Sikh Missionary Society (U.K.)
ਸਿੱਖ ਮਿਸ਼ਨਰੀ ਸੁਸਾਇਟੀ (ਯੂ.ਕੇ.)

Any Sikh festival connected with a Guru is referred to as a Gurpurab. So, on the 15th of November, 2024, the Sikhs worldwide celebrate the 555th Prakaash Utsav Gurpurab of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh theo-political system and the Sikh way of living called Sikhi (not Sikhism.)

Traditionally, the Prakaash Utsav (birthday) of Guru Nanak is celebrated on the full moon day (pooranmaasi) in the Indian month of Katik, which usually falls in the month of November each year. However, historians have confirmed that Guru ji was born on 15 April, 1469.

He revolutionized religio-social and political thought of the day and introduced a way of life for those who would follow the path of truthful conduct. These were his Sikhs, meaning students who sought the Ultimate Reality by following the path of righteous conduct. The Sangat (holy congregation) became the main medium for collective guidance in the presence of the Guru - the Guiding Light of Guru Nanak which after Ten Guru-persons, today resides in the Sikh holy Scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Shabd or Word Guru.

Guru Nanak's message was egalitarian and revolutionary in his day. Love (prem) for the Creator Being called by many Names in his Baani (Guru's Word or teaching), is central to his message. That love is expressed by following the path of truthful conduct and by seeing God in all and treating and serving all without distinction. He condemned inequality in any form, under any excuse or on any basis e.g. gender, colour, caste or creed. He condemned superstition, ritualism and despotic use of authority. Such a revolutionary ideology was bound to clash with both, the king and the priest.

He was well aware of the sacrifices and socio-political challenges which lay ahead for the Sikhs. He forewarned those who would follow this path of God-centric selfless love and service:

"If you wish to play this game of love, then place your head on the palm of your hand and come my way."

In his meditation, Baba [Guru Nanak] found the whole world burning (with the fire of lust and anger).
(Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 1.24)

And so, Guru Nanak set out to take his message to the world and travelled thousands of miles during long tours lasting over many years.

Publications and articles on this Website give information about Guru ji's life, mission and vision for a just society.

Further reading -

• Introduction to Sikhism
• Short stories about Guru Nanak Dev
• The Compassion of Guru Nanak Sahib
• Guru Nanak's Challenge to Terrorism
• Guru Nanak's Jyot and Jugat

The anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur's shaheedi is observed on 24 November each year. Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-75 C.E.), the ninth Guru of the Sikhs, gave his life for the religious freedom of all. He saved the sub-continent of India from religious bigotry and thus, according to Bhai Gurdas II, "Stabilised the world."

That message of Bhai Gurdas II is particularly relevant today in the context a destructive wars around the world in the name of religion. Today, the world can learn from the shaheedi of Guru Tegh Bahadur who opposed the religious bigotry of Emperor Aurungzeb.

To quote from a study, "The martyrdom was a momentous and unique event in the history of human evolution towards a just society in which everyone has the right to practice own religion, subject only to the mutual respect between diverse religious paths. Never, in the annals of human history has a religious head of one belief system given his life for the religious freedom of another religion. In desperation and unable to invoke their numerous gods and goddesses, one leading Pandit made it known that in a dream he had been told by Lord Siva to go to Nanak IX, Guru Tegh Bahdur for protection."

The debt which humanity and India owes to Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji has yet to be fully acknowledged.

For further reading:

• Life and the Unique Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675) under Publications
  • First Edition "Guru Tegh Bahadur: The True Story" reviewed by renowned scholar Dr Hardev Singh Virk, published by The Sikh Review (Kolkata), Sikhnet, Asian Samachar and ResearchGate.
  • Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur: An Overview of His Life and Bani
• see The Supreme Sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur under Publications
• see Martyrdom in Sikh Tradition under Articles
• Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyr And Teacher under Publications
• The Sikh Martyrs under Publications

Year 2021 marked the 400th Parkash Year of Nanak IX, Guru Tegh Bahadur. To commemorate the life, mission and martyrdom of Guru Ji, the Society's acclaimed publication Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675): The True Story has been revised and updated with Guru Ji's Gurbani by Society sewadar, S. Gurmukh Singh OBE. The Digital Edition has been made available to diaspora Sikh organisations for publication.

• Second Edition: Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675) - The True Story under Publications
• Second Edition "Guru Tegh Bahadur: The True Story" previewed by renowned Dya Singh (Australia)
• First Edition "Guru Tegh Bahadur: The True Story" reviewed by renowned scholar Dr Hardev Singh Virk , published by The Sikh Review (Kolkata), Sikhnet, Asian Samachar and ResearchGate.
• Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur: An Overview of His Life and Bani
• Guru Tegh Bahadur - Calmness, Tranquility and Detachment. under Sikhism

The Sikh Missionary Society (U.K.) is a charity. Our registered charity number is 262404. We are regulated by the Charity Commission to whom we are required to submit our annual report and financial statements, up-to-date information about our trustees and other administrative information.

Our annual reports are available to view-

• Constitution Amendments for 2023
• Annual Report and Financial Statements
• Information about the Sikh Missionary Society UK is also available via the Charities Commision website

We are pleased to inform the Sangat that the work on the construction of the new hall is now complete.

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions it was quite a difficult task but with the blessings of Guru ji, all the work has now been satisfactorily completed. Some changes were made to the original plan and also due to some extra work the final costs increased. Hence we appeal for donations, please consider to help support this effort -

• Donation Guide and Forms

Current Affairs advisories from Sardar Gurmukh Singh OBE, Chair of the Sikh Missionary Society Advisory Board -

• The Sikhs; Their Religion and Tradition
• Guru Granth Sahib
• Who is my Guru?
• Sikh religious titles, duties and related skills
• Sikh weddings: Anand Karaj
• Mixed-marriages : Professing Non-Sikh Faith But Married in Gurdwara
• Sikh Council UK Guidelines: Marriages in Gurdwaras where one partner is not of Sikh origin
• Women in Sikh Tradition
• Sikhism and the Status of Women
• Heritage of the Sikhs - The Sikh Martial Tradition
• Role of Sikh Women in 18th Century Khalsa Struggle
• The First Anglo-Sikh War - Amarpal Sidhu - Book Review
• A Sikh Approach to War and Peace
• Radicalization & Confused Government Policy
• Sikhism & Care of the Planet
• Sikhism & Ecological Issues
• Sikhism & The Earth Charter
• Understanding types of Gurdwara and main Sikh groupings in the UK (Report: Research into Sikh Presence and Relationships in the Region for East of England Faiths Council)

Further Reading

• His study about the Life and Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, published as a book by The Sikh Missionary Society UK with the title - Guru Tegh Bahadur: The True Story"
• Articles by S. Gurmukh Singh can be read under Articles on Sikh Idealogy & Identity
• His weekly Current Sikh Affairs "News & Views" column in Panjab Times
• His monthly articles on SikhNet

UK General Election Sikh Manifestos: In addition to British Sikh issues, the Manifestos provide compact information about Sikh Identity, Kakaars, Anglo-Sikh history and heritage

• The UK Sikh Manifesto 2015-20: Sikh theo-political (piri-miri) objectives
• Sikh Manifesto 2020-25
• Sikh Manifesto 2024-29

Sikhs worldwide remember the 1984 pogrom in which, according to official figures, at least 3,000 Sikhs were killed by organized mobs in Delhi in the first 3 days of November 1984. Thousands of Sikhs were also killed in other cities of India. While the terror of the human slaughter within such a short time was horrifying, the contrived completeness of the failure of the Indian administrative system was inexcusable.

In an ever shrinking world, no one can remain immune from large scale selective massacre of one community and prolonged delay in the delivery of justice. We remember those who lost their lives in the Sikh genocide of November 1984 and their families who continue to be denied justice to this day.

Further Reading

• Sifting the Dust of 84 Pogrom for Some Positives
• I Accuse...The Anti-Sikh Violence of 1984 - Jarnail Singh journalist - Book Review
• EU Sikh Summit Speech Goes Viral

The British Sikh Inquiry (BSI) project aims to record evidence which shows institutional bias against the Sikhs because they are “different”. Thus, “Institutional racism” was defined by Sir William Macpherson in the UK’s Lawrence report (1999) as:

“The collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour that amount to discrimination through prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness, and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people.”

Institutional racism in the government and agencies, politics, local and national assemblies, the judiciary, the media, the health and educational systems and other public and private sector bodies is directed against a people like the Sikhs because they are seen to be “different”. They are different not just because of their visible identity in case of Amritdhari (initiated) Sikhs and Sikhs who keep turbans and beards but also due to their association with a way of life based on creed, culture and historical tradition as a distinct people.

There have been numerous recorded cases since the arrival of Sikhs in the UK from about mid-1950's, which show that Sikhs have been victims of institutional discrimination because of their qaumi (theo-national) way of life, values, behaviour and characteristics. Varying degrees of religious observance may be one characteristic.

Otherwise, “The Sikhs are a role model community and provide an exceptionally interesting example of successful integration whilst maintaining a very visible and distinctive religious identity.” (The Sikh Manifesto 2015-2020).

Findings of the prolonged Daniel Morgan murder investigation into Scotland Yard remind UK Sikhs of their own negative experience in dealing with public servants and ministers. The most recent example is the highly questionable "consultation" process used by the Office for National Statistics to decide if the Sikhs should be allocated own ethnic (Qaumi) tick box in Census 2021.

The British Sikh Inquiry (BSI) section at the Sikh Missionary Society UK aims to collate and preserve as part of British Sikh history, cases, news reports, briefings and investigative articles relating to institutional racism against British Sikhs as a distinct community in the British plural society.

Project co-ordinator:

Gurmukh Singh OBE: sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk

(First contact by e-mail only).

Please visit the new section of the website -

• History of Institutional Racism Against British Sikhs

Achieving this Guidance on the wearing of Sikh Articles of Faith in the workplace and public spaces by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is an important step forward in recognition of the Sikh religious identity in the UK. The Sikh Missionary Society UK was represented by Gurmukh Singh (UK) in the drafting of the Equality and Human Rights Commission guidelines.

Further Reading

• see Guidance on the wearing of Sikh articles of faith in the workplace and public spaces under Articles (also available in Panjabi)
• Turban-wearing Sikhs are exempt from the need to wear head protection in the workplace

  Sections 11 and 12 of the Employment Act 1989 as amended by Section 6 of the Deregulation Act 2015 exempts turban-wearing Sikhs from any legal requirement to wear head protection at a workplace.
  

• Sikh Rehat Maryada also available as PDF in English  and Panjabi