ENG-2004 — Page 483

Religion and Custom | 417

Four principal masjids are used for daily prayers; the oldest being the Jamia Masjid in Shelley Street on Hong Kong Island, established in 1849 and rebuilt in 1915 to accommodate 400 worshippers.

The eight-storey Masjid Ammar and Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre, managed by the Islamic Union of Hong Kong in Wanchai, houses a masjid on two floors, community hall, library, medical clinic, classrooms and offices and can accommodate from 700 to 1 500 people depending on requirements.

The imposing Kowloon Masjid and Islamic Centre, with its distinctive white marble finish, is a major landmark in Tsim Sha Tsui. With three prayer halls, community hall, medical centre and library, the masjid can accommodate 2 000 worshippers.

There are two Muslim cemeteries, one in Happy Valley and the other, which also has a masjid, at Cape Collinson, Chai Wan.

Hindu Community

The religious and social activities of the 15 000-strong Hindu community are centred on the Hindu Temple in Happy Valley. The Hindu Association of Hong Kong is responsible for the upkeep of the temple, which is used for meditation, spiritual lectures and community activities, including yoga classes and observance of major Hindu festivals such as Diwali, Dussehra and Holi. Engagement and marriage ceremonies (in accordance with the Marriage Ordinance) are performed at the temple according to Hindu rites. Other important services include the administration of last rites, arrangements for cremation and related ceremonies and the maintenance of the Hindu crematorium at Cape Collinson.

Devotional music sessions and religious discourses are held every Sunday morning, followed by a free community meal, and on Monday evenings.

Sikh Community

The Sikhs came to Hong Kong from the Punjab, India, as part of the British Armed Forces in the 19th century.

There are now about 8 000 Sikhs in Hong Kong who conduct their religious and social activities in the Sikh Temple in Queen's Road East. The temple, established in 1901, provides daily religious services as well as free meals and limited accommodation for overseas visitors of any faith. It also houses a specialist library containing books on the Sikh religion and culture as well as a kindergarten for four to six year olds.

The main holy days and festivals observed by the Sikh community are the birthdays of Guru Nanak (founder of the faith), Guru Gobind Singh (the 10th Guru) and Baisakhi (the birthday of all Sikhs).