Spending time learning from the Guru is fundamental to being a Sikh. Guru Nanak teaches us about life, existence and reality, and it is up to us to grasp that opportunity.
Adult learning in the Sikh world is commonly conveyed through the oral tradition – think of katha (exposition of Gurbani), dhadi (odes and ballads from history), and santhiya (grammatical and pronunciation teaching of Gurbani). However, these days Sikhs have more time to devote to formal study by different methods, particularly those born and raised in the west. Lectures, seminars and talks go a long way to fulfilling some of those needs, but for the more committed student of Guru Nanak, we offer a number of opportunities for continuous study.
Sikh Study circles
Our Sikh study circles meet weekly for 1 hour to discuss a different article on a topic pertaining to the Sikh way of life. Members of each circle receive the article a week in advance and then gather at an independent and quiet venue to discuss the questions that arise from that article. Through discussion with one another, members of the study circles gain an insight into Sikhi that they previously might not have considered and advance their knowledge and experience as a result.
Presently, there are Sikh study circles meeting weekly in central London, Slough, Southall, Gravesend and North Hertfordshire. Contact us to join up with one of our Sikh Study circles or to help facilitate one in your area.
Sikh Studies course
Our University Sikh studies course has helped dozens of students in higher education learn more about the Sikh way of life. The same course is also offered to non-students in a number of areas across the country.
Registration is now open for the course which will be delivered in 2013 in central London, Southall, Southampton and North Hertfordshire. If you would like to enrol, please read more about the course and register your interest here.
‘The Sikhs in History’ by Sangat Singh. It is not a book without flaws by any means, but it provides a great overview of Sikh history, and by association how the Sikh way of life has been practised during the relatively short space of time since its origin.
‘Dynamics of Sikh Revolution’ by Jagjit Singh. This book is an excellent work that focuses on the ideology of the Sikh way of life and whilst these might not be the easiest words to read or concepts to grasp, it is both all-encompassing and truly insightful.
- ‘Divine Revelation’; Dr Sarbjinder Singh
- ‘Guru Nanak’s Life and Thought – Selected Works of Sirdar Kapur Singh’; Ed. Madanjit Kaur & Piar Singh
- ‘The Sikhs’; J.S. Grewal
- ‘Life of Banda Singh Bahadur’; Ganda Singh
- ‘Struggle for Justice: speeches & conversations of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’; Ranbir Singh Sandhu
- ‘Nanakian Philosophy’; Devinder Singh Chahal
- ‘Sikh History from Persian Sources’; Translated by J.S.Grewal & Irfan Habib
- ‘Janamsakhi Tradition: An Analytical Study’; Dr Kirpal Singh
- ‘History of the Sikhs’; J.D.Cunningham
- ‘Parasaraprasna’; Kapur Singh
- ‘Sikh Ideology, Polity and Social Order’; J.S.Grewal
- ‘Spirit of the Sikh’; Professor Puran Singh
- ‘Essays in Honour of Dr Ganda Singh’; Harbans Singh & Gerald Barrier
- ‘Lost in History: 1984 Reconstructed’; Gunisha Kaur
- ‘The Sikhs of the Punjab’; Joyce Pettigrew
- ‘Divine Revelation’; Dr Sarbjinder Singh
- ‘Essays in Honour of Dr Ganda Singh’; Harbans Singh & Gerald Barrier
- ‘Guru Nanak’s Life and Thought – Selected Works of Sirdar Kapur Singh’; Ed. Madanjit Kaur & Piar Singh
- ‘Nanakian Philosophy’; Devinder Singh Chahal
- ‘Parasaraprasna’; Kapur Singh
- ‘Perry Anderson’; The Indian Ideology
- ‘Sikh Ideology, Polity and Social Order’; J.S.Grewal
- ‘A History of Sikh Misals’; Bhagat Singh
- ‘Banda Bahadur and His Times’; Rajpal Singh
- ‘Banda Bahadur: Betrayed by his Lieutenants’; M.S.Chandla
- ‘Baba Banda Singh Bahadur’; Surinder Singh
- ‘Bhai Maharaj Singh’; M.L.Ahluwalia
- ‘Banda Singh Bahadur And Sikh Sovereignty’; Harbans Kaur Sagoo
- ‘History of the Sikhs’; J.D.Cunningham
- ‘History of the Sikhs’; Khushwant Singh
- ‘Indian Punjab’; Dr B.S.Nijjar
- ‘Janamsakhi Tradition: An Analytical Study’; Dr Kirpal Singh
- ‘Life of Banda Singh Bahadur’; Ganda Singh
- ‘Life & Exploits of Banda Singh Bahadur’; Sohan Singh
- ‘Maharani Jind Kaur’; Dr Bakhshish Singh Nijjar
- ‘Misl, Sikh State and the Institution of Khalsa’; Dr J.C. Dua
- ‘Rise of the Sikh Power in Punjab’; Sohan Singh Sital
- ‘Ruling through education’; Tim Allender
- ‘Spirituo-Ethical Philosophy of Guru Angad Dev’; Dr Jodh Singh
- ‘Sikh History from Persian Sources’; Translated by J.S.Grewal & Irfan Habib
- ‘Sikh Leadership’; Joginder Singh
- ‘The Babbar Akali Case Judgement’; Edited by Professor Malwinderjit Singh Waraich & Dr Gurdev Singh Sidhu
- ‘The First Anglo-Sikh War’; Amarpal Singh Sidhu
- ‘The Grandeur of Khalsa’; Dr Inderpal Singh
- ‘The Heritage of the Punjab’; Harbans Singh
- ‘The Khalsa over 300 years’; J.S.Grewal & Indy Bangu (Editors)
- ‘The Legend of Banda Bahadur’; Harish Dhillon [novel]
- ‘The Partition of the Punjab’; Kirpal Singh
- ‘The Sikhs’; J.S. Grewal
- ‘The Sikhs’; Max Arthur Macauliffe
- ‘The Sikhs and the Sikh Wars’; Gough & Innes
- ‘The Sikh Diaspora’; Darshan Singh Tatla
- ‘The Sikhs in History’; Sangat Singh
- ‘The Sikhs of the Punjab’; J.S. Grewal
- ‘The Singh Sabha and other Socio-religious Movements in the Punjab’; Dr Ganda Singh (Editor)
- ‘The Violence of the Green Revolution’; Vandana Shiva
- ‘Winston Churchill’s Anglo-Sikh Wars’; Karnail Singh
- ‘ਵੀਂਹਵੀ ਸਦੀ ਦੀ ਸਿੱਖ ਰਾਜਨੀਤੀ’; ਅਜਮੇਰ ਸਿੰਘ
- ‘A Zeal for Martydom: Kartar Singh Sarabha’; Dr Gurcharan Singh Muhay
- ‘Fighting for Faith and Nation’; Cynthia Mahmood
- ‘Holocaust of the Sikh Raj’; Punjabi Parkashan
- ‘Lost in History: 1984 Reconstructed’; Gunisha Kaur
- ‘Reflections on 1984’; Harjinder Singh
- ‘Sikh Nationalism & Identity in a Global Age’; Giorgio Shani
- ‘Struggle for Justice: speeches & conversations of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’; Ranbir Singh Sandhu
- ‘Struggle of the Sikhs for Sovereignty’; S.S. Gandhi
- ‘The Sikhs of the Punjab’; Joyce Pettigrew
- ‘What’s happening to India’; Robin Jeffrey