Information about this center is no longer updated. This data was last updated on 28 March 2013.

Phone: 770-808-6320
Website: http://www.sikh-atlanta.org/

History

The first Sikh families arrived in Atlanta in the 1960s. In 1973, families began to gather at the home of Dr. & Mrs. Darshan Singh Bhatia. In 1979, the administrative structure was formalized, and Dr. Gopal Singh spearheaded the development of the Sikh Study Circle. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the Gurdwara in 1989. In 1991, the original structure was completed and an opening ceremony was held for the Gurdwara. By 1992, regular Sunday and Wednesday services (Divans) were established. In 2000, the Langar Hall was completed and annual events such as the Sikh Sports Day and Sikh Religious seminar in Atlanta were established.

Description

The Gurdwara building sits back from the road with a stone wall between the road and the parking lot. Inside the building is a Diwan hall, Langar hall, kitchen, library/office, and assorted classrooms. Adjacent to the entrance foyer are two closets for shoes, one for women and another for men. The focal point of the building itself is the Diwan Hall.

Demographics

Since the only other established Gurdwara located in Georgia is in Augusta, Sikh families from as far away as Macon attend worship at the Sikh Study Circle in Stone Mountain. Approximately 300 familes participate regularly. Member families are almost entirely Indian, mainly Punjabi. Consequently, services are conducted in Punjabi,and the main language spoken among older members is also Punjabi. Most of the families are young to middle aged couples with small children.

Activities and Schedule

Worship (Divans) are held on Sundays from 10 a.m. -12 p.m., Wednesdays from 7 p.m. -9 p.m., and on Fridays from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Langar is held on Sundays at 12 pm. Children's activities include the annual Punjabi Cultural Day, annual Sikh Sports Day, and language instruction. There is also a monthly newsletter.

Location and Directions

The Gurdwara is located at 1821 South Hairston Rd. in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The white stucco building, now several years old, sits back from the road and is divided into three rectangular sections. A wall separates the parking lot and the building from the street, with an entrance for members and visitors.