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Welcome to Guru Nanak Dwara

Guru Nanak Dwara, which means "Gate to Guru Nanak," was established in 1970 as the first Gurdwara in the state of Arizona. Today, it continues to serve the community as a vibrant spiritual campus in the center of historic Phoenix. Guru Nanak was the founder and first Guru of Sikhism, and taught that all humans are equal in the eyes of the One Creator.

Attending Gurdwara Service

First time visiting Guru Nanak Dwara? Follow these four steps when entering.

  1. Dress Modestly

    By coming into the Gurdwara, you are entering the Guru's royal court and joining the Sadh Sangat (company of the holy). Putting on modest, formal clothes is an outward projection of our internal respect for the Guru's court.

  2. Remove Shoes & Socks

    Taking off our shoes & socks before entering the Gurdwara has both a hygienic, practical effect of keeping the Gurdwara clean and a reverent, spiritual effect of leaving the outside world behind.

  3. Cover Your Head

    Putting on a head cover gives form to the understanding that the head is the crown of our consciousness. In Gurdwara, this signifies that we honor and protect the seat of our spiritual awareness.

  4. Wash Your Hands & Feet

    Cleanliness is next to Godliness. By cleaning our hands and feet before we enter the Gurdwara we sanitize our bodies so we can cleanse our spirits.

Our Daily Practice

A way of life dedicated to health, happiness and holiness.

  1. Bana

    Bana

    Sikh Uniform

  2. Bani

    Bani

    Scriptures Recited Daily

  3. Simran

    Simran

    Continuous Meditation

  4. Seva

    Seva

    Selfless Service

  5. Gatka

    Gatka

    Sikh Martial Art

  6. Yoga

    Yoga

    Union with the Infinite

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History of Guru Nanak Dwara

Guru Nanak Dwara was founded in 1970 as an Ashram (spiritual learning center) committed to practicing both the Sikh way of life and Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. In the early days, many of those attracted to Guru Nanak Dwara were the soul-searching youth of the consciousness revolution. Guru Nanak Dwara was unlike other collectives of the time as it provided a drug and alcohol free environment where spiritual discipline (daily Sadhana) and selfless service (Seva) were the means of peace, calm and delight. Bonds of support were formed through countless hours of meditation, singing, cooking, working and eating together.

In 1972, Darshan Singh Teji, a good friend of Yogi Bhajan’s, helped the Ashram members establish a Gurdwara. With loving attention, he instructed them in the proper care and ceremonies surrounding the Guru, which has proven to be a guiding light these many years. By 1980, the land where Guru Nanak Dwara currently resides, was purchased and the community focused on creating a ‘village lifestyle’, with many family dwellings surrounding the main center. By the mid-80s, Sikhs originally from Punjab India, were attracted in large numbers to Guru Nanak Dwara, mainly due to the feeling of peaceful contemplation emanating from the community’s practices.

The new Guru Nanak Dwara structure began in 1996 to provide the community with the infrastructure necessary for a bright and flourishing future, embracing the traditions of both East and West. The dynamic blend of a devotional Sadh Sangat (company of the holy), the sacred scriptures of the Sikhs, a healthy lifestyle, and Kundalini Yoga is unique and enables Guru Nanak Dwara to be a place of peace and refuge in service to the greater community.