REFLECTIONS – SIKH & EXPLORE HERITAGE @ SIKH GURDWARA SOUTH LONDON
As part of Wandsworth’s programme for South Asian Heritage Month 2026, I delivered a series of creative sessions responding to local Sikh heritage at Southfields Gurdwara South London.
Upon reflection, I cannot help but feel an overwhelming feeling of gratitude & compassion being able to share & showcase a rich heritage of which I am a part of, and feel even more closer to as a result of the connections made with the local community.
My initial prompt for the project came from seeking out more spaces for people to come together & share stories through art based interventions. My weekly visits to the gurdwara (Sikh temple) with my mum gives us a space to connect with our community as well as a space to reflect & simply Be. Over the years attending the gurdwara space, I would bring along my sketchbook & colouring pencils to capture moments. This would often spark curiosity from onlookers in the community which would build connections, simply put…art connects.
Upon noticing a growing youth community at the gurdwara and having a youth work background myself, it was a no brainer to begin to actively bring additional art materials to prompt others to join & express themselves if they felt to. These organic ‘art sessions’ usually before the main Diwan (special event / gathering) would lead to more meaningful connections within the local Sangat (community) & become something to look forward to each week. The fusion of being able to create, connect over a Chai, & listen to beautiful Kirtan (devotional song) being played provided me much needed shanti (peace) after an often heavy / noisy work week. After reaching a state of Being which I connected with deeply, I started to explore my wider heritage…
My dad was born in Nakuru, Kenya in 1944 & my mum in Punjab, India in 1950. They got married in 1972 in Nairobi, Kenya. They arrived in the UK in 1972 & started their life together in a house flat in Wandsworth, London. Being outsiders in an unknown land, they adapted & adopted new ways of living, but never forgot their Sikh faith & found a sense of community in a local gurdwara which was being built around the corner from where they lived. This was the Sikh Gurdwara South London, Merton Road, and they visited here weekly – mum helping out with Langar (communal kitchen) & taking part in the ladies Satsang (true congregation) & dad being the social butterfly that he was, he’d attend committee meetings & support key events. Both were involved & both active through their contribution based on tradition & heritage over the years, as were many other people & families who came over in the 70s. I can only imagine life for my family and others who came over during the 70s and even earlier, so creating space for discussion & sharing stories has allowed me to at least gain some insight moving forwards today.
The creative sessions at the gurdwara were open to all, giving a chance for people to hold space, connect & respond to heritage material through art materials provided, if they felt to. This provided an opportunity to introduce the gurdwara space to those who may have not visited one before – a shared experience bridging heritage & sparking connections through creativity in a relaxed & welcoming environment. Langar was provided free throughout, as well as the opportunity to to stay & enjoy the Kirtan after the sessions.
I had the pleasure of sharing original artworks by Surjeet Husain, a British -Indian textile artist who’s become quite an inspiration to me personally, often sharing moments of creative wisdom with me over the years whilst attending the gurdwara. Listening to her creative journey always seems to ignite me in some way or the other, that feeling of being truly alive, pursing that urge to create & to connect by any means.
The project has prompted more members of the sangat to share their own stories, including the likes of Ramindar Kaur Ahluwalia, who’s father Giani Naunihal Singh emigrated from Singapore to England in the 1960s and went on to open up the Gurdwara Nanak Prakash – the first and oldest gurdwara in Coventry. Her father strongly suggested, instilled and inspired the idea of having a gurdwara. The local Sikh community strongly agreed. On 29th May 1966 the building of the gurdwara was completed and officially opened despite experiencing racial attacks to the building prior to opening.
These personal stories are important to share as they not only provide us context to how things were & where we are now, but also teach us how to move going forwards…what can we learn from the past to inform a better today…to give us strength & the courage to fight on creating space for our stories to be heard & not forgotten. I hope this projects prompts you to seek & explore your own heritage, regardless of class, race or background defining or labelling you, and understanding how we are more same, than different and ultimately, we must remain human at the core in order to endure…
FEEDBACK
The project involved members of the Sikh community who attend the gurdwara weekly, plus non-regular attendees including those outside the Sikh faith from a variety of backgrounds and age groups from 6yrs to 65yrs plus. From collecting feedback via forms & discussion, the project received 100% enjoyable response. Here are some comments from those who took part in the sessions:
“I enjoyed having open & interesting conversations”
“I enjoyed learning about Sikh history, creating & the food”
“I enjoyed the drawing, the collage & ping-pong”
“Being able to express my creativity was great”
“Seeing people of different generations getting involved was the best part”
“A real sense of community. The session has brought together all ages of people and provided insight into Sikh Heritage”
“This should be a regular thing throughout the year or on special occasions”
“ I enjoyed creating artwork & experiencing gurdwara for the first time – the Sikh heritage part & such a warm welcome :)”
“I like the diversity of things to do and see but I’d love to have some moments when we can learn from Bhupinder & other people included in the archive”
“It was lovely to get away from technology – being creative & thinking outside the box”
“Was fun getting creative with the sangat!”
NEXT STEPS
Over 100 artworks were created during the sessions, so we hope to archive these and create a more permanent display at the gurdwara for the community to enjoy & be inspired by, with room to grow & develop the collection.
We hope to continue sharing & exploring Sikh heritage in fresh creative ways at the gurdwara, and welcome any collaborative thoughts or ideas which may help build community further.
Catch me at the gurdwara usually on Saturdays from 5pm onwards > chill, chai, connect 🙂
Sikh Gurdwara South London, 142 Merton Road, London, SW18 5SP
Final thoughts…
You can have all the passion in the world for a project, yet without the right support it can be difficult…
THANKYOU
Thankyou to Waheguru (Divine Guru) for blessing me. Thankyou to Mum for being a constant support throughout my life. Thankyou to Dad (RiP) for providing me the tools and nurturing my creativity from an early age. Thankyou to my brother for being the brother that he is. Thankyou to all the ladies that enabled the men to carry out their work in the early days of the gurdwara being built to this day. Thankyou to the men & women who grafted for us so we can have a gurdwara. Thankyou to Harcharan Singh Sihra for being active in supporting this project at the gurdwara, with support from Hardev Singh Soorae. Thankyou to all the kitchen sangat for delicious langar each week. Thankyou to Chetna Kapacee (Strategic Lead for Culture Nine Elms) for connecting the dots. Thankyou to Janice Cheddie (writer, researcher & consultant) for her attention to detail. Thankyou to Katharine Yexley (Nine Elms Project Assistant) for getting stuck in. Thankyou Elaine for the constant support. Thankyou to the Battersea Library Archives team. Thankyou to the CopyShop for all my printing needs. Thankyou to Jeevan, Priya, mum & dad for being super supportive of the project. Thankyou to Hardish for coming in early to help me setup bits. Thankyou to all the youth & elders who took part & connected with each other wholesomely. Thankyou to those outside the Sikh faith who came & hopefully felt welcomed enough to return again one day soon. Thankyou to Hark1karan for capturing some beautiful shots featured here, plus more to share soon. Thankyou you to Iqbal Singh – Surjeet Husain’s son & archivist, for supporting her & her work, for bringing her to the gurdwara each week so we can all connect with some of her magic & of course for helping me with various projects over the years & allowing me access to share her work to inspire the next generation of creatives.
Wandsworth’s South Asian Heritage Month 2026 programme was generously supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Waheguru
P
All photos > Hark1karan©2026
