Cayman’s Sikh community will be holding a special food and toy drive this Sunday at the Loft in the Compass Centre as they celebrate their annual festival Guru Nanak Gurpurab.
The festival commemorates the birth of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and is the largest celebration held by the Sikh community.
Ishan Singh, a member of Cayman’s Sikh and South Asian Community, said this year the community has partnered with Compass Media Ltd to hold a food and toy drive to benefit local charities and schools.
“We’ve again committed to raise $20,000 worth of toys that would be donated within the islands for this Christmas season specifically,” he said, adding that it will be the same for the food drive.
He said last year they committed to raise $20,000 in food for donation and they surpassed that, raising $38,000.
“Members of the community actually brought up the idea of the toy drive given the proximity to Christmas this time around and I think that was a fantastic idea. Everyone really jumped up on the idea,” he said.
Though Sikhism and Christianity are two different religions, Singh said the basic tenets are the same.
He said Christmas is also a community celebration.
“Everyone is part of the same community collectively, and all of our actions should be focused on doing good to others, honest living and thinking of God. Those were the main ideas on which [Guru Nanak’s] teachings were based,” he said.
The event is free to the public and begins at 5pm.
Singh said there will be a prayer session, music and free vegetarian meals.
He said the only request is for anyone attending to wear a head covering like a scarf or a bandana, along with bringing a food or toy donation.
Singh said providing meals and giving donations are traditions that Guru Nanak initiated back in the 15th century, and it is something that has continued since then.
Editor’s note: Compass Media Ltd is the parent company of the Cayman Compass.
Related Videos
