Gurudwara Sahib Jelapang, Ipoh, Perak

In the early years of the 20th Century, there were a few Sikhs residing in the Jelapang area, mostly employed in the Police Force and various tin mines as general workers and watchmen. These Sikhs built a Gurdwara Sahib, a single storey wooden building with an attap roof in 1908. This Gurdwara Sahib was renovated in 1916 by the Sikh sangat of Jelapang. In 1933, the Sikh sangat built a new Gurdwara Sahib building on the site of the previous Gurdwara. This Gurdwara Sahib was built on concrete stilts with wooden planks for the walls and a zinc roof. It was used by the Sikh congregation for nearly 50 years before being demolished in 1982. In 1982, the Management Committee comprising of Sardar Kapoor Singh Thoonda, President; Sardar Kishen Singh Wariahn, Vice President; Sardar Boor Singh Chola Sahib, Secretary and Sardar Bela Singh Bageh, Treasurer was established to build a new Gurdwara Sahib building. Babu Harditt Singh J.P., laid the foundation stone of the new Gurdwara Sahib building in 1982 on the same site as the previous Gurdwara Sahib. The present land area of the Gurdwara Sahib is 17,620 square feet. This Gurdwara Sahib was completed in 1983 and officially declared open by the sangat. The cost of this Gurdwara Sahib building came to RM125,000.00 out of which RM25,000.00 was donated by the Government. The Granthi's quarters, one room for Sikh visitors and the langgar hall are all located in a building at the back of the Gurdwara Sahib. The kitchen is located in a separate building by the side of the Gurdwara Sahib. Bhai Bakthaur Singh served as a Granthi in this Gurdwara Sahib from 1935 to 1946. Bhai Dasaunda Singh served as a priest here from 1955 to 1968. The Management Committee comprises of the President, Secretary, Treasurer, their assistants and five committee members. The present Trustees of the Gurdwara Sahib are Sardar Amarjit Singh, Sardar Savinderjit Singh and Sardar Dhian Singh. There are presently about 80 Sikh families who participate in the religious activities in this Gurdwara Sahib. Prayers are held twice weekly on Saturday evenings from 7.00p.m. to 8.30p.m and Sunday mornings from 6.00a.m. to 8.00a.m. The Isteri Satsang programme is held once a month on the first of every month from 3.00p.m. to 5.30p.m. Courtesy: Sikh Gurudwaras in Malaysia&Singapore Saran Singh Sidhu AMN,PNM,FRNS