**Many thanks for your interest in this event. Due to limited capacity, the event is now full. Members who have already sent in their requests will receive reply to confirm their tickets or be placed on waitlist on a first come, first served basis**
The first Gurdwara in Hong Kong, called Sri Guru Singh Sabha was built in 1901, by the Sikh members of the British Army Regiment stationed in Hong Kong. In the 1930’s the number of Sikhs continued to grow and the Gurdwara needed to be rebuilt for a larger Sangat (Sikh community). In the early 1940s during the Pacific war, the Gurdwara was bombed twice, sustaining extensive damage. In one of the attacks, the then Gurdwara Granthi (priest), Bhai Nand Singh, sitting in the main hall reading the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy scripture), was fatally injured. However, the Guru Granth Sahib was not damaged. Many Sikhs and Non-Sikhs had sought refuge in the Gurdwara and some of them sustained injuries. After the war, the damaged areas of the Gurdwara were rebuilt by the Sikhs and the Non-Sikhs.
Again in 1980s the Gurdwara’s main hall was extended and linked with Queen’s Road East by a covered bridge, which provided easy access for the devotees. This project too, was funded by the Sikh’s and the Non-Sikhs.
In 2008 an extension 4 storey block was built. It had a small Prayer Hall, Social Hall, Langar Hall and staff quarters and the old building was renovated. Unfortunately, in 2013 cracks started appearing in the old Gurdwara which was a historical grade 2 building. All measures were taken to save the building and it was examined by professional engineers, who ultimately declared the building unsafe.
Stemming from this, and seeing no alternative, the Management Committee of the Khalsa Diwan undertook an extensive feasibility study and tender request for the construction of a new Sikh Temple, at its current location in Hong Kong. The new building is a four-storey block providing 76,000 square feet of useable area including a Car Park, Library, Museum, Seminar Halls, Dining (Langar) Hall, Kitchen, two Prayer Halls, Washrooms, Kindergarten, Tutorial classrooms, private function rooms and many more facilities. The General Building Plans were approved by the Building Department and the new Temple, which is five times larger than the previous Temple, was opened on 8 November 2022 on the holy occasion of Birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
PROGRAMME
Assemble at Ground Floor Reception Desk of the Temple on Queen’s Road East for welcome and introduction to Sikh Religion.
Visitors must take off shoes and socks and place in shoe racks located on Ground Floor and wash feet before guided tour of Prayer Hall and Langar Hall (Kitchen). Head covering is required for ladies and gentlemen. Ladies should wear long dress or long pants.
It is not permitted to bring alcohol, cigarettes and tobacco, or meat inside the premises of the Sikh Temple.
RAS Members and guests may enjoy a free vegetarian meal (rice, dahl, pickle & water) as part of the visit. This will be eaten seated on the carpeted floor. Limited alternative seating on benches nearby can be made available by prior arrangement for those with limited mobility.
A donation will be made by RAS for this optional meal.
Speaker: Rajwinder Pal Singh
Venue: Reception Desk inside Temple, 371 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai
Admission: $100 for members, $150 for guests /non-members . Limited capacity and preregistration required. Cash payment will be collected at the Reception Desk. Please prepare the exact amount.
Registration: Please email membership@royalasiaticsociety.org.hk and provide your membership number, if applicable, at the time of registration. Please indicate if you DO NOT wish to stay for lunch.
**Registration will be closed at 12 noon on 22 Feb 2023**