Volunteers find fulfilment in preparations and service ahead of celebrations
PETALING JAYA: Lawyer Sarabmeet Singh has been heading to the gurdwara after work for the past week.
He spent his evenings helping with the cleaning, preparing food ingredients and planning events for children.
He was among the many youths who stepped up in a big way at gurdwaras this year, taking on key roles before the Vaisakhi celebrations yesterday.
At Gurdwara Sahib Petaling Jaya, preparations began days in advance, with young volunteers balancing work, studies and service to serve a crowd of 10,000 visitors since Monday.
“Over the weekends, we also plan activities for children together with other youths,” said Sarabmeet, 32, the head of the gurdwara’s youth team.
Vaisakhi is both a harvest festival and the historic day in 1699 when Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa, creating a Sikh identity which propounds equality.
Another Sikh, Kashmir Singh, said volunteering at the gurdwara gave him a deep sense of fulfilment.
“It is not easy to gather all the young ones to make this day special, especially after a long work week. But the effort we put in makes it feel like an accomplishment.
“I have been helping at the cooking station, stirring ingredients and over the weekends assisting with children’s activities as well,” he said, adding that he was inspired by watching his parents serve in the past.
Student Amrit Kaur, 19, played her part by serving food to guests, washing dishes, cutting ingredients and making chapatis over the past few days.
“Coming to the gurdwara to do sewa (service) makes you forget your stress as you are fully focused on serving others,” said Amrit, who has been volunteering since she was 10.
The young were also seen taking on roles in the prayer hall, including leading kirtan (devotional hymn singing) at Gurdwara Sahib Sentul where up to 2,000 visitors attended each day since Friday.
Accounting student Jugaad Singh, 19, said he has been performing kirtan for years, continuing a family tradition.
“I started when I was eight. I’m not doing it for attention, but to convey the meaning of the hymns to the devotees,” he said, adding that he was the fourth generation in his family to serve at the Sentul gurdwara.
Lawyer Amardev Singh Sidhu, 29, a third‑generation member of the gurdwara, said his service during this time went beyond specific roles.
“I was doing the dishes, cleaning the gurdwara, serving food and singing kirtan. You need to participate by serving others as part of the celebration.
“For youths, this type of sewa helps to preserve our identity and this is one way we can do that,” he said.
Jorawar Singh, 22, said he has been helping with jora sewa which is arranging and dusting off the shoes of visitors and also cleaning and washing dishes.
“It is about instilling humility. I have seen my family do this, and now I want to do the same,” said the equity sales executive from Shah Alam.
