The Sikh Society of Thompson will be celebrating two important events at their temple on Goldeye Crescent this weekend.
The 552nd anniversary of the birth of the religion’s founder Guru Nanak Dev Ji is being marked for three days Nov. 19-21.
Also cause for celebration is the arrival of the temple’s first permanent granthi, or Sikh priest. Kanwaljit Singh Khalsa recently arrived from India after a long wait resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The new-to-Thompson granthi holds bachelor of arts and music degrees in Punjabi and tabla drum as well as master’s of arts and philosophy degrees and a diploma in divinity.
“He has many years of experience working as a lecturer in divinity and Punjabi and as a granthi in India,” says Inderjeet Singh of the Sikh Society of Thompson.
As a result of the granthi’s arrival, the temple will now be open seven days a week during the day as well as for morning and evening prayers. There are also plans to offer spiritual music and Punjabi classes for children and adults on weekends.
As part of this weekend’s celebrations, the society is collecting non-perishable food items to be donated to the Thompson homeless shelter on Nov. 21.
