 |
The Sri
Guru Ravidas Sabha is a Sikh gurdwara located in Woodside,
Queens. Ravidas was part of the nirguna (formless) school
in the bhakti (devotion) tradition of Hinduism who was among
the first to challenge the notion of "untouchability" in relation
to the caste system. Ravidas is believed to have greatly influenced
the thought of Guru Nanak, who is considered to be the founder
of Sikhism. There are three floors within the Sabha. The first
floor houses the main prayer hall, which contains the Guru
Granth Sahib and is used primarily for worship. The second
floor houses the Granthi (priest) and his family; a second
Guru Granth Sahib is upstairs that is used during akhand path
for a continual uninterrupted reading generally done during
religious festivities. The unfinished basement of the Sabha
is used for the langar, a communal meal which is provided
and served by Sikhs from the community to fellow worshippers.
Participation in the langar is required. There is a kitchen
as well as rugs along the floor for people to sit on during
langar. Among the people admired within this community are
Dr. Ambedkar and Martin Luther King, Jr. for their efforts
toward achieving social justice for marginalized or repressed
groups.
|
