Takanini Gurudwara cruise into the New Year with prayers

Takanini Gurudwara under Supreme Sikh Society took a unique route to cruise into the new year by getting the community to pray from New Year’s Eve for the next three days until Guru Purab on Friday, January 2, 2020.

Every year Takanini Gurudwara presents an array of performances by bringing the community together for prayers, langar, children’s event and an iconic firework but this year the temple organised just a prayer service and Nagar Kirtan parade for the new year activity.

“The World is burning so pray to God bring peace and love for everyone, irrespective of their culture, caste, religion, ethnicity and nationality,” Daljit Singh, president of Supreme Sikh Society of New Zealand told The Indian Weekender.

The Gurudwara invited community members on the New Year’s Eve, and the kirtan started at 6 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January, 1 praying for peace, humanity and wellbeing of the world. After a few hours break, the kirtan started again at 4:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. where thousands of community members attended the Gurbani sessions at different intervals of the day.

“Our children took an important part in all the ceremonies and led the parade early in the morning with our flags,” Mr Singh added.

On Friday, January 2, approximately 3000 people gathered at the temple to participate in the Nagar Kirtan parade, including senior citizens, men, approximately 400 women and children.

The procession went through the Great South Road in South Auckland reciting kirtan on the way, and spreading the message of Sikhism.

Guru Purab is an important festival for the Sikh community celebrating the birth anniversary of 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Govind Singh. 2020 marks 345 birth anniversary of Guru Govind Singh observed globally on January 2 with prayers and Nagar Kirtan.

Supreme Sikh Society currently carrying renovations of the Takanini Gurudwara which is expected to be shining new given its multi-million dollar and world’s first mega sports complex in a gurudwara (Outside India) will be inaugurated on March 22, 2020.