Many people know very little about Sikhism, even though it is the fifth-largest religion in the world. April is Sikh Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to learn more.
Sikhism started in India hundreds of years ago. The local Sikh community is a large and very active part of the Canton/Plymouth community. There are two Sikh Gurdwaras (temples) in Canton: Gurdwara Sahib on Canton Center Road and Gurdwara Gobind Marg on Michigan Avenue.
We spoke with Jaspreet Gill, a teacher at the Gurdwara since 2008. She moved to Canton from India in 2007 and completed her studies here. Now, she works full-time, has a husband and two children and is an active member of her community.
The Fundamentals of Sikhism
“The basic principles of Sikh are that we believe in one God who is the creator of everything,” said Jaspreet, “we believe in earning a living through honest work, and that you have to share your wealth, your food and time with those who are in need. Another very important principle is selfless service, which means we have to serve humanity without expecting anything as a reward. We believe that helping others is worship.”
One way they practice these principles is by offering free food at each of their Gurdwaras to anyone who wants or needs it. It is available all day, 365 days a year.
“It's called free kitchen langar,” explained Jaspreet. “Anybody—regardless of age, color, religion—can go in there and eat free food.”
Building Awareness in the Community
One way that they serve others and share awareness of who they are is their booth at Canton’s annual Liberty Fest.
“It's called an awareness booth, where we just have our community members come, help people by giving out water and some snacks,” said Jaspreet. “We talk to them about Sikhism and we have flyers to pass out. We make little postcards that we distribute, so our neighbors, our communities, know who we are because sometimes our identity gets mistaken.”
When asked whether they are facing more discrimination or hate in today’s volatile political climate, Jaspreet said it happens sometimes when they are outside the local community, but the local outreach seems to be working.
“In our community where we live in the Plymouth/Canton area, people are pretty safe. Our neighbors, they know who we are. I think, because of the things we sometimes do in the libraries, at Liberty Fest and other festivals, people know who we are, what we do.”
Join the Celebration
The Sikh community celebrates Vaisakhi on April 14, which is considered the birth of Sikhism. There will be a parade in Lansing, but locally, it is a celebration they have traditionally held in Gurdwaras.
Last year, it was a community event at the Summit on the Park. They expected about 50 people, but about 250 showed up. To build on that success, they will continue to have the community celebration at the Summit. This year, it will be on April 18, 2026, and everyone is invited.
“It’s a three-hour program in the evening,” Jaspreet shared. “There is no ticket, no entry fee, free food and everything. There is a cultural aspect with performances by our kids, like dance and all that. Then, we have the religious parts, too, along with speeches. Local and state leaders, like Debbie Dingle, are also invited to be a part of it.”
If you don’t know much about Sikhism, April is the time to seek more knowledge. If you already know the local Sikh community or want to know them better, join in and celebrate with them this April.
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