((PKG))&nbsp; SIKH TEMPLE 
((Banner:&nbsp; Faith/ Community Spirit))
((Reporter/Camera:&nbsp; Zahid Khattak))

((Map: &nbsp;Fairfax, Virginia))&nbsp;&nbsp;

((Popup Banner:&nbsp; Engineering student Pawan Singh attends a Sikh temple or Gurdwara in Northern Virginia))&nbsp;&nbsp;
((NATS))&nbsp;
((Pawan Singh,&nbsp;engineering student attending a Sikh Temple))
When you do meditation as a part of a larger community of what we are doing this evening, it sort of controls your ego.&nbsp; You do not feel arrogant that somehow you are better than others.&nbsp; You are at the same level as&nbsp;others.&nbsp;&nbsp;
((Popup Banner: &nbsp;Langar is a temple kitchen used to prepare meal for all, regardless of religion or any other distinction.))&nbsp;
((NATS))&nbsp;
((Pawan Singh,&nbsp;engineering student attending a Sikh Temple))&nbsp;
Everything that we do is based on voluntary&nbsp;offerings that comes&nbsp;from different&nbsp;people.&nbsp; So, the community gets together and they cook the meal here in the kitchen downstairs at this Gurdwara, and so does it happen worldwide.&nbsp; Wherever you see Langar, it&rsquo;s all voluntary based.&nbsp;&nbsp;
((NATS))&nbsp;
((Pawan Singh,&nbsp;engineering student attending a Sikh Temple))&nbsp;
Well, the&nbsp;religion itself focuses heavily on dignity of humankind and serving Langar, where everybody sits together on the floor at the same level, sort of&nbsp;bonds that and reiterates that all humans are created equal and there is a huge emphasis on gender equality, equality of all humankind to the level that even if you follow a different faith, we do not say that you are not&nbsp;going to&nbsp;achieve your destination.&nbsp; We feel that anybody, belonging to any religion,&nbsp;any&nbsp;cast, any race, any social level, any economic level, can attain peace and attain God.&nbsp;
((NATS))&nbsp;
((Pawan Singh,&nbsp;engineering student attending a Sikh Temple))&nbsp;
What the Sikh faith says is that there are two parallels.&nbsp; There is a physical body and then there is the soul which is the spiritual.&nbsp; So, if your body is hungry, your soul cannot even focus on attaining God.&nbsp; So, it&rsquo;s for those who are needy, and then also, you might not need the food but you need to bring your mind to the level of the Guru.&nbsp; You must commit that you are a student of the Guru and the Guru says that all are created equal.&nbsp;&nbsp;

((NATS))&nbsp;

((Pawan Singh,&nbsp;engineering student attending a Sikh Temple))&nbsp;
Langar&nbsp;means anchor.&nbsp; Anchor is used on ships so the ship does not just move around.&nbsp; So, just like that, Langar anchors ourselves, our bodies and our minds to the Guru which is the teacher.&nbsp;&nbsp;So, as long as you stay within the boundaries of the&nbsp;Guru,&nbsp;you will not be destroyed just&nbsp;how&nbsp;a ship does not get destroyed once the anchor is&nbsp;in&nbsp;the sea.&nbsp;&nbsp;

((NATS))&nbsp;&nbsp;
((Pawan Singh,&nbsp;engineering student attending a Sikh Temple))&nbsp;
You do not have to be Sikh to appreciate the values that are given by this faith that is equality, justice and freedom for all.&nbsp;

((NATS))&nbsp;


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