Gurudwara Sahib Kulim,Kedah

During the 1920's, there were a few Sikh businessmen and dairy farmers in Kulim. They set up a small Gurdwara Sahib in the heart of Kulim town to take care of their religious needs. On 23rd October 1929 the Sikhs in Kulim bought an old wooden bungalow house of traditional Malay architecture built on stilts for Straits Settlements $4,000.00. This house was situated on a piece of land measuring 85 feet by 280 feet known as Lot Number 149 in the Mukim of Kulim at sub-division Simpang Tiga. The ownership of the land was placed under the names of Sardar Surjan Singh, Sardar Bahadur Singh, Sardar Raka Singh and Sardar Sunder Singh. The bungalow was converted into a Gurdwara and officially opened in 1943. In 1977, the Gurdwara Sahib Kulim land was placed under the names of four appointed trustees viz. Sardar Hari Singh, Sardar Balkara Singh, Sardar Mall Singh and Sardar Sunder Singh. In 1994 .the trustees' names were revised. Sardar Hari Singh continues to be the trustee together with Sardar Balwinder Singh and Sardar Jit Singh. The Gurdwara building was getting old and also too small for the Sikh sangat of Kulim. In 1999 the Sikh sangat decided to construct a new three-storey Gurdwara building. The old Gurdwara building was demolished on 19' July 2000. The top floor of a nearby shop lot was rented and converted for temporary use as a Gurdwara until the completion of the new Gurdwara Sahib building. The President, Sardar Hari Singh, laid the foundation stone of the new Gurdwara building on 20thAugust 2000. The first floor of the new Gurdwara Sahib comprises the Darbar Sahib while the ground floor is the langgar hall. The cost of the new Gurdwara building is around RM600,000.00. The Government donated RM$25,000.00 towards the cost of the Gurdwara building and the balance has been donated by the Sikh sangat in Malaysia. The new Gurdwara Sahib building was declared open on Vesakhi Day 14' April 2003. An Akhand Path was held during this occasion, which was well attended by the Sikh sangat. The Gurdwara Management Committee consists of the President, Secretary, Treasurer and their assistants and seven committee members. There are about 60 Sikh families residing in Kulim/Bandar Baru, which includes Kulim, Lunas, Padang Serai, Mahang and Bukit Mertaj am in Penang, all of whom participate in the religious activities of this Gurdwara. The normal weekly prayers are held on Saturday afternoons from 5.30p.m. to 7.30p.m. The Sikh Naujawan programmes are also held on Saturdays from 3.30p.m. to 5.00p.m Courtesy: Sikh Gurudwaras in Malaysia&Singapore Saran Singh Sidhu AMN,PNM,FRNS