New Gurdwara Inaugurated in Rockville

October 24, 2005

Source: SikhNet News

http://www.sikhnet.com/Sikhnet/news.nsf/RecentNewsHTML/B60340F73C893B4D872570A600617B6F!OpenDocument

On October 24, 2005 SikhNet News reported, "[This past Sunday], Sikhs of the Washington area thronged the newly built gurdwara in the outskirts of nation’s capital in the city of Rockville, Maryland. [An audience of] 1000... Sikh men, women and children participated very proudly in the inauguration of [the new] magnificent white building with high arches and huge glass windows which [is] now... the largest structure of the Sikhs in the area... An unprecedented sight was witnessed after the Ardas (prayer) when religious leaders from the Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Zoroastrian and Roman Catholic [faiths] offered their blessing for the splendid building at its steps. Jewish Rabbi Jack Luxemburg recited in Yiddish from holy Torah and then translated it in English. Hindu leaders Dr. Siva Subramaniam and Dr. D. C. Rao chanted holy mantras in Sanskrit. It was followed by recitation by Dr. Sushil Jain in Sanskrit from Jain scriptures. Muslim religious leader, Sana Kirmani in Arabic invoked the blessings of Allah from Holy Qur'an. Bahram Pastakia from Zoroastrian faith (known as Parsi) offered prayer in ancient language."