NORTH HILLS, California—A grand celebration was held for the formal opening of the Nanak Sadan Sikh Temple and Community Center in North Hills, Calif., Dec. 6, marking the fulfillment of a dream that began more than a decade ago.
The event featured kirtan, speeches by public officials, activities for children and food stalls offering snacks like aloo tikki, chana bhatura, jalebies and more.
Congressman Brad Sherman’s aide attended the inauguration and delivered a message of goodwill as a friend of the Sikh community, along with a symbolic flag.
James Lopez, head of the East Patrol Division of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, presented a commendation on behalf of Sheriff Jim McDonnell and participated in productive interactions about developing community outreach.
The regular evening diwaan followed, and the celebrations continued the next day with around 350 people attending a kirtan and katha Dec. 7.
The more than 13,000-sq.-ft. temple and community center consists of the main Darbar Hall, or Gurdwara, and a secondary multipurpose hall, both equipped with TVs to display the phonetics and translations of the shabads as they are sung. The first floor also has a state-of-the-art kitchen with walk-in freezers and modern appliances for the preparation of langar, or food service, an important part of the Sikh faith.
The second floor features two classrooms, the Gurmat Sangeet Labs, a library and guest accommodation of two bedrooms with attached bathrooms. There are also four-bedroom and bath units for sewadars.
Besides being a place of worship, the facility will also be used to implement a wide range of programs, including one that aims to provide seniors with the use of library facilities and a safe environment in which to congregate. A van service is also being planned to transport them within the local area.
Other programs include clinics for immigration, accounting, tax and health, as well as classes for children in Sikh history and culture, SAT and college prep. Adult English lessons, Gurmat Sangeet, social services, a nutrition program and youth program are also in the works.
The Nanak Sadan Sikh Temple has been approved as an online campus for Gurmat Gyan and Gurmat Sangeet by Punjab University, Patiala.
Mokshinder Singh, president of the NSST, described the construction of the facility as a “long haul” that took many years to reach completion.
The search for the temple’s location began in 2002, and the current building was found in early 2003. However, it wasn’t until July 2007 that the committee secured a conditional use permit, after which the official groundbreaking of the facility took place in 2009.
Along the way, the project had to overcome numerous challenges, including securing funds, getting the required permits and having to switch contractors midway.
The NSST cost about $2.5 million to construct and is a vast upgrade from the old facility located in a converted industrial space in Northridge, Calif., that had no kitchen or parking lot.
The temple is among the few in North America which was built from scratch with the sole purpose of meeting the needs of the growing Sikh community.
“What makes the facility unique is that it is designed from the ground up for the purpose of being a Gurdwara and community center rather than being converted from a building designed for some other use,” Singh told India-West.
Outreach programs are being developed to ensure that the facility is not restricted just to the Sikh community. The temple recently hosted a group of 32 students of world religions from Pepperdine University who attended an evening diwaan and participated in a Q&A session, followed by langar.
Singh told India-West, “Our aspiration is to be a trusted voice for the community with a focus on interfaith dialogue and brotherhood, and to foster a better understanding of the Sikh community.”
The Nanak Sadan Sikh Temple and Community Center is located at 15724 Nordhoff St., North Hills, CA 91343.
