Sikh heritage — embodied in sacred Gurdwaras, historical manuscripts, relics, and monuments — is not only spiritually significant but also represents centuries of cultural memory. When this heritage is destroyed, desecrated, or allowed to deteriorate, the community loses irreplaceable chapters of its history. Investigating these acts and identifying those responsible — whether through violence, negligence, or ill‑advised restoration — is essential for accountability and preservation.
One of the earliest violent attacks on Sikh religious heritage occurred on 20 February 1921 at Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib, then part of British India and now in Pakistan. The Udasi custodian Narayan Das and his armed followers killed between 140 and 260 Sikh reformists, including women and children, inside the gurdwara complex in what is known as the Nankana Massacre. This event was part of the broader Akali reform movement and starkly highlighted the vulnerability of Sikh sacred sites under colonial and feudal custodianship, as reformists sought to end corruption and reclaim the shrine for the Sikh community.
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A watershed moment in modern Sikh heritage destruction took place in June 1984 during Operation Blue Star, when the Indian Army launched a military assault on the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar to dislodge armed militants. The operation, which lasted from 4 to 6 June 1984, resulted in extensive damage: the revered Akal Takht — the highest temporal seat of Sikh authority — was reduced to rubble by tanks and heavy fire, and the marble of the central parkarma and surrounding halls was riddled with bullets. The assault did not discriminate between militants and pilgrims; thousands of devotees present for religious observance were caught in the crossfire.
Encyclopedia Britannica
The Sikh Reference Library — established in 1946 and housing an estimated 20,000 books, manuscripts, Hukamnamas (edict letters signed by Sikh Gurus), and rare historical documents — was destroyed during this operation. While official accounts attributed the loss to crossfire, Sikh scholars and eyewitnesses contend that the library was intact until after the main assault and was subsequently set ablaze, resulting in the loss of 80–90 % of its contents, including manuscripts and artifacts that cannot be replaced.
This destruction is widely regarded among Sikh historians as a catastrophic cultural loss, deeply wounding the community’s historical continuity.
The aftermath of Operation Blue Star also triggered anti‑Sikh riots in late October and November 1984, especially in Delhi, after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. During this period, mobs attacked Sikh homes, businesses, and local Gurdwaras, desecrating and in some cases burning places of worship. The riots resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced families, compounding the spiritual and cultural trauma of the Sikh community.
In the years that followed, volunteer‑driven kar seva (religious voluntary service) efforts undertook the reconstruction of the Golden Temple complex and the Akal Takht (rebuilt by the community), but some restoration initiatives elsewhere have themselves harmed heritage. A notable example is March 2019, when the Darshani Deori (main entrance gateway) of Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib in Tarn Taran Sahib — a structure dating back over two centuries — was partially demolished overnight by a kar seva group led by Baba Jagtar Singh, with support from local authorities. The demolition, carried out under the guise of renovation, sparked protests from the Sikh sangat and criticism that long‑standing heritage was being sacrificed without expert oversight or adequate preservation safeguards. The management and SGPC officials involved faced suspensions and committee inquiries as a result.
Heritage loss is not limited to India; it has also occurred due to neglect and environmental damage in Pakistan. In July 2023, the historic Gurdwara Rori Sahib (Jahman) near Lahore collapsed after heavy rains infiltrated its foundations, a process worsened by decades of inadequate preservation and lack of restoration efforts by responsible authorities. Only portions of the wall remain standing, representing the tangible loss of centuries‑old Sikh architecture and artwork. Local historians have lamented the disappearance of frescos and inscriptions that once adorned the structure, now reduced to rubble.
Another ongoing challenge to Sikh heritage lies in the removal or alteration of historical features during renovations at sites such as Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore, where donor plaques and auxiliary architectural elements — chronicling the names and contributions of generations of Sikh benefactors — have been destroyed or obliterated in recen