By Dr. B. S. Bains | Opinion |
The question of whether Sikhs should hold Nagar Kirtan processions outside India often provokes strong reactions.
To some, it appears unnecessary or even excessive; to others, it is a natural expression of faith in a globalized world. A balanced understanding requires moving beyond emotion and examining the spiritual essence, historical context, contemporary responsibility, and public response attached to a Nagar Kirtan.
At its core, a Nagar Kirtan is not a political rally, nor a show of power, or a territorial assertion. It is a procession centered on Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, (the Scripture of the Sikhs) accompanied by kirtan (singing of Sikh hymns), seva (unconditional service to mankind), humility (respect all as Human Brotherhood), and collective remembrance of the Divine.
The tradition reflects Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s universal message—that the Divine is not confined to geography, and that spiritual living must permeate everyday life and public space.
Sikhs have been a global community for more than a century. From Southeast Asia to Europe, North America, Africa and Australasia, Sikhs have settled, worked, and contributed meaningfully to their host societies. This society has never demanded any special previlages from their respective government, neither enforced separate impositioning of any laws.
Wherever Gurdwaras have been established, Sikh traditions have naturally followed. In this light, holding a Nagar Kirtan (singing of holy hymns for the entire citizens well beings and blessings for peace on the streets) + outside India is not an anomaly. Just as Christians hold Christmas processions, Buddhists observe Vesak parades, and Muslims organize public religious gatherings across the world, Nagar Kirtans, too, can be seen as an expression of religious freedom and cultural continuity.
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However, the legitimacy of a Nagar Kirtan abroad is not automatic—it is conditional upon conduct, intent and discipline. The Guru’s path emphasizes dignity, restraint and respect. When a Nagar Kirtan remains aligned with Gurmat maryada, respects local laws and reflects values of inclusivity, peace and service, it becomes a bridge of understanding between communities.
In recent times, however, public resistance has surfaced in some countries, raising uncomfortable but necessary questions. Incidents such as the one reported recently in New Zealand, where sections of local citizens gathered to object to and attempt to disperse a Nagar Kirtan, highlight a growing disconnect between intent and perception. While such reactions may stem from misunderstanding, fear or misinformation, they cannot be ignored or brushed aside as mere hostility.
These moments of resistance are signals—warnings that something may be amiss. They compel the Sikh community to introspect:
- Is the spiritual message being clearly conveyed?
- Are processions adequately communicated and coordinated with local authorities and residents?
- Has the sanctity of Nagar Kirtan remained intact, or has it become entangled—directly or indirectly—with political, confrontational, or emotionally charged narratives?’
Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the Founder of this Faith, never sought acceptance through force, volume, or defiance. His method was dialogue, example, humility, and quiet conviction never through convertion.
Conversion in Sikh Teachings is not in changing one’s religion, its about inner conversion to spirituality – Not an outward conversion rather an inward conversion.
Any public religious expression that results in discomfort, confrontation, or resistance from the host community—whether justified or not—demands reflection, not defensiveness.
This does not mean Sikhs should retreat from public expressions of faith. Rather, it calls for greater wisdom and responsibility. A Nagar Kirtan should inspire curiosity, respect, and warmth—not anxiety or opposition. When local citizens feel unheard or overwhelmed, the essence of sarbat da bhala (The Prayers that call for the Welbeing of Human Race) risks being lost, even if unintentionally.
Therefore, the question is not whether Nagar Kirtans should be held outside India, but how, why, and with what sensitivity they are conducted. When organized with spiritual clarity, cultural awareness, and community engagement, they uplift both participants and observers. When poorly contextualized or misinterpreted, they risk alienating the very society Sikhs seek to coexist with harmoniously.
In conclusion, holding a Nagar Kirtan on foreign soil is neither inherently wrong nor inherently right. It is a responsibility. Recent public resistance in places like New Zealand reminds us that faith, when carried into shared public spaces, must walk hand in hand with wisdom. Done in the spirit of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, a Nagar Kirtan becomes a moving sermon of peace and universality. Done without foresight or restraint, it risks losing its soul. The challenge before Sikhs today is not visibility, but credibility rooted in humility, respect, and true Gurmat spirit.
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The writer, Dr. Bains B.S., is a physiotherapist, community leader and President of the Private Physiotherapy Clinic Owners’ Association of Malaysia. He writes on culture, interfaith harmony, and the evolution of tradition in the modern Malaysian context.
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Nagar Kirtan has long been part of Sikh communal and cultural life, particularly in the villages of Punjab, where it functioned as a spiritual procession within a familiar social setting. I have personally witnessed this deeply moving early-morning procession on Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Gurpurab in my village, Santokhgarh Taprian, Ropar, Punjab—an experience that reflects its roots in community devotion rather than public display.
In contemporary multicultural societies, Nagar Kirtan continues to hold meaning for many Sikhs as an expression of faith, remembrance, and collective identity.
In countries such as New Zealand, public religious processions operate within clear legal and civic frameworks. Any Nagar Kirtan conducted would necessarily have obtained the required permissions, with authorities carefully assessing safety, logistics, and public order prior to approval. This process reflects New Zealand’s long-standing commitment to religious freedom, equality, and the rule of law.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji holds the highest spiritual status in Sikh tradition, and its dignity and sanctity are of paramount importance. While public spaces are inclusive by nature, they also demand heightened responsibility from all involved to ensure respect, order, and sensitivity.
Equally important is the expectation that peaceful and lawful religious expressions are met with maturity and restraint by society at large. Public hostility or humiliation directed toward any community during a permitted, non-violent procession is neither constructive nor consistent with the values of a developed and pluralistic society. Mutual respect remains essential to social harmony.
Sikhi places primary emphasis on inner spiritual growth and ethical living over outward display. Yet for many Sikhs, Nagar Kirtan reflects a continuation of inherited practice—how earlier generations in Punjab walked through their villages in the early hours, singing kirtan as a form of shared devotion. Historical tradition records that Guru Amar Das Ji, the Third Sikh Guru, similarly engaged in such devotional movement, carrying forward the message of Guru Nanak Dev Ji through the singing of Gurbani to reach wider communities.
In this context, Nagar Kirtan may be understood not as an assertion of superiority, but as a traditional religious practice whose relevance depends on context, intent, and responsible conduct—guided by respect for both faith and the broader society in which it takes place.
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