Change of Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara management at Southall has given UK Sikhs an opportunity to introduce reforms in the running of the Gurdwara.

 As I have written elsewhere, Gurdwaras are our schools for training community sevadars who can then move out into the wider community to promote Sikh values through active participation and community service. Periodical change of Gurdwara seva (less correctly “management”) and fair representation of young Sikhs and women should be the longer term aim of every Gurdwara.

It has been noticeable that when gurdwaras and other institutions have been taken over by those without any vision, they have started massive building projects (like kar seva projects in India), and knowingly or unwittingly  tied up huge community resources at the expense of progressive initiatives. This has been a sure way of driving educated Sikhs away.

The building and maintenance expenditure at Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Southall have been raised to such a high level that there is hardly any scope for expenditure for anything else (see below). It is not surprising that young professional Sikhs and intellectuals, not interested in local party politics and frictions, keep well away.

Regarding the Panthic aspect and dissemination of the universal message of Gurbani and true Sikh identity, Southall Sikhs have been noticeably absent from interfaith forums and joint national level Sikh discussions with the government on Sikh issues and concerns. The spirit of “qaomi ekta” - joint presentation and representation of Sikh issues has been missing over the last few decades and the preference has been to run own show in a very exclusive and localised manner. The preoccupation has been to win Gurdwara elections and to stay in office.

To quote a Sikh intellectual on a cyber forum, “We need schools. We need regular Gurmat camps. We need good literature CDs, animation movies. We need 'weekly meetings for the children where they should discuss religious culture (history and philosophy) as well as enjoy some indoor (if possible outdoor too) games….Big buildings, gold-plaiting etc should be stopped. Rather Gurdwaras must have gym halls and libraries and weekly Gurmat classes.” That is what we need and that is what has been missing in Southall over the years.

Continues the same missive, “Let us have a 'committee' of intellectuals, sewadars, non-leader type Sikhs…..I suggest that this committee (or some commmittees jointly) should call a seminar, symposium, conclave to discuss:- Gurdwara management, elections, functions, role, future etc."

Administrative seva should be by rotation and on the basis of abilitity; not by returning the same old personalities. There is a window of opportunity to bring in reforms so that this Gurdwara, in the midst of the largest Sikh population outside India, is seen as a model institution in the Sikh diaspora.

The most urgent need is to return the Southall Gurdwara to Sikh Reht Maryada based Gurmatt tradition through necessary amendments to the constitution.