Non-Historical Gurdwaras in East and South-East Asian Countries

Gurdwaras in China

Although, the relationship of the Sikhs with China had started in the middle of the 19th Century, when the Sikhs invaded Tibet which was under the control of China. They started living there when they were employed by the British in army and police stationed in China. We also come to know of Sikhs holding important positions in this regard. For example S. Budha Singh held an important post in Shanghai Municipal Police. At one point of time, Shanghai had considerable Sikh population. Gradually their population declined under the communist rule and became almost insignificant after 1962 Indo China war. It is also believed that Guru Nanak had visited China and the city of Nanking is named after his name. However, at present the Sikh population is very small in China and there is only one Gurdwara at Yivu city. This is being managed by Guru Nanak Darbar Sat Sang Sabha. As this city is a big business centre, a number of Sikhs visit it in connection with their business. Thus, the visitors to Gurdwara mostly include these people who stay there for a few days. However, there is a congregation every Sunday in which some Sikhs and Hindus get together for religious purpose as well as for mutual interaction. The address of this Gurdwara is Building No. 63, Unit-1, 2nd Floor, Footian Area-3, Yivu City, Jiging, China and its contact no. is 008613957904021.

Sikhs in Shanghai

Shanghai is the commercial capital of China which was a hub of Sikh population at given point of time. It is believed that there were a number of Gurdwaras in this town during that period. We have many records to support this contention. For example, in one of the articles available on network, it is mentioned that “by 1890s, there was a thriving community of hundreds of Sikhs in Shanghai. According to the records, a Gurdwara was there in Shanghai at 326 Dong Bao Xing Road. This is the Gurdwara referred to by Dhian Chand, an Indian Hockey player who visited the Gurdwara in 1932. He writes “The atmosphere in the city was quite tense due to the Sino-Japanese clash over Manchuria. We were told to keep within bounds and avoid any trouble spots. We visited a small Sikh temple on the outskirts of the city. It was said to be the oldest Gurdwara in Shanghai. The Gurdwara had suffered much damage in clashes between the Chinese and Japanese soldiers. As we came out of the temple, Japanese soldiers eyed us with suspicion. We had lunch on board our ship and sailed for Kobe at about 4 pm.” The records of the Gurdwara at this site are still available on some Chinese sites. Presently, there is no Gurdwara in Shanghai, nor does the Chinese Government allow to make any such religious place. However, some Sikhs living there have installed the Bir of Sri Guru Granth Sahib at their residence and sometimes they invite each other for religious and social gatherings. One of these prominent persons has made a part of his residence, a Gurdwara where 60 to 70 persons, Sikhs and Hindus assemble on every Sunday for reciting Gurbani. Sometimes, Gurbani Singers from Punjab attend these gatherings and recite Gurbani. The Langar is also served as sponsored by different persons on different days, mainly by the hosts. The host devout Sikh, a prosperous business man, did not allow us to disclose his name and contact no. However, that the Sikhs have been organising Kirtan Programmes by inviting prominent Ragis is proved by various postings which we generally see on social media. It is also noticed there from that some of the Chinese have converted to Sikhism under the influence of Americans and Europeans converted Sikhs.

Gurdwaras in Japan

In Japan also, the population of Sikhs is very small. Thus, there are only two Gurdwaras in Japan, one at Kobe and the other in Tokyo. Kobe Gurdwara was setup in 1966 by a Sindhi believer in Sikhism. However, later on when the devotees purchased the house of a Sikh devotee, a new Gurdwara was constructed. This is situated near Shin Kobe Station. The Sikhs and other devotees assemble here on every Sunday. Most of the devotees are Sindhies. The Sikhs to look after the management of the Gurdwara under the guidance of Bhai Tarlochan Singh, Bhai Sarabhjeet Singh (Patti) and Bhai Surinder Singh of Malaysia include the President of the Committee S. Sohinder Singh & Shri Kiran Sethi Ji (Secretary). The address of the Gurdwara is 2-1-25 Nozakidori, Chuo, Kobe, Japan & its contact no. is 0081782215886.

There is only one Gurdwara in Tokyo. This Gurdwara unlike the Kobe Gurdwara is not registered. This is located in the heart of Tokyo. It is located in the basement of India Visa Application Centre. The entry (stairs) to Gurdwara is from the by lane and not on the main road. The number of Sikhs living in Japan is very low. Therefore, this Gurdwara opens only on some days in a month. The dates of same are informed in advance. The Gurdwara was first started here at the Great Punjab restaurant in 1997. As the time passed, the sangat (devotees) donated the funds to first rent and then purchase Gurdwara property. Diwan is held in this Gurdwara twice a month on Sunday. It is open only on program dates. The telephone contacts of the Gurdwara could not be found as there is no committee to manage it and the sangat is jointly managing its affairs. The address of the Gurdwara is Maiugdani Heights, B-1, Basement, 3-5-4, Ussuka, Banque-Ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Gurdwara in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong also, there is only one Gurdwara known as Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple. It falls in the Wan Chai District of Hong Kong, on the junction of Queen’s Road East and Stubbs Road, Hong Kong Island. The Gurudwara was built in 1901 by local Sikhs, including soldiers from the British Army, with the intent of providing religious, social, practical and cohesive support to Sikhs in Hong Kong. Many Sikhs on their way to immigrate to Canada, in what later became the Kamagata Maru incident, slept in the Gurdwara and prayed there before boarding the ship in 1914. In the 1930s, with an increase in the size of the local Sikh community, the Gurdwara was extended and rebuilt. It was bombed twice during World War II, suffering extensive damage that killed the Gurdwara Granthi, Bhai Nand Singh. The damaged parts of the Gurdwara were rebuilt after the war by the community, with the assistance of Sindhi Hindus who immigrated to Hong Kong in large numbers due to the Partition. The Gurdwara was again extended in the 1980s, and linked to Queens’ Road East by a covered bridge, which provides easy access for the devotees. The present management led by S. Daljeet Singh Zira (President) has informed that election of the committee consisting of 15 members takes place every year and a new committee is formed. The present committee is undertaking further extension of the Gurdwara, which has already been planned keeping in view the increasing Sikh population in the country. There is a 5 member board which consists of the old residents of Hong Kong and this board supervises the work of the committee. The board members are elected for a period of 3 years. The board members for the period 2017-2020 are S. Avtar Singh, S. Bhupider Singh, S. Darshan Singh, S. Gurdev Singh and Major Singh Pannu as the Chairman. The Gurdwara Sahib organises a good number of Kirtan and Katha Programmes by inviting devout Sikh Preachers from Punjab. Some of the Preachers stay here for a fixed term and learn even the local language for interacting with the local people for apprising them about Sikh Religion. There is a good library attached to the Gurdwara and a kinder-garden school wherein apart from other subjects Punjabi is also taught. Gurbani Classes, Kirtan Classes and Gatka Training are also organised by the management. The tourists visiting Hong Kong are provided accommodation by charging small amounts. The contact details of the Gurdwara are 371, Queenz Road East, Van Chai, Hong Kong and its contact no. is +85225724459, Email : info@ khalsadiwan.com

Gurdwaras in South Korea

There are around 3000 Sikhs in South Korea. Many of them are working in the Shipping Companies of South Korea. Some Sikhs have also started their trading business. Although, there are two Gurdwaras in South Korea, the Gurdwara Singh Sabha Sahib in the capital city of Seol attracts a large number of Sikhs. This Gurdwara was founded on 21st November 2004 and was constructed with the funds donated by devotee Sikhs and Hindus. The main congregation is held in this Gurdwara on every Sunday wherein the devotees listen to Gurbani and partake Langar which is prepared by the devotee families themselves. The address of this Gurdwara is Kaonki-do, Pochiun-C, Sohiul-Yup-12, Donkyori 202-1, South Korea. This Gurdwara is under the control of a saintly personality Baba Gurprit Singh. Baba ji is always absorbed in medication. He lives a simple life and stays in the Gurdwara itself.

There is another Gurdwara in Pochoen, Gyeonggi Province, which is very popular among the Sikhs of South Korea. This Gurdwara is known as Gurdwara Singh Sabha. It is a two storey Red Brick building having congregational hall on the Ground floor. The Gurdwara can be contacted on +8210-2893-3284

Gurdwaras in South East Asia

As the population of Sikhs in various South East Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Burma and Indonesia is quite notable, there are a number of Gurdwaras situated in these countries. In Malaysia, the population of Sikhs is the highest in East Asian Countries. According to Sikhi Wiki there are around 100000 Sikhs in Malaysia. Many Sikhs were brought over to Malaya (earlier name of Malaysia) from India during the British colonial period to serve as police, soldiers or guards. That is why the first Gurdwara was setup mainly by the Police Personnel in 1890 at Jalan Parliament, Kuala Lumpur. Since then, this Gurdwara, commonly known as Gurdwara Sahib Police Jalan is functioning in the same building. When the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria was celebrated in 1897, a new Gurdwara was established by the Sikhs in Penang and this Gurdwara was named at that time as Diamond Jubilee Gurdwara. In 1997, its centenary was celebrated. This Gurdwara situated at 87, Jalan, 10300 Penang can be contacted on phone no. 604-2272250. With the turn of 20th Century, the Sikh Population started increasing in all parts of Malaysia. They also started occupying top positions like MLA (Jagdeep Singh Deo), MP (Gobind Singh Deo), High Court Judge (Harminder Singh Dhariwal) and High Army and Police officers. S. Gobind Singh Deo has recently become the first turban Sikh Minister of Malaysia. S. Amar Singh is presently the Chief Police Officer of Kuala Lumpur and S. Ajit Singh has been the Ambassador of Malaysia in various countries. This country has also given many Sikh sports persons in different sports, particularly Hockey. S. Surjeet Singh was the captain of the Malaysian Team in 1992 Olympics.

As per Wikipedia there are 119 Gurdwaras in different federal territories (states) of Malaysia. The maximum Gurdwaras are in territory of Perak. These Gurdwaras include Gurdwaras built by certain segments or sects of Sikh Community like Nanaksar Samparda. Kuala Lumpur, the capital of the country has 14 Gurdwaras. Some of the famous Gurdwaras in Malaysia include Gurdwara Sahib Johor Bahru, Gurdwara Sahib Kuala Pilah, Gurdwara Sahib Kuching, Gurdwara Sahib Kulim, Gurdwara Sahib Labuan, Gurdwara Sahib Port Klang, Gurdwara Sahib Pusing, Gurdwara Sahib Raub, Gurdwara Sahib Rawang, Gurdwara Sahib Malim Nawar and Gurdwara Sahib Tampin. In many of these Gurdwaras, the new buildings have been constructed during the last two decades.

Guru Nanak Darbar, Tat Khalsa

Guru Nanak Darbar, Tat Khalsa is one of the largest Gurdwaras in South East Asia. This Gurdwara is located in the Chow Kit area of Kuala Lumpur. In the beginning, the Gurdwara was started in a small room in 1919, but as the years passed, the new lands purchased were added and Langar hall, the living quarters and the accommodations for the tourist were added. In 1994 a new building was constructed with a considerable expenditure and now there are a number of showrooms on the ground floor from which rental income is received by the Gurdwara Management Committee. The management committee has 14 members apart from the President, two vice Presidents, Secretary, treasurer as office bearers. Apart from the office of this committee Sikh Naujwan Sabha has also its office in this building. A vast library is attached to this Gurdwara and a Punjabi Paper named Malaya Samachar is also published from this very building. The Malaysian Government has also contributed financially for the growth and development of the Gurdwara which witnesses considerable sangat everyday and particularly on the days of Gurpurabs and other celebrations like Diwali and Vaisakhi. The contact no. of the Gurdwara is 603-26922215.

The Malaysian Gurdwaras Council

The Malaysian Gurdwaras Council was formed in 1988. The Council has as its Ordinary members all legally constituted Gurdwaras in Malaysia. Each member Gurdwara is entitled to send 2 representatives to the General Meeting. The executive Committee of the Council is then elected by these representatives from the Gurdwaras. Legally constituted Sikh Organizations are eligible to become Associate members of the Council.

They have no voting rights and cannot hold office in the Council. The Council is the most representative body of the Sikhs, as it is elected by representatives of all legally constituted Gurdwaras in Malaysia. The Gurdwara committees are elected by the local Sangat (community). The Constitution of the Council requires it to serve as a central forum to promote religious, cultural, social, educational and economic interests of the Sikhs. By clause 3.18 of the Constitution, the Council is required to represent the Sikh Community in Malaysia on all matters pursuant to the Constitution. There are subcommittees, via, Religious Committee, Legal Affair Committee and Istree Satsang Committee which deal with respective matters. The Council thus has a vital role to play, to safeguard the interests of all Sikhs in Malaysia.

It has its place of business at No. 7A, Jalan Haji Salleh, Sentul, 51100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. S. Jagir Singh is the President of the organisation. It can be contacted on +60-3-40502329.

Gurdwaras in Thailand

In Thailand, we have Gurdwaras in many towns like Phuket, Pataya, Chiang Mai, Khon Koen, Nakoran, Lapang and the capital city of Bangkok. Naamdharies are the most important segment of Sikh community settled there. They are also among the richest people of this country. They have their own Gurdwaras in different towns including Chiang Mai, where the number of these Gurdwaras is 3 being the maximum in country. The most important Gurdwara is the Gurdwara Singh Sabha at Bangkok. It was established in 1912 in a small rented wooden shed, but later on when the land was purchased by the Sikhs, a new three story building of the Gurdwara was constructed. In the early eighties when the Sikh population increased considerably the present six stories building came into being. This Gurdwara is a white building trimmed in gold and top with a glittering golden dome and is situated in Phurat little India area. This area is known as little India because it is thickly populated by Punjabis, particularly Sikhs and that too more Naamdhari Sikhs. Bangkok’s Little India is well known for its wide range of textiles, silk, cotton, wool and cashmere along Pahurat Road, Triphet Road and Chakraphet Road. Besides textiles, these shops sell a wide collection of statues and pictures of Indian deities, Indian CDs, VCDs, bracelets, trinkets and sandals. The unique feature of this Gurdwara management is that the management committee is elected every year. Presently the committee is led by S. Jaspal Singh, President and S. Satinder Pal Singh, the secretary (0066-818476951) the contact details of the Gurdwara are address is 565 Chakraphet Rd., Khet Pranakorn, Bangkok, Thailand, 10120 and contact number is 0-22This Gurdwara situated at 571 Chakphet Road Wang Burapha Phirom, Phara Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand (Banglamphu) the contact number is +6622211011.

Gurdwaras in Singapore

In Singapore also, a large Sikh population is settled. Infact, When Singapore was not independent and formed a part of Malaya, a number of Indians raising voice against the British were exiled to this part of Malaya. Bhai Maharaj Singh was one of these political prisoners. So, some of the Indians are descendents of those political prisoners. Later on, when the Britishers needed to strengthen their position in Malaya they recruited a large number of Sikhs for police and army stationed in different parts of Malaya including Singapore. Similarly, a good number of Sikhs were sent to Malaya for constructing railway lines with a view to spread the railway network in that area. Since then those families and their descendents have been living there. That is why, when Malaysia and Singapore became independent countries, the Sikh population in both the countries remained quite high. This number went on increasing during the last few decades because of the progress made in these countries and standard of living there being better than India; the exodus to these countries has been very high. The big number of Sikhs residing in these countries resulted in the construction of a good number of Gurdwaras.

Silat Road Gurdwara

In Singapore there are 7-8 Gurdwaras scattered in different parts of the country. The most important Gurdwara is the one situated at Silat road (presently known as Jalan Bookit Merah road), which was constructed by the Sikhs employed with police or other security authorities in 1924. The Gurdwara being ideally situated near to the port as well as the railway station, soon became the visiting place of the Sikhs living even in far-off places. Thus, in 1966 substantial expansion of the Gurdwara was made. Although, Bhai Maharaj Singh had to suffer torchers before his death and the Britishers cremated him just outside the Autram Jail where he was kept, the Sikhs shifted his Samadhi to the Gurdwara premises in October 1996 and this added to the popularity of the Gurdwara. Gradually, a belief grew among the Sikhs that who so ever prayed at grave of the patriot martyr sincerely his wish was granted. When in the 2nd World War Japan captured Singapore the Gurdwara Management helped the homeless people, the widows and the orphans without any discrimination.

They were granted refuge in this Gurdwara and they all stayed here maintained by the Sikh community throughout 3.5 years of Japanese occupation of Singapore. Keeping in view the great rush of local people including Hindus and Muslims as well as the tourist in the country, a new Gurdwara was constructed and dedicated to the people on 23 October 1995. In 1995, an ancillary block next to the Gurdwara Sahib was completed. It includes the Sikh Heritage Centre and the office of The Singapore Education Foundation, which was established in 1990. Cultural Activity, Punjabi as well as kirtan classes are held regularly. The Senior Citizens day care hall and a multipurpose auditorium are really the distinguishing feature of this Gurdwara. The contact number of this Gurdwara is +6562222208.

On 14th November 1999, the National Heritage Board declared the Silat Road Sikh Temple as a historical site. Since the late 1940’s Sardar Kartar Singh Dalmnangal has been doing sewa in this Gurdwara Sahib, a span of over 50 years. He supervised the renovations, reconstruction and expansion of the Gurdwara Sahib Building.

Usually, the Akhand Path (48 hours of continuous reading of the Sikh Holy Book, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji), commences on Mondays at 8.00 am and concludes on Wednesdays at 8.00 am. Other religious programmes e.g. Sukhmani Satsang, Pooranmashi Programme, Sangrand, Masia and other Jor Melas are held regularly

Management of Silat Road Gurdwara

Earlier, when this Gurdwara was known as Police Gurdwara, the management of the Gurdwara was in the hands of the Police personnel. There was a committee of Policemen with a Subedar as its Chairman. Subedar Sunder Singh was the President of the Gurdwara when its opening ceremony was done in 1924. However, after some time an advisory board came into being. This board consisted of ten members, three to represent the Majha Sikhs, three the Malwa Sikhs, three the Doaba Sikhs and the tenth member was to be a Sikh Member of the Singapore Police Force or the Naval Police Force. This advisory board nominated a board of trusties which managed its affairs. When the Sikh sangat demanded that a Central Sikh Gurdwara Board be constituted for Central Sikh Gurdwara and the Silat Road Gurdwara, the Singapore Parliament introduced on 19th November 1960, a bill entitled “An Ordinance to amalgamate the Queen Street and Silat Road Gurdwara and to place them under an Incorporated Board. “The Bill was referred to a Select Committee of Parliament for the public to give their views.

Central Sikh Gurdwara Board

A large number of Sikhs and Sikh societies made representations to the Select Committee. Thirty Sikhs gave oral evidence before the Select Committee. Eventually, Parliament enacted the Central Sikh Gurdwara Board Act which incorporated the Central Sikh Gurdwara Board which was to govern the Queen Street as well as the Silat Road Gurdwara. This Statutory Board now administers both these Gurdwaras. It also appoints the committees of these Gurdwaras. Other remaining Gurdwaras in Singapore are registered under the Registrar of Societies as Religious societies and are managed by respective Sabhas. For example, Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha looks after the management of Gurdwara at 17 Wilkinson Road, Katong. This organisation has also published considerable literature in English so that the people from different religions living in Singapore could know about the Sikh religion. They have also published several pamphlets written by Justice Chur Singh for free distribution. Justice Chur Singh, being a judge in Singapore was a renowned Sikh personality who have dedicated his life for the cause of Sikhism. The Contact details of the Board are Central Sikh Gurdwara Board Towner Road P.O. Box 1482 Singapore 913237. Tel: (65) 6299 3855 Email: csgb@sikhs.org.sg

Gurdwaras in Indonesia

The population of Sikhs in Indonesia is around twenty thousands. The Sikhs have made a name in various spheres even in this country. For example Gurnam Singh, a famous athlete of Indonesia had won three gold medals in 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. There are stated to be nine Gurdwaras in different parts of this country. There are two cities in Indonesia where the Sikh population is maximum. The same are Medan and Jakarta. There are four Gurdwaras in Medan in the North Sumatra Province. The most important Gurdwara in Medan is named as Gurdwara Guru Arjan Dev Ji. It was started on first June 1953 in a small accommodation. There were expansions from time to time and when on 1st June 2003 its 50th Anniversary was celebrated, the new building after expansion and renovations was inaugurated. This Gurdwara is managed by a 14 member Parbandhak Committee. The address of the Gurdwara is Mawar No. 23, Desa Sari Rajo, Medan – Plonia North Sumatra Indonesia. The contact number is 0062213843338. Jakarta, the capital of the country has three Gurdwaras. The earliest Gurdwara in Indonesia was built in 1925 at Jalan, Jepara, Tanjung Priok, Jakarta. This Gurdwara was built by the Sikh community in the Harbour area. Another Gurdwara was built in 1955 at the centre of the city. This Gurdwara is now visited by a large number of visitors as there is suitable accommodation available for them and the Maryada is observed every day.

All the important celebration are made at this Gurdwara. The contact no. of this Gurdwara are +62213843338 and +62213453734. There is one gurdwara in South Jakarta which celebrated its completion of 25th year in December 2017. This Gurdwara known as Gurdwara Guru Nanak is also quite popular. The president of the Gurdwara S. Balwant Singh Rahal can be contacted on email : benrahal67@yahoo.com and no. +62816953416. There is another Gurdwara in Jakarta at JI. Pasar Baru Timur No. 10, RT.4/RW.3, Ps. Baru, Sawah Besar, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta.

Gurdwaras in Philippines

Philippines is a country, where there are more than 150 Gurdwaras spread all over. It shows that the Sikh population in this country is quite substantial and well established. Manila, being the capital of the country has maximum Gurdwaras. The most popular Gurdwara is known as Khalsa Diwan Gurdwara Sahib. This is the oldest and the largest Gurdwara situated near Pancho Villa and UN Evenue Street near Pako. This Gurdwara was started in 1929 and presently the two stories Gurdwara building has a spacious hall for congregation at the upper floor and a Langar hall and the management committee’s office on the ground floor. Sri Guru Granth Sahib has been installed on the first floor where Maryada is performed every day. The number of people visiting this Gurdwara is so large, particularly on the days of Sangrad, Gurpurabs and other festival days like Diwali and Lohri, that the huge collection in the Gurdwara has been a perpetual cause of conflict between different groups. This kind of conflict not only creates a bad impression on the people of other communities, but also attracts the bad element to take benefit in this regard. When, once news of stealing a huge amount from this Gurdwara had appeared in media, this made the Sikhs all the more worried. The rival groups are also engaged in levelling charges of embezzlement against each other. It is high time that the Sikhs in Philippines follow the teachings of the Guru and sort-out all the differences amicably. This will set the right example and the Gurdwara will attract a bigger number of devotees, not only the Sikhs but also the Hindus and others including the tourists. It may be mentioned here that there is another Gurdwara nearby on 1426 Mahatma Gandhi Street which is situated along with a Hindu Temple in the same building. All the Sikhs and Hindus visiting this building pay obeisance at both the places. All the festivals are jointly celebrated in the hall on the ground floor, which is also used for social functions like marriages. The management committee of this Gurdwara utilizes the funds not only for maintenance of the Gurdwara but also for other charitable purposes in the true spirit of welfare of all.

Apart from Manila, there is considerable Sikh population in other cities of Philippines like Markina, Naga, Santiago and Sebu City. There is Gurdwara Kartarsar in Markina situated at 77 Anna Street, Sanrock. Its contact number is 632-6681512. Gurdwara Jagat Sudhar situated in a three storey building at Victory Nortay is a famous Gurdwara in Santiago City. Its contact number is 078-6828468. In Naga city also (which is around 400 kms away from Manila), there is a beautiful Gurdwara, which also provides accommodation for the visitors and tourists. In most of the Gurdwaras in Philippines, the Gurdwara management committees are taking concertize steps for the promotion of Sikh religion. The prominent Ragis, Kathvachaks and Preachers are invited to the Gurdwaras and Gurbani and Katha programs continue to be organized throughout of the year (For example, in Laguana, where Sikh population is quite high), Langar is available in almost all the Gurdwaras on all days. Satkartar Indian Sikh temple, situated at Patria village, Baranga Dell Ramedeu, San Pablo City, managed by a five member parbandhak committee, is quite well known for its boarding and Langar arrangements. In Sebu city there is not only a beautiful Gurdwara where congregation is held on every Wednesday and Sunday on big scale (contact number 006-3322313309), there is also a learning centre for the Philippians students who want to study Sikh religion and philosophy. The Gurdwara management helps these students to pursue these studies

Gurdwara in Sri Lanka

It has been proved with sufficient evidence by the historians that Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji visited Sri Lanka. According to historian Kirpal Singh, the village Kurukal Mandap which in Tamil means ‘Guru’s village’ could be the place visited by Guru Nanak. This view is further strengthened by recent researches which have led to the discovery of an inscription mentioning the name of “Nanak Acharya” about which further investigations are being carried out. It is however certain that the very name (Nanak) mentioned in the inscription testifies to the theory that Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion, visited Sri Lanka during his last Udasi. This village is situated in Batticaloa. During the time of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Batticaloa was known as Matiakullam. Raja Shivnabh is stated to have been the ruler at that time. A Gurdwara is under construction to commemorate this visit of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Presently, the Sikh community based at Colombo, the capital city, has a Gurdwara in the city known as Sri Guru Nanak Darbar. This Gurdwara was built in 2016 by a prominent business family of Singapore. For this Gurdwara, the Granthi Singh, S. Jagtar Singh can be contacted on +94776097795.

Gurdwaras in Burma

Burma is a neighbouring country of India situated at the southern east. During the period of the British Rule, this country was also used by them for punishing the political prisoners by sending them in Exile. Bahadur Shah Zafar the Mughal Ruler was one such person, who had composed an immortal Ghazal, “Kitna hai bad naseeb Zafar, dafan ke liye do gaz zamin na mili ki e yaar mein”.

The Sikh migration to Burma, now named as Myanmar, was an important component of global Sikh migration and remained a popular destination for about six decades. When Namdhari Guru Baba Ram Singh was also sent to Rangoon (presently known as Yangon) and then shifted to Mandalay, a large number of his followers went to Burma. The Britishers also despatched the Sikh soldiers to Burma for fighting in the World Wars. As per a report of Sikh Dewan, in January 1952 the Sikh population was so large that there were 136 Gurdwaras and 13 Khalsa Schools. However, when Japan captured Burma, many Sikhs left the country. Further, when Burma became independent in 1948 many more shifted from Burma to India. Finally in 1962 when the army rule started in Burma, a large number of Sikhs engaged in trade had to close their shops and business establishments. Presently, the Sikh population is not more than 3000. Most of the Gurdwaras have been closed for want of the devotee population. Among the very few Gurdwaras which are operational now, the Gurdwara at Yangon, being the oldest and even today the most visited, deserves a mention. It was in 1893 when the Sikh officers of Army and Police had requested the Governor General of India that suitable land may be allotted to them for constructing a Gurdwara. As per the policy of the Britishers to encourage the Sikhs and allot them lands in appreciation of their valour, the Secretary of State’s allotted 9956 sq. ft. for constructing a Gurdwara. The Sikh devotees contributed funds for the constructions which were completed in 1899. The Lt. Governor of Burma inaugurated the said Gurdwara in 1899 and a nine member committee was constituted to manage its affairs. As the number of devotees increased more land was allotted by the authorities and exempted the same from any kind of taxes to enable the Sikhs to expand their religious centre and activities. Now, with the liberal policies of the present Government the Burmese economy is opening up and it is hoped that a good number of Sikh professionals and entrepreneurs from the neighbouring countries including India will come to Burma and the Sikh population will go up. Before, the discussion on Sikh Gurdwaras, particularly the Gurdwara referred to above, is closed, it need to be mentioned that one Sikh lady Balbir Kaur had served as a Granthi in this Gurdwara for many years. Despite the fact that there are four more Gurdwaras in Yangon, it is here only that on every Sunday a big congregation is held and the devotees get an opportunity not only to satisfy their religious Urge of listening to Gurbani, but also of interacting with their fellow religionists and countrymen. The contacts details of the Gurdwara are Address: Yangon 5082, Contact number is +951294271.

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