Penang may house first dedicated Sikh Museum in Southeast Asia

By Asia Samachar Team | MALAYSIA |

Already home to one of the oldest gurdwaras in Southeast Asia, Penang may add to its historic appeal if plans come to fruition to build a dedicated Sikh Museum.

Penang state lawmaker Jagdeep Singh Deo has suggested that Penang should “spearhead a Sikh Museum to recognise the contributions of Sikhs throughout the country and region.”

Jagdeep, who is the Penang state local government, housing, town and country planning committee chairman, made the remarks in Vaisakhi greetings shared on his Facebook page on Wednesday (14 April).

“I’ll pursue further this new agenda to have a Sikh museum,” he was quoted in a report in The Star before giving an update on the restoration work of Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang (WGSP) in Jalan Gurdwara, George Town. The road was formerly known as Brick Kiln Road.

A gurdwara, literally meaning the door to the Guru, is a central Sikh institution that serves more than just as a place of worship.

WGSP, the oldest gurdwara structure in Penang, is currently undergoing a major restoration work which has taken longer than expected.

“We hope to restore the 118-year-old gurdwara to its original glory…As the gurdwara is classified as a Category One heritage building, we have to follow certain guidelines, ” Jagdeep said.

He was accompanied by heritage architecture and cultural anthropology consultant Dr Gwynn Jenkins who had been engaged to assist in applying for the gurdwara to be gazetted as a National Heritage Site. Also present was WGSP patron Gurmit Kaur, who is also Jagdeep’s mother.

Founded in 1901, WGSP was first named Diamond Jubilee Sikh Temple to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria of Britain. Upon completion, it was the biggest gurdwara in Malaya as well as South East Asia.

Located at No.87, Jalan Gurdwara, formerly known as Brick Kiln Road, Penang, the gurdwara structure is a beautiful striking mixture of Moorish and modern architectural design.

It was on 3rd June 1901 that Colonel Walker of the Malay States Guides laid the foundation of the Gurdwara, Penang. The Straits Settlement Government of Penang, in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria of Britain, granted the land on which it is built. The foundation stone can be seen in the corner of the building near the “Nishan Sahib” (flagpole).

Not many people know that this historic Gurdwara is one of the three sites in Penang, which commemorate the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria. The other two being the clock tower near Fort Cornwallis and the Victoria Green Field of the Chinese Recreation Club in Burma Road. In the corner of the field is a statue of Queen Victoria.

The Sikh Gurdwara, Penang, was also known as the Malaya Tapuan Da Gurdwara (Malayan Territories Gurdwara) and was for many decades a central meeting place for all northern Indians in Siam, Sumatra, Borneo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Penang was the major transit port for people traveling to and from India and regions of South East Asia. As the travelers faced difficulties in finding a place to stay, the need for a Gurdwara was urgently felt.

The three other gurdwaras on the Penang island are Gurdwara Sahib Bayan Baru, Gurdwara Sahib Khalsa Dharam Jatha and Gurdwara Sahib Police. Gurdwara Sahib Butterworth is the other Penang gudwara, located on the mainland of Peninsular Malaysia.

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