Gurudwara Sahib Gopeng, Perak

In the early years of the 20th Century, there were a few Sikhs who were employed in the various tin mines around the Gopeng area as general workers or watchmen. Some of these Sikhs were dairy farmers or bullock cart operators. In 1916, these Sikhs built a Gurdwara Sahib in Gopeng, which was very close to the site of the present Gurdwara Sahib building. This Gurdwara Sahib was a single storey structure made of wooden planks with an attap roof, which was later changed to zinc sheets. The early pioneers of this Gurdwara Sahib were Sardar Dyal Singh, Sgt-Major Gujar Singh, Sardar Sadhu Singh Bhutar, Sardar Harnam Singh and Sardar Sarain Singh Lohgarh. This Gurdwara Sahib building was used by the Sikh community for more than 80 years, with repairs being made when necessary. Finally, in 1987, the Management Committee decided to build a new Gurdwara Sahib building. The Minister of Works, Y.B. Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, laid the foundation stone of the new Gurdwara Sahib building on 20th February1988. This double storey building has two towers on the left and right in front of the building with two golden coloured domes above. This Gurdwara Sahib building is built on a one acre site on top of a small flattened hill. It took about four years for the building to be completed. The cost of this Gurdwara Sahib building came to about RM400,000.00 out of which, RM250,000.00 was donated by the Federal Government and Y.B. Datuk Dr. Ting Chew Peh, the member of Parliament for Gopeng. Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu declared the new Gurdwara Sahib building open on 29th November 1992. The Darbar Sahib is located on the first floor. The ground floor consists of the Guru Ka Langgar hall, kitchen. store. office and two rooms for Sikh visitors. The Granthis' quarters are located at an annexe on the left side of the Gurdwara Sahib building. The Management Committee comprises of the President, Secretary, Treasurer, their assistants and nine committee members. There are presently about ten Sikh families residing around Gopeng, all of whom participate in the religious activities of this Gurdwara Sahib. The normal weekly prayers are Courtesy: Sikh Gurudwaras in Malaysia&Singapore Saran Singh Sidhu AMN,PNM,FRNS