Gurdwaras

The British supported and encouraged Sikhs to build gurdwaras for which land was generously allotted. The main Sikh gurdwara in Yangon has a marble plaque detailing allotment of premises for gurdwara, the foundation being laid by Capt. H. Parkin, Deputy Inspector General, Military Police, Burma, on 23 October 1897. This can probably be one of the first gurdwaras established outside India excluding Afghanistan (Kahlon, 2012,53). According to Sikh Diwan of Burma's Annual Report of January 1952 - December 1953, there were a total of 136 gurdwaras, 13 Khalsa schools and other Sikh institutions, such as ashrams, libraries, langar halls and dispensaries spread all over the country. Wherever there was a gurdwara in a military establishment, there would invariably be another gurdwara in the nearby town, suggesting that many Sikh businesses were connected with servicing the Army requirements. Besides this, there were gurdwaras established in mining areas (Namtu and Mawchi Mine -Tin, Lead and Wolfram, and Mogok - Rubies), dockyard (Dalla), oilfields and refineries (Chauk, Yenan Chaung, Magwe, and Minbu), indicating involvement of Sikhs in various professions and their presence across the country. All the gurdwaras in the Military Cantonments and all the Sikh institutions have now been taken over by the government (Interview Naseeb Singh, Main gurdwara, Yangon 4/12/2011). At present only about 48 gurdwaras exist, one third of which are non-operative, and some are having just one or two families living and managing the place. In one or two instances, two gurdwaras located near to each other are being looked after by one granthi. Three gurdwaras also have female granthis, which may provide an example of implemented gender equality in the community. In some locales where gurdwaras are unattended and kept locked, the sangat from nearby areas makes an effort to visit at least once a year when they re-clothe the Nishan Sahib, thereby establishing the continuing Sikh ownership. Many gurdwaras also have some property attached to them which provides rental income that comes in handy for maintaining premises. There is a free dispensary still being run in the rooms attached with Yangon gurdwara.