BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — May is National Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and it is a time to explore the different cultures that share AAPI heritage. One with strong representation in Bakersfield and Kern County is the Sikh culture and community.
Punjabi is the third most commonly spoken language in Bakersfield after English and Spanish, and Ward 7 Bakersfield City Councilmember Manpreet Kaur says Southwest Bakersfield has the third highest concentration of Sikh people in the state.
Kaur is a member of Bakersfield's Sikh community, attending Gurdwara Guru Dashmesh Darbar on Wible Road since it opened in 2010.
Kaur says a gurdwara is different from other houses of worship. In the Sikh faith, followers pray to a guru, a clergy member who has dedicated his life to passing on spiritual teachings. The word "gurdwara" is Punjabi for "home of the guru," and it serves as a residence for the members who look after and maintain the property.
"Our Guru Granth Sahib Ji is here, and the Guru Granth Sahib Ji is what we bow to and pray to, and kind of follows within the Sikh tradition of having 10 gurus, and this is kind of the final living guru for us," explained Kaur.
The guru sits in the front of the prayer room where attendees sit on either side of him to listen to prayers or religious music.
Attendees also receive an offering in the form of a sweet treat prepared by the community. Meals are also prepared every day, as it is customary to share a meal with fellow members.
"Part of being at the gurdwara is sitting down for a meal with your fellow community members, so we can head now into the kitchen area, where hopefully we're seeing someone prepare some meals, and as well we can see where everyone sits together," said Kaur.
According to Kaur, people gather and eat their meals while sitting on the floor as an act of equality, demonstrating that no one person is above or below any other person.
"No matter what day it is, no matter how busy it is or how less busy it is, there will always be a meal available to folks here at the gurdwara, and this is one of the most central principles of the Sikh tradition," said Kaur.
Kaur says the meals are prepared by the community and blessed by the guru.
The gurdwara's operations are funded by donations and put into action by the community, whether it is to contribute time, money, or effort.
Kaur says she is truly grateful for it all.
"People working together to improve things, washing the dishes together, and just being in service to one another is really just the most beautiful thing," said Kaur.
Gurdwara Guru Dashmesh Darbar welcomes anyone to visit and find out more about the Sikh community. The gurdwara is located at 7000 Wible Road in Bakersfield.
Kaur also extended an invitation to join them on June 4 for a parade and ceremony to both celebrate Sikh heritage and community and to commemorate the 1984 Sikh genocide that happened in India.
