Sikh Center of San Francisco Bay Area El Sobrante, Gurdwara temple in El Sobrante, United States.
The Sikh Center of San Francisco Bay Area El Sobrante is a gurdwara set on a hillside in El Sobrante, in Contra Costa County, California. The complex features several golden domes and exterior surfaces covered in pink, cream, and beige tiles.
The Sikh Center of the San Francisco Bay Area was established in May 1979, when the local Sikh community founded the gurdwara in the hills of unincorporated El Sobrante. The site has since served as a gathering place for Sikhs across the East Bay. In 1985 a man was shot there after removing another worshipper's turban, and on January 23, 2000, a gunman killed temple leader and human rights activist Ajmer Singh Malhi before bystanders subdued him.
The center serves daily langar, a communal meal offered free to everyone regardless of background or faith. Guests sit together on the floor to eat, which reflects a core Sikh value of equality among all people.
Before entering, shoes must be removed and the head must be covered with a scarf or cloth, which is often available at the entrance. The site tends to be quieter on weekday mornings and busier on weekends and religious observance days.
The complex has an open deck where visitors can look out over the valley and the bay below. Because the building sits on a hill, it can be spotted from roads that are quite far away, in several different directions.
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