Sunday's grand opening of the Singh Sabha Gurdwara began at 11am with a religious procession, which saw the High Priest carry the holy scriptures on his head into the prayer hall, known as The Guru's Diwin located on the second floor. The Guru's Diwin is a large gold structure which raises the scriptures above the congregation.
The books were then placed on a throne, followed by a short prayer and sermon.
The procession returned outside for a flag-raising ceremony before heading back into the prayer hall, where the First Minister and other dignitaries addressed the congregation. From there the procession went to the community hall, known as Langar Hall, for a vegetarian lunch, where they were again joined by Ms Sturgeon.
Attendees entering the Gurdwara were required to remove their shoes and cover their heads. Headscarves were provided.
The grand opening was open to all members of the wider community and people of all faiths, and the Gurdwara will be available to the general public when not needed for worship.
The temple will be able to hold 1,500 worshippers, and will also contain classrooms, a library, an office and a ceremonial pool.
It will be open to all to come and eat seven days a week.
This new building is the first purpose build Gurdwara that the Glaswegian Sikhs have had, and their important place in the city is evident from when you first enter the building.
An exhibition detailing the history of the Sikh community in Glasgow adorns the walls of the foyer and first floor.
And like seen in Christian churches across the country there is a memorial to those Sikhs awarded the Victoria Cross during the First and Second World Wars.
There are also pictures showing the Sikh willingness to bring together people of all faiths in the city.
Representatives from various religions fill the pictures of the first brick being laid for the new Gurdwara. And on the first floor is a picture of Gurdwara members meeting Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to Glasgow in 2010.
The three-story building is beautiful with ornate decorations and paintings of Gurus.
The marble flooring which runs throughout has been imported from India, and is a popular choice for Sikh temples.
Pritpal Singh, who was one of the organisers, explained about the 16 years of planning and fundraising.
He said: “We bought the site in 1999 and started to build in 2010. Sixty per cent of the funding has come from donations. There are regular donations given by the congregation who are supposed to give 10 per cent of their earnings to a charitable cause. And we've had fundraising dinners which have raised £200,000; £130,000 and £70,000. Non-Sikhs have been equally generous. A Scottish guy came the other day and loved the building. He gave us a donation of £10,000.”
The first Gurdwara was opened in the Gorbals during the 1950s.
The literal translation of the word 'Gurdwara' is 'the door that leads to the Guru', although in a modern Gurdwara the Guru refers to the holy Sikh scriptures as opposed to a person.
Scotland is home to around 20,000 Sikhs, with the majority of them living in the Glasgow area.
Vandalism
It hasn't been smooth sailing for the Gurudwara.
Anti-Islamic graffiti has been written on the wall of the new Central Gurdwara in Glasgow.
Last month members of the Sikh community discovered the green paint with the Islamaphobic message next to a Nazi swastika sign.
The Sikh building, with its gold dome rising over the west end across from the Gaelic School, had the words "F**k Islam. No SHARIAH!" and a Nazi swastika scrawled on the side, reported community leaders.
The vandalism was reported to police and the damage cleared, and the Sikh community said they remained committed to creating an equal and just Scotland for all.
In a statement, Surjit Singh Chowdhary, vice-president of Central Gurdwara Singh Sabha, said: “The Sikh community completely abhors the hateful ideology of Islamophobia. We are in complete shock that such disgraceful words were put on the walls of this great Gurdwara.
“The Sikh community's gift to Glasgow has been commandeered as a platform for the hateful messages which do not belong in our country. We hope that Glasgow stands shoulder to shoulder with us and we extend an open welcome to everyone to learn about Sikhs and our Gurdwara. The only way to challenge hate is through education to promote understanding of Scotland's diverse communities.”
Charandeep Singh, general secretary of Glasgow Gurdwara on the south side, added: “These words represent ignorance at its worst. Unfortunately in this climate of rampant Islamophobia, members of the Sikh community have fallen victim too. Instances ranging from jeers of 'Taliban' or 'Bin Laden' directed at turban-wearing Sikh men, to the firebombing of a Gurdwara in Kent after the 7/7 London terrorist attacks have beset the Sikh community.
“This episode is a sad reminder that Sikhs, Muslims, Jews and other minorities face public ridicule and criminal attacks which go against the values of our society. The perpetrators here are totally ignorant to the values of the Sikh community and the contribution made by Sikhs over nearly 100 years.
“This sad incident should energise our political leaders and fellow citizens to continue the campaign to root out such hateful beliefs. We will continue our dialogue with the police, local & national politicians to create an inclusive society and celebrate the contributions made by Scottish Sikhs to our country.”
