April 5, 2016: Men and women sat side by side, heads bowed, legs crossed and lips murmuring in prayer inside a one-story building in Endicott.
And then they all sat down to eat together.
“It’s all about community. Sitting together. Praying together. Eating together,” said Preet Rai, of Vestal.
Welcome to Singh Sabha, the first Sikh temple to open in the Southern Tier and one of the few temples in upstate New York. The closest one is in Albany.
The temple opened about eight months ago in a former karate school in Endicott. Before that, the approximately 100 local Sikhs had to meet in each other’s houses for services. Local Sikhs include lawyers, doctors, business owners and some students at Binghamton University, said Rai, a member of the temple.
Started more than 500 years ago in the Punjab region of India, Sikhism incorporates practices from most of the world’s major religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and Islam, Rai said.
 |
| Local Sikhs bow their heads in prayer during a recent service held at Singh Sabha, a Sikh temple in Endicott. (Photo: CONNIE McKINNEY / Correspondent photo) |
“We are very respectful of each other and people around us,” Rai said. “We are students of life, and intentionally very humble and respectful.”
Sikhs believe in one God, just as Christians, Jews and Muslims do, Rai said.
“We really believe in one collective soul for everybody,” she said.
Just like most major religions, Sikhs believe in helping the poor, said Tony Singh, of Vestal, a Sikh member whose father, Joga Singh, bought the property for the new temple.
“This is what Sikhism is: helping others,” he said. For example, anyone in need can get a free meal.
Sikhs believe in tolerance for all faiths and all people, he said.
“This is what our religion teaches us — not to hate anybody,” Tony Singh said. “We should just love everybody.”
Sikhs also believe in equality of men and women and all people in general. For example, before entering the temple, Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike must take off their shoes and cover their heads. Scarves are available for anyone who needs a head covering.
“Nobody is above anybody else,” said Sunny Singh, of Vestal, no relation to Tony Singh. “”All of us are equal.”
Services are led by a Sikh priest and include the type of activities followed in nearly every major religion, including prayer, singing and reading sacred scripture from the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib. Services end with lunch being served.
 |
| Singh Sabha is the first Sikh temple in the Southern Tier. (Photo: CONNIE McKINNEY / Correspondent photo) |
But there are some misconceptions about Sikhs, Sunny Singh said. Sikhs are often mistaken for Muslims. Sikh men wear turbans, just as some Muslim men do. But the two religions are separate.
Local Sikhs encourage anyone curious about the temple to come, pray and eat with them.
“We welcome everybody,” Sunny Singh said. “It’s an open house for anybody to come if they want to find a place to pray.”
IF YOU GO
The newly opened Sikh Temple is at 1301 Watson Boulevard in Endicott. The doors open at 7:30 a.m. on Sundays, and services start at 8:30 or 9 a.m. and run until 2:30 p.m. Participants don’t have to stay for the whole service. Lunch is served at the end of the service. Anyone is welcome to visit the temple during Sunday services. They do not have to be members of the Sikh religion.
 |
| The building that houses the Sikh temple was formerly a karate school in Endicott. (Photo: CONNIE McKINNEY / Correspondent photo) |
Facts about Sikhism
- More than 20 million people across the globe are Sikhs, which means disciple or learner.
- Male and female followers do not cut their hair and must cover their heads. Men wear turbans, and women wear scarves. This is done so Sikhs can recognize a fellow Sikh. Not cutting hair is another way to be humble and not overly concerned with appearance, they say.
- They follow the teachings of the Ten Sikh Gurus written in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture.
- They believe in one God, the same God for all religions.
- They believe in equality for men and women, service, sharing with the poor, non-violence, meditation, self-discipline, tolerance of other religions and the well-being of all human beings.
Source: Who are the Sikhs, written by the Sikh Religious Society of Philadelphia, and Preet Rai, a local Sikh from Vestal.