Sikhs across the UK and Liverpool recently celebrated the birth of the religion’s founder Guru Nanak Dev Ji in one of the most important events in the Sikh calendar known as Guru Nanak’s Gurpurab at Guru Nanak Gurdwara on Wellington Avenue.
Liverpool is a famously diverse city, but perhaps less known amongst its many groups are the Sikh community.
There are 25 million Sikhs in the world, with 525,985 Sikhs living in the UK according to the 2021 Census.
The percentage of those defined as Sikh living in Liverpool was only 0.1%, which is comparatively small to the percentage living in other major UK cities.
Hardev Singh Sohal DL (Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside), Senior Trustee and General Secretary of Guru Nanak Gurdwara on Wellington Avenue, said:
“Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary was celebrated following a 48hr uninterrupted recitation of the Holy Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy scriptures). Then Kirtan (Sikh devotional music) was recited and Langar was served to the congregation where people from all faiths are welcome. We celebrate his life for founding the religion and his achievements such as giving equal rights to women over 500 years ago.”
Langar refers to the Sikh concept of giving out vegetarian food to all people, regardless of their background, in the Gurdwara. The Gurdwara gives out langar every Sunday.
The Guru Nanak Gurdwara is currently the only site in Liverpool for Sikh worshippers.
Mr Sohal went onto explain the decades old history of Sikhs in Liverpool and the Gurdwara:
“Guru Nanak Gurdwara was established on 15 November 1965 on 8 Berkley Street, in Toxteth L8. On 4 July 1983 we moved to Wellington Avenue, the site of the old Methodist Church.”
Liverpool Sikh society runs a page on Instagram for all Sikh university students in Liverpool and hosts regular events for the Sikh community, including visits to Guru Nanak Gurdwara.
