BETHEL - More than 250 people gathered at a Sikh temple near the Schuylkill County border Sunday to remember the six worshipers gunned down by a white supremacist at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin on Aug. 5.
"It's very important for our community to reach out to them because we're all a part of the same community, even though we are all the way in Pennsylvania. We're part of the same Sikh community and the same American community, so we need to show solidarity," said Shana Kaur Narula, 25, a Schuylkill County native who was one of the organizers of the event.
Narula is one of the members of Blue Mountain Gurdwara in Bethel Township, Berks County, where the service was held Sunday. She's also the daughter of Dr. Amrit P. Narula, a gastroenterologist based in Pottsville, and Rosy Narula, both of Orwigsburg.
Community leaders present included Kay Jones, Orwigsburg, the executive director of Schuylkill County's VISION.
"I thought this was very interesting," Jones said following the service.
This year, Schuylkill County's VISION launched a lecture series in an effort to give the public a better understanding of Schuylkill County's diverse population, cultures and religions, "The Circle of Understanding Dialogue Series."
Jones said she's going to recommend a presentation about the Sikh religion become part of that series.
On Aug. 5, Wade Michael Page, 40, used a 9 mm pistol to kill six people and wound four others, including a police officer, in an ambush that took place shortly before a service was to begin at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in suburban Milwaukee. Page shot himself after being wounded by another police officer, according to The Associated Press.
Killed were the temple's president, Satwant Singh Kaleka, 65; Sita Singh, 41; Ranjit Singh, 49; Prakash Singh, 39; Paramjit Kaur, 41; and Suveg Singh Khattra, 84, according to The Associated Press.
The worshippers in Bethel Township on Sunday also said prayers for the officer injured in the attack, Oak Creek police Lt. Brian Murphy, 51.
Murphy was in satisfactory condition Sunday at Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee on Sunday, according to a nursing supervisor at the hospital.
The worshippers also had a photo of Murphy and a sign emblazoned with the words, "Thank You Lt. Murphy."
Narula said she believes the victims of the shooting in Wisconsin are "heroes." Her father agreed.
"For example, from what I understand, the president of the temple actually fought with the shooter and actually helped save some lives," Dr. Narula said.
Onkar Grewal, Womelsdorf, Berks County, who is also a member of Blue Mountain Gurdwara, said he sees the victims as "martyrs."
"We do not believe in sadness if somebody is killed during worship or in the war. We call them martyrs. It's a matter of pride for us if we are killed doing something we believe in," Grewal said.
Grewal and other members of Blue Mountain Gurdwara, including Kuldeep Lath, Sinking Spring, Berks County, encouraged people new to the temple to remove their shoes before entering. They also offered them orange-colored silks to cover their heads in the Sikh tradition.
Rules of conduct for visitors are listed on the temple's website at www.bluemountaingurdwara.info.
- "Remove shoes when entering congregation hall. This is a sign of respect to the sovereignty of the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy book). There is a room of shoe racks in the Gurdwara."
- "Cover head at all times as a sign of respect to the Guru Granth Sahib."
- "Bow in front of the Guru Granth Sahib upon joining the congregation. Non-Sikh are not required to bow, but should enter and quietly join the congregation."
- "Sit on the floor if you can, there are few chairs at the back of the hall for elderly or who may have trouble sitting on the floor."
Following the traditional Sunday prayer service, in which religious hymns were recited in the Hindi dialect of Punjabi, a memorial service to pay tribute to the Wisconsin shooting victims. It began with a slide show presentation by Narula, introducing people to the Sikh culture.
At 1:30 p.m., everyone gathered outside the temple in a courtyard area. At the center of it was a marble slab, the base of a flag pole for the Nishan Sahib, a Sikh holy triangular flag.
Pictures of the people who died in the Wisconsin tragedy were placed near that area.
Speakers included Bethel Township police Officer Chad Hepler, who encouraged the Sikh community to talk to their local police departments if they ever have any questions or concerns. Also there was Marian J. Schappell, interfaith chaplain for KidsPeace National Center, Orefield, Lehigh County.
Blue Mountain Gurdwara was established in 1991 and it has 60 regular members, but it could have up to 150 people attending services on a Sunday, Grewal said.
"We established a temple here to serve the people of Reading, Harrisburg and Pottsville," Grewal said.
"We do endeavor to be honest about our love for WaheGuru (one God) and our desire for people to connect with God," according to worldgurudwara.com.
Grewal said one way people can show support to the victims is to learn more about other religions.
"Most of the time, you'll find people who think we are Muslim. In the schools, they should have more emphasis explaining the different religions in the world," Grewal said.
The Sikh religion has a following of more than 20 million people worldwide and is ranked as the world's fifth largest religion, according to the website for Sikhism, Religion of the Sikh People at sikhs.org.
"Sikhism preaches a message of Devotion and remembrance of God at all times, truthful living, equality of mankind and denounces superstitions and blind rituals. Sikhism is open to all through the teachings of its 10 Gurus enshrined in the Sikh Holy Book and Living Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib," according to the website.
"We'll also try to interact with other communities here so they know who we are," Grewal said.