"Sikhs are Like Cowboys" – Religion in India

Our first stop of the day was to the Baha'i Lotus Flower Temple. The general consensus by the group was that the quiet, white marble of the large, domed house of worship was extremely peaceful and calming. This was, for most of us, our first time to parade around barefoot – something we quickly became used to at each of our destinations today. Following the Baha'i Temple, we visited the Akshardham Hindu Temple. A giant, intricately carved building, we were all sufficiently impressed (but frustrated that we weren't allowed cameras). However, this temple, like the Lotus Flower, is a pretty recent construction (in the last 10 years), which was kind of disappointing. Where's the ancient stuff?

However, it was our last stop of the day that we found the most moving (well, Riley and Dori did – can't necessarily speak for everyone else). At the Sikh Gurudwara, the building was small, the décor wasn't ostentatious, and the music was enchanting. Sitting on the ground with our feet bare and heads covered, we listened to the Sikh men sing verses from their holy book, while Dr. Goswami whispered us Sikh historical and cultural facts, and Dr. Gawande sang and bobbed along to the music. Probably our favorite fact of the day was when Dr. Goswami explained that in Sikhhism everyone must contribute, regardless of status – helping to serve food or collect shoes when people enter the temple. Even India's Prime Minister, a Sikh, has collected shoes at this temple in service to his faith.

Dr. Goswami also explained the religious traditions of Sikh men. They must keep a beard, never cut their hair, and carry a weapon—usually a sword or a knife of some kind. Part of their religious creed is their commitment to defend their community. Sikhs are represented disproportionately in the Indian military and have faced problems in recent years because of increased security concerns, making air travel, among other things, more complicated. The United States army has faced several hard decisions regarding Sikhs in our military and have finally acquiesced to their turbans (which are now army green) and strict religious rules. Entering the temple and seeing two large Sikh men, with large turbans on head, hands on large swords, and thick beards, reminded us (or just Riley) of cowboys ready to pull their pistols at any moment.

Our ability to visit a historic site for Baha'is, a newly built religious site for Hindus, and the second-most sacred site for Sikhs is an Indian phenomenon, and an experience unique to Delhi. And Dr. Gawande and Dr. Goswami's vast knowledge of each religion was impressive, and quintessentially Indian. As Dr. Goswami put it, only in India could you have a Sikh PM, Muslim Presidents, and a Hindu majority – while the most powerful woman in the country is a Catholic. Can you imagine if the US President was Amish, the VP Jewish, and the Speaker of the House Scientologist? Pretty kuhl.

 -Riley Barnes and Dori Enderle, MPIAs 2011