Guru Nanak Foundation of Tidewater

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Realization of Truth is higher than all else. Higher still is truthful living.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Sat Sri Akaal! Welcome to the home of the Tidewater Sikh Community. This website will help serve our community and promote Sikhism as well as current happenings in our Sikh society. Learn more about Sikhism and navigate through community pictures of family and friends worshiping together.

Wahe Guru Ji Ki Khalsa ,Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh

As you all know, our Gurudwara has been closed for Sangat, Kirtan, and Langar since mid-March 2020 due to COVID-19. The threat of this pandemic is not completely over but since things are getting better, Gurudwara management has decided to open the Gurudwara for Sangat on Sundays with an adjusted time frame and specific guidelines. Considering everyone’s safety during Sunday kirtan, management is humbly requesting everyone to follow certain rules while visiting the Gurudwara. See below for more detailed updates and guidelines to follow while visiting Gurudwara:

  • The management has decided to open a Gurudwara every week for Sangat starting this Sunday, 09/06/2020.
  • Path and Kirtan will be held between 10.00 AM to 11.30 AM by Gyani Ji.
  • Everyone visiting Gurudwara will have to wear face masks including kids.
  • The doors to the main Gurudwara hall will remain open all the time, to avoid Sangat touching the door handles.
  • The main Gurudwara hall floor will have designated spots for Sangat to sit maintaining social distancing. The designated spots will be marked with (X).
  • The Prashad (sacred food) will not be served by volunteers. Instead, Prashad will be available in pre-packaged form. Sangat will not have to wait until the kirtan is over to take Prashad. Everyone should be able to pick up the Prashad by themselves.
  • Hand sanitizing machines will be installed in the Gurudwara hall for Sangat to use.
  • Before Sunday, the whole Gurudwara will be sanitized using professional equipment.
  • Everyone is requested to use your own judgment, caution, and maintain social distancing. Please keep yours and everyone’s safety a top priority.

About Us

The Guru Nanak Foundation of Tidewater (formerly the Sikh Society of Hampton Roads) emerged in the early 1980s. It began simply with a group of ten families who gathered in one another’s homes to worship together.

Prayer meetings were held in homes where a Guru Granth Sahib Ji was or a family with access to the sacred text would bring it to another family’s home for worship.

Read more about our History and Sikhism in general on our About Us Page.

What is Sikhism?

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded in Northern India (State of Punjab) and is based on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev ji (Founder of Sikhism) and his successors.

The Sikh philosophy focuses on the equality of all people and is said to be summed up by Guru Nanak de Ji as, “Realization of Truth is higher than all else. Higher still is truthful living.”

Read more about Sikhism on our About Us page.

What is a Gurudwara?

A Gurudwara is the place where Sikhs come together for congregational worship. The literal meaning of the Punjabi word Gurudwara is ‘the residence of the Guru’, or ‘the door that leads to the Guru’.

In a modern Gurudwara, the Guru is not a person, but the holy book of Sikh scriptures called the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. It is the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji that gives the Gurudwara its religious status, so any building containing the holy book is a Gurudwara. Although a Gurudwara may be called the residence of the Guru (meaning the residence of God), Sikhs believe that God is present everywhere.

For first time visitors, learn more about practices and traditions to follow by visiting our Visitors page.