Sikh celebrations in London open to all

126,000 followers of Sikhism live in London and have a visible impact on the city. Outside the capital, this vibrant faith hailing from Northern India may be comparatively unknown but Londoners often have either a colleague, neighbour or friend spotting a turban that reveals their faith.

Southall in West London is known as THE destination for Indian culture, particularly Punjabi and Sikh culture with several Gurdwara (houses of workship), community organisations, restaurants and even a radio station, I attended the festival of "Nagar Kirtan" for the second time in 2016 and was so amazed by it that I created a humble short documentary about it on my YouTube channel with the help of a Sikh friend. The aim is to explain the festival to non-Sikhs and encourage them to learn more about their neighbours.

In the area of Southall you not only have the largest Sikh concentration of the UK but also have many Muslims, Hindus, East Europeans and other nationalities sharing this part of town. I often hear comments that reveal ignorance or misunderstanding about Sikh practises that I am keen to clarify, not least with this video.

P.S.: If you speak another language, like this video and want to help, I would appreciate your contribution here.