Study of The Temple System in Sikhism

In Sikhism the place that is special for worship and congregation before religious leader (guru) is called “Gurudwara”. The title “Gurudwara” is not necessarily applied to a particular and luxurious place, but it can also be applied to a room in a personal house where a full copy of the holy text of Sikhism, Guru Granth Sahib, is kept. Generally, it can be suggested that Gurudwara is a place where a copy of Guru Granth Sahib (Guru) and a congregation of believers (Sangat) are present, and the songs of this book and of other sacred texts of this tradition is sung in rhythm (Kirtan). Gurudwara was first built under the title of “Dharamshala” in Guru Nanak’s time. Since in Guru Nanak’s time the Mughal Empire (Gurkani) was at peak of its power and was undisputed governor of northern India, and also regarding the point that Gurkani culture and architecture is a combination of Islamic and Hindu culture and architecture, therefore Iranian-Islamic and Indian culture has also affected Gurudwara. In any case, temple has an undeniable role in Sikhism and from the very advent of this tradition, temple has been an inseparable part of Sikhism identity; it has been directly influenced, and still is, by history, culture, politics, beliefs, traditions and their believers, and has had, and still has, impact on them.