BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Thousands of
people can be seen in any gurdwara, or Sikh place of worship, but
there are no such places of worship in Azerbaijan, including Baku,
the executive director of the Sikh Federation, Dabinderjit Singh
said, Trend
reports.
He made the remark at the international conference “Racism and
Violence Against Sikhs and Other National Minorities in India:
Current Realities” in Baku today.
According to the speaker, the first gurdwara in England was
established in 1911, and there are currently 250 gurdwaras across
the country.
"Each gurdwara features a designated space for communal meals,
where individuals gather to share free vegetarian food. Regardless
of religious beliefs or personal convictions, anyone from any part
of the world, whether a believer or not, and regardless of gender,
can come to the gurdwara. Here, everyone is treated equally; the
rich and the poor sit together at the same table and partake in the
same meal," he emphasized.
The head of the Sikh Federation's executive committee also
discussed the concept of the Sikh state, often referenced in
history textbooks. He explained that this state, which flourished
under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, lasted for fifty
years, from 1799 to 1849:
"At times, we forget that the Sikh state, under Maharaja Ranjit
Singh’s leadership, spanned an area twice the size of the United
Kingdom and six times that of Azerbaijan. Its population numbered
approximately 12 million people."
