5 Gurdwaras to Visit: Part 6 Rest of the World

Gurdwaras in the Rest of the World

For the sixth article in this series, we are heading beyond the traditional hubs of the Sikh diaspora into countries with Sikh communities that might be newer, less well established, or slightly smaller. You can read the rest of the series by following these links:

Part 1: Gurdwaras in the Midlands
Part 2: (More) Gurdwaras in the Midlands
Part 3: Gurdwaras in London & the South East
​Part 4: Gurdwaras in Europe​
Part 5: Gurdwaras in North America

Background to article

I've mentioned in my previous articles that the Sikh diaspora, at least until the start of this century, largely reflected the growth of the British Empire. Where there was a British flag, chances are there were merchants, policemen, or soldiers that included a fair number of Sikhs.

Many of these countries, like the UK, Canada, and Australia still have large Sikh communities. So do former British colonies like Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, although under authoritarian rule, these Sikhs tend to be less politically active and so are less visible globally.

Other countries had large Sikh populations at one point, but numbers have been reduced due to political or economic changes that have seen onward migrations - examples include Kenya, Uganda, Afghanistan, and - to a lesser extent - Thailand.

And then there are countries with new Sikh immigration patterns where perhaps there hasn't been a visible Sikh presence previously like Qatar, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and Japan.

In each of these regions, Sikhs have carved out a place for themselves in society, forming communities centred around Gurdwaras. And in each of these countries, the style of Gurdwaras is a mix between traditional Sikh architecture and local influences. Where communities are large or rapidly growing you might have several Gurdwareh within a single city, while in others you may have just one that only opens for a few hours on a Sunday.

​As I did for the three previous articles, I want to set out a clear understanding of this list. This list is based solely on the architecture of the Gurdwara and does not consider aspects like the political stance of the Gurdwara or any committee issues. I'm not a local to many of these Gurdwaras so I might not understand where committees are good or bad, I can only make a judgement on my brief visits.

Secondly, I understand that Gurdwaras are supposed to be humble places to meditate and connect with the timeless. I also agree that any excess money should be spent on community projects to uplift the most vulnerable in society and not add golden domes to Gurdwaras. I think this current generation is effecting this change with community projects bring set up all over the UK (you can see a list of them here). 

For a more detailed background to these articles, I strongly suggest reading the background section of my first article on UK Gurdwaras here.

5. Guru Nanak Darbar, Tokyo, Japan

Japanese society is staunchly opposed to immigration, and immigrants make up less than 5% of Japan's population with most immigrants coming from the US, China, Korea, and Nepal. However, with an aging population immigration is beginning to increase and people from places like India, Pakistan, and Panjab are beginning to form small communities.

The Sikh population in Tokyo remains tiny, no more than a handful of families, but the community has already leased out rooms in an apartment tower block that serves as a Gurdwara. It can be tricky to find as there are no distinguishing features like Sikh architecture or even a Nishaan Sahib outside the Gurdwara, but inside the small but full rooms reminded me of Gurdwareh around the world with the beautiful sound of Gurbani and the aroma of langar being made in the kitchen.

Given the small size of the Sikh community, the Gurdwara is only open on Sunday mornings and the sangat is a refreshing mix of Panjabis, Indians, and local Japanese. In fact, there were almost as many Japanese people in the Gurdwara during my visit as there were Panjabis! During my visit two Panjabi women were beautifully reciting Sukhmani Sahib while the sangat were friendly and chatting over langar.

You can read more about my trip to Tokyo here.

4. Bhai Maharaj Singh Memorial, Singapore

The largest Gurdwareh in Panjab tend to reflect important points in the lives of the first ten Gurus - whether it is the birthplace of Guru Nanak in western Panjab, or the birthplace of the Khalsa in eastern Panjab. Outside of Panjab and its neigbours, India and Pakistan, larger Gurdwareh are usually built in cities where the Sikh diaspora has congregated rather than commemortaing specific events or individuals. 

One exception is the Bhai Maharaj Singh Memorial in Singapore, a very small Gurdwara located inside the complex of a much larger Gurdwara (Silat Road Gurdwara). It's different because it represents an important point in the history of Sikh sovereignty. Following the First Anglo-Sikh War, Bhai Maharaj Singh was one of the first freedom fighters in the subcontinent, fighting against British rule in the 1840s for the restoration of Sikh and Panjabi independence.

Although he met with some initial successes, ultimately, he was captured and exiled to Singapore where he was kept in near solitary confinement. A memorial to him was constructed near to the prison he was imprisoned until his death, and over the years it has moved across several locations before finding a permanent home within the Silat Road Gurdwara complex.

Today, it is a beautiful circular darbar hall, very small in size, but extremely beautiful. I'm a huge fan of circular darbar halls that are not segregated, a system that fell out of fashion in Sikhi with the Protestant influence of the British. It was a perfect experience. A great example where a Gurdwara doesn't need to be big or richly decorated to be beautiful.

You can read about my trip to Singapore here. 

3. Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Port Louis, Mauritius

The beautiful island of Mauritius, off the eastern cost of Africa, probably isn't a location you'd expect there to be many Sikhs, but the community here is a decent size and has been well established since the days of British rule.

The Gurdwara is located just on the outskirts of the capital city, Port Louis, and is a decent sized Gurdwara on this small island. The architecture is completely different to what we might expect in the UK or Canada with an understated single-story design with two large rooms - the langar hall, and the darbar hall. Even the dome on top of the Gurdwara and the colour and shape of the roof are quite distinct from what we might ordinarily see.

During my visit, almost a quarter of the sangat was non-Panjabi, with the largest being Indians. This isn't surprising given the population of Mauritius is dominated by south Indians, and it was great to see people from many different backgrounds coming together.

You can read about my trip to Mauritius here.

2. Guru Nanak Darbar, Dubai, UAE

It is probably one of the most famous Gurdwaras outside of Panjab, and I've been lucky enough to visit it on several occasions. The Guru Nanak Darbar in Dubai is one of the most opulently decorated Gurdwareh in the world and has become a famous focal point for the Sikh community across the Arab world.

The Gurdwara, like all non-Muslim places of worship in Dubai, is located far beyond the main part of the city, and unless you have your own car, it means taxis, buses, or a long walk through non paved roads. The Gurdwara, which once stood alone, is now close to a stunning Coptic Church and a magnificent Hindu Mandir, but it remains architecturally beautiful surrounded by water features and there is very nice lighting during evening visits.

Inside, a large langar hall hosts not only local Sikhs, but also has a sizeable contingent of people from Nepal and India. The darbar hall upstairs is one of the most beautiful in the world. A large circular hall is designed for good acoustics so that meditation (simran), prayers (baani), and music (keertan) can be carried equally to everyone attending.

​You can read about my trip to Dubai here.

1. Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Bangkok, Thailand

If we are talking about beautiful darbar halls, there is one Gurdwara that was leave you speechless!

Thailand might not be famous for its Sikh community, but Sikhs in Thailand predate many communities in the west, with the first Sikh families settling during the 19th century, and a sizeable Sikh population by the early 20th century. Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Bangkok dates to this period, constructed in 1933, it has been renovated over the years, and is now the largest Gurdwara in Thailand.

Located on a busy street in the city centre, the sheer size of it makes it hard to miss, although the main Gurdwara building is located away from the street. You enter first through a small gate before walking through gardens into the main langar hall downstairs.

You walk up several flights of stairs, each landing with windows that provide increasingly special views of Bangkok with every floor that you climb. Various function rooms are available on each floor that host classes for children and adults, as well as living quarters for the many volunteers. 

Near the top is one of the largest, and most incredible, darbar halls that I have ever visited. It is most famous for its palki sahib - or the throne of the Guru. Unlike British influenced Gurdwaras that place their throne at the end of the room like an alter in a Church and then split genders so that males and females don't mix, the palki sahib in this Gurdwara is located near the middle of the room, much like the Bhai Maharaj Singh Memorial. I can't begin to describe the incredible beauty of the darbar sahib. The golden throne, the open hall, the beautiful decorations. I could have sat there all day. 

There is another floor at the top that hosts more classrooms, and at this point the Gurdwara is more like another skyscraper in the Bangkok skyline. The views of the city are insane, and even from other parts of the city (like Golden Mount) you can see the top of this magnificent Gurdwara - an absolute must see.

​You can read about my trip to Bangkok here.

As with the other articles covering Gurdwaras in the UK, Europe, and North America, I hope this has inspired some of you to go out and check out your local Gurdwaras or if you're on a trip to some of these countries to visit some of the ones I've covered here.