Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick is a Sikh temple in Smethwick, near Birmingham, UK. It is the largest Gurdwara in Europe. Spanning a total area of about 70,000 square metres, the building is three storeys high. The Gurdwara Sahib has one of the largest congregations in the UK. Building work commenced in the late 1990s and ever since the Gurdwara has been expanding in order to accommodate for Smethwick’s growing Sikh community. The Express & Star gave a news report in 2001 titled ‘Ever Expanding Temple’. The Gurdwara has cost millions of pounds to build. Funding came by way of donations from members of the local and national Sikh community.
Shrine’s History
The Sikh Community from all over the Midlands first began holding religious services in a school in Brasshouse Lane, Smethwick, in 1958. This led to larger congregations of Sikh worshippers and the need arose to acquire more suitable premises for the Gurdwara. The Congregational Chapel building at 130 High Street, Smethwick, was purchased and the Gurdwara opening took place on 31 July 1961. From its earliest days in the town, the Gurdwara has played an active role in fostering international friendship. The present Gurdwara premises are at the old church site but have been totally rebuilt and extended. Gurharpal Singh and Darshan Singh Tatler suggested that local issues were taken up and used in Len Webster’s novel The Turban-Wallah: a Tale of Little India. It is also the first Gurdwara to have organised Shaheedi Tournaments in the United Kingdom and Europe.
The Tournaments have been held regularly in the Birmingham area during the last week of July every year since 1963. In the past, all tournaments were held under the banner of ‘Shaheed Udham Singh Tournament’ but now the Tournaments are held also in the names of the current Sikh Shaheeds, namely Shaheed S. Satwant Singh Ji, Shaheed S. Beant Singh Ji, Shaheed S. Kehar Singh Ji and Shaheed S. Hardev Singh Ji Bapoo. In 2000 the Shaheedi Tournaments were held at the West Bromwich Albion Football Ground. In 2012, a £5million extension was completed making the Gurdwara Sahib much larger and more modern than before. The new building features the following: larger langar hall with a modern kitchen, lecture theatre, offices, classrooms, gym, function room and much more. Further extensive refurbishments were carried out in 2016 when the local press said that the Gurdwara attracted a weekly congregation of more than 10,000 people.
Shrine’s Map Location and How to Go There
By RoadThe nearest Bus stop is Smethwick.By RailThe nearest Railway station is SmethwickBy AirThe nearest Airport is Birmingham Airport.