News
Thursday, 21 January, 2010
A new Exhibition tracing the long and affectionate relationships of The Manchester Regiment with other units from across the world has opened at the Museum of The Manchesters located in the Ashton-under-Lyne Town Hall.
Thursday, 03 December, 2009
Auctioneers will on December 9 auction heritage items belonging to Maharajah Duleep Singh
The first item under the hammer will be a velvet jacket that belonged to Maharajah Deleep Singh along with matching shoes described as ‘foliate decorated gold braid raised work on a crimson velvet ground'
Monday, 23 November, 2009
The opening of the new Gurudwara Sahib Leamington & Warwick included a rich programme of events for young people and families. These included an informative talk ‘Shoulder to Shoulder' highlighting 160 Years of the Anglo Sikh Relationship..
Friday, 20 November, 2009
By Priya Atwal. Working as a voluntary researcher for ASHT was a challenging and fascinating task, one that helped me learn a lot about Punjabi history, something that I have always been deeply interested in and am only just gaining the opportunity to investigate. My assignment was to look into the annexation of the Sikh State in the Punjab by the British government in India.
Monday, 16 November, 2009
In recent years the Anglo Sikh Heritage Trail has brokered a working relationship with the Royal British Legion, the nation's custodian of Remembrance. The RBL ensures that people remember those who have given their lives for the freedom we enjoy today.
Sunday, 15 November, 2009
A graveside ceremony to honour Maharajah Duleep Singh, The Last Maharajah of the Sikhs, was held at Elveden Churchyard in late October.
Wednesday, 28 October, 2009
Available soon in the UK. The 2010 Sikhpoint calendar showcases the remarkable work of the Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative (CRCI). Set up in 1995 by longstanding ASHT supporter Gurmeet Rai to bring a multi disciplinary approach to heritage conservation in India, the CRCI with its expert team have worked on scores of projects throughout India.
Friday, 23 October, 2009
23rd October marks the 116th anniversary of the death of Maharajah Duleep Singh. It is a date which has significance well beyond the tragic death of a disenchanted. broken and ill man alone in his Paris hotel room.
Friday, 16 October, 2009
One of the most iconic symbols of Ranjit Singhs kingdom is the golden throne, now safely housed in Londons V&A museum. It is on permanent display on the museum and arguably is one of their most important objects. Over the next few months the Golden Throne will form part of the dazzling Maharaja exhibition that runs from October to December and will ultimately tour to Germany and Canada.
Thursday, 15 October, 2009
Not to be stronger than the other, but to be stronger than self* is the essence of the Sikh martyrdom (shahidi) tradition.
That is the secret of Sikh invincibility in battle for a righteous cause. That is the meaning of Guru Gobind Singhs pride in his Khalsa when he announced Sava lakh se ek laraon (One shall take on a hundred thousand**) A Sikh, unhesitatingly, offers sacrifice of self while treading the path of truthful conduct in Gods Will while doing his or her duty (dharam nibhaona).
Wednesday, 14 October, 2009
A fabulous evening was held at Aston University where Harisimiran Singh Sandhu gave an informative lecture on the brave contribution made by Sikh soldiers since the birth of the Khalsa. Over 100 guests gathered at the recently built Aston Business School to recognise the unique spirit and gallantry of the Sikhs.
Monday, 12 October, 2009
A Sikh architect is helping to preserve cultural sites in the north Indian state still haunted by 1947’s heart-wrenching Partition
Thursday, 01 October, 2009
The Heritage Shared season of events proved to be a tremendous success which left audiences full of inspiration and hungry for more information!
Friday, 25 September, 2009
An emotion filled audience silently listened to a moving talk about the tragic life of the last Empress of Punjab at The Royal Pump Rooms in Leamington Spa. Jindan Kaur, a courageous woman and exile, who was forcibly separated from her son Duleep Singh and spent her final years in London.
Monday, 14 September, 2009
The church of St Martin-in-the-Fields in London's Trafalgar Square, with its long tradition of practical Christianity, holds a warm place in the hearts of many British people. Every year, the vicar's Christmas Appeal on BBC radio raises over £500,000 for disadvantaged people, and the open-door policy formulated during the First World War by its charismatic vicar, Dick Sheppard, is well upheld today by vicar Nicholas Holtam and his team.
Friday, 11 September, 2009
A Gripping Story of Sacrifice, Suffering, and Ongoing Injustice. In 1916 German scientists made an 80-second audio recording of a Sikh soldier captured at the Battle of Flanders during WWI. The starving soldier, Mal Singh, yearns to return to his home in the Punjab, the "land of butter and milk."
Thursday, 10 September, 2009
Visitors to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery were moved and inspired as internationally renowned artists the Singh Twins brought to life through art the traumatic events of 1984. The focus of the evening was their iconic painting ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four', which depicts the events that took place in Amritsar 25 years ago.
Monday, 07 September, 2009
Against the stunning backdrop of the Tower of London, ‘Tigerstyle' took over 200 people who gathered on the historic grounds, on a musical Journey through history. Launching this year's event series Heritage Shared, presented by the Anglo Sikh Heritage Trail,
Thursday, 20 August, 2009
The Sikh writer, publisher, political commentator, conservationist and philanthropist Patwant Singh, who has died after a cardiac arrest aged 84, had a very rare ability to communicate compellingly with the wider world on many issues without losing touch with his deeply held faith.
Thursday, 20 August, 2009
For the first time ever a searchable collection of millions of rare pages on the Sikhs and the region of Panjab has been made available. Panjab Digital Library (PDL) will include texts of manuscripts, books, magazines, newspapers and photographs and will be available to anyone with Internet access at www.PanjabDigiLib.org.
Saturday, 08 August, 2009
The Sikh community has today lost one of its great stalwarts. A man of immense integrity , vision , and courage whose conscience never allowed him to keep silent on issues that he felt were important.
Sunday, 26 July, 2009
In the light summer drizzle, a group of Sikhs stood under the roof of the Dissenter’s Chapel in Kensal Green in West London, waiting for a precious moment from their history to come alive again. Among the crowds were the descendants of Lord Lawrence of Punjab, the governor general during the Anglo Sikh Wars.
Friday, 26 June, 2009
170 years ago on 27th June 1839, Maharajah Ranjit Singh would breathe his last. For the Kingdom of Punjab and his subjects it was a tragic loss that would leave a vacuum never again to be filled.
Wednesday, 10 June, 2009
A stunning new book about the life of Maharajah Duleep Singh, ‘Sovereign, Squire and Rebel' by author and historian Peter Bance, was launched at the Ancient House Museum of Thetford Life in mid May.
Wednesday, 10 June, 2009
Situated in the heart of Scotland's capital city Edinburgh, the National Museum of Scotland is home to key exhibits from all over Scotland and beyond. Included among these is a rich collection of artefacts which once belonged to Maharajah Duleep Singh.
Tuesday, 09 June, 2009
ASHT's recently launched Facebook group will keep you constantly updated with the latest research & discoveries, forthcoming events, and give you the opportunity to share your thoughts and spread the word.
Thursday, 04 June, 2009
In his book "Empire" the world renowned historian Niall Ferguson (A.Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University) compares the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre of 1919 to the Bloody Sunday uprising in Ireland. He asserts that both events would set off chain reactions which would leave the destiny of India and Ireland changed forever.
Wednesday, 27 May, 2009
2nd of May saw ASHT tours take a group of 70 people on a trip of a lifetime. The specialised guided tour took them on the trail of Sikh Heroes who fought and died with the British Army during the ‘Great War’.
Monday, 18 May, 2009
Over 1,700 people, including many families, attended the Vaisakhi (Sikh New Year) celebrations at The New Art Gallery Walsall on Saturday 18 April 2009. ASHT was one of the many participants in this fantastic free event giving a gallery talk on the background of Vaisakhi and an introduction to the Anglo Sikh relationship.
Monday, 18 May, 2009
As part of the many Vaisakhi celebrations that were taking place nationwide, ASHT gave an illustrated talk at Singh Sabha Gurudwara Hounslow on The Anglo Sikh Wars (1845-1849)
Monday, 18 May, 2009
This July ASHT Tours brings you two unique glimpses of Anglo Sikh and Scottish Sikh Heritage. These guided tours will take you on a Journey through the shared heritage which is present in locations across the British Isles.
Monday, 18 May, 2009
The Victoria and Albert Museum are offering NVQ level training for people interested in learning more about the heritage sector. This Accredited Assessment Centre offers a variety of courses some specifically related to the Heritage sector and others more general such as Business administration.
Friday, 24 April, 2009
April 25th marks 200 years since the signing of the Treaty of Amritsar. This treaty, signed on the 25th of April 1809, was to have a huge impact on Anglo Sikh relations in the first part of the 19th century.
Tuesday, 07 April, 2009
Queen Victoria's reign is inextricably associated with Britain's great age of industrialisation, economic progress and, especially empire. Within that vast empire India was recognised as "The Jewel in the Crown" yet very little is known of the remarkable historical relationship between the Empress and the Sikhs of the Punjab.
Tuesday, 07 April, 2009
This online exhibition launched by the National Army Museum explores the pivotal role of Black and Asian soldiers within the British and Commonwealth Forces.
Displayed alongside 500 testimonies, photographs, film clips, sound recordings and images of objects from the museum's extensive Collection, the exhibition will provide a unique opportunity for visitors to explore a variety of both known and unknown stories.
Monday, 06 April, 2009
Coming from a traditional background where religious adherence was the call of the day and learning to play instruments from a young age so that they could perform at their local temple have now turned this young Sikh outfit into the most sought after act.
In March 2009 Tigerstyle began a working relationship with ASHT to help promote our work profiling the significant shared heritage between the Sikhs and Britain.
Monday, 06 April, 2009
A rare painting of one of the most important figures in Anglo-Sikh history has been identified in the collections of one of London’s premiere museums.
Friday, 20 February, 2009
ASHT recently delivered two illustrated talks entitled 'Clash of the Lions' and 'Annexation and Beyond' to over 40 students of Oxford University.
Thursday, 19 February, 2009
A fascinating letter written by Maharajah Ranjit Singh in ancient Persian script has been the subject of a recent study by ASHT's full time researcher, Eve Haddow.
Tuesday, 10 February, 2009
Cricketer Monty Paneser, artists The Singh Twins and singer Sukshinder Shinda were amongst some of the proud individuals recognised for their significant contribution made to the Sikh community at ASHT’s Civic Reception.
Monday, 12 January, 2009
A recent weekend event held at Oxford University examining the evolution of places of worship in the UK included a presentation by ASHT. Entitled 'From redundant spires to gleaming domes'.....
Thursday, 18 December, 2008
The last remnants of Sikh defences at Battlefield of Sabraon are being destroyed.
Tuesday, 16 December, 2008
Charting one of the most illustrious episodes in British history The Maharajah and the Kohinoor is a touching tale of love and loyalty. The play follows the story of Duleep Singh,Maharajah of Lahore and King of the Sikh Empire, who was deposed at the age of eleven and sent to England.
Tuesday, 09 December, 2008
The new 2009 calendar, entitled ' A Walk Through History' is now available. This remarkable calendar journeys through a small yet significant element of Sikh history which is reflected in many of the Anglo Sikh Heritage Trail partner organisations.
Tuesday, 09 December, 2008
In co-ordination with the Royal British Legion, the Sikh community in 10 separate locations in the UK formally took part in this year's Remembrance Day ceremonies. Sunday 9th November saw Sikh men and women being warmly received by local residents as they joined in to lay wreaths.
Friday, 31 October, 2008
This November marks the 90th anniversary of the end of World War 1. The Royal British Legion will honour the memory of the War's heroes with a unique tribute by planting a Flanders' Field of Poppies at the Menin Gates. It was during this conflict here that the Sikh regiment fought valiantly during the battles of Ypres and Neuve Chapelle.
Thursday, 30 October, 2008
Seema Chisti reviews a novel by Navtej Sarna entitled 'The Exile'
Thursday, 30 October, 2008
A Book Review of 'Empire of the Sikhs The Life and Times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh' by Bhupesh Bhandari, Business Standard
Monday, 27 October, 2008
A Message from the Archbishop of Canterbury on the 300th Anniversary of the Guru Granth Sahib
Thursday, 23 October, 2008
The poignant date of 23rd October marked 115 years of the death of Maharajah Duleep Singh.
Thursday, 11 September, 2008
The largely unknown but amazing historical interplay between Sikhs and Scotland will take centre stage at Edinburgh Castle 30th September as the Minister For Culture and MSP Linda Fabiani hosts a reception to launch the Scottish Sikh Heritage Trail.
Tuesday, 26 August, 2008
This exhibition reveals the ‘Punjab’, a region that spans both India and Pakistan. The complex history of this region and its modern significance are explored from the perspectives of five UK community groups with links to both countries. In particular, the ‘moving journeys’ of successive generations of Punjabi people, both within and across borders, are explored.
Thursday, 03 July, 2008
During July a group of American Sikhs will embark on a fascinating Sikh Heritage Tour of England
Thursday, 24 April, 2008
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall host a Vaisakhi Reception at St James's Palace
Wednesday, 12 March, 2008
Maharani Jindan Kaurs Gravestone is Unveiled at the Ancient House Museum, Thetford
Friday, 22 September, 2006
Behind the scenes of the Hampton Court Palace Community 1750-1950. The history of the Suffragettes, who campaigned for women's right to vote in the early 20th Century, seldom tells us that their cause had a notable Sikh supporter: Princess Sophia, daughter of Maharajah Duleep Singh.
Saturday, 03 June, 2006
Earlier this year, the bagpipes were playing, drums were beating, and the elders of a Scots clan gathered well into the small hours. It could have been a scene set anywhere in the land of the brave but it wasn‘t. Instead of the rolling hills and soaring mountains of the Scottish highlands the setting was the biggest military cantonment in Asia situated in Bhatinda in the Punjab.
Saturday, 03 June, 2006
Story by Richard Moss, Culture24.org.uk. His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester was at the Imperial War Museum (IWM) in London on June 2nd 2006 to unveil the latest plaque in a UK-wide scheme which highlights items of Anglo-Sikh heritage held in museums and at heritage sites.
Saturday, 03 June, 2006
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall witness a dramatic display of Sikh Swordsmanship
Wednesday, 14 September, 2005
Story by Richard Moss, 24Hour Museum
Monday, 18 July, 2005
There must be very few, if any parts of London which do not have any buildings which bear the now iconic "English Heritage" blue plaques. These 800 or so plaques are a lasting testament to the association with the city of great figures of the past and the buildings which they inhabited. A new addition to these plaques is dedicated to the last ruler of the Sikh kingdom Maharaja Duleep Singh.
Friday, 29 April, 2005
ASHT's newest volunteer, Paramdip Kaur, is working in the British Museum, uncovering hidden treasures in the Department of Coins and Medals.
Saturday, 12 March, 2005
Racists are believed to have vandalised a statue of a Sikh monarch, covering it with paint and Nazi swastika symbols.
Monday, 28 February, 2005
The 24 Hour Museum and the Anglo Sikh Heritage Trail have announced a new and exciting partnership to develop and publish five Sikh Heritage web trails in English, with Punjabi translations.
Monday, 30 August, 2004
On 28th August, London‘s first ever festival of Sikh Heritage took place against the dramatic backdrop of Gunnersbury Park. A total in excess of 10,000 visitors were treated to spectacular stage performances by prominent Sikh musicians and speakers.
Monday, 05 July, 2004
On July 2nd 2004, Home Office Minister, Fiona MacTaggart MP, launched the UK's first national heritage trail celebrating Anglo-Sikh history and culture. Hundreds of balloons were released from the Chillianwallah Memorial by children from St.Mary's School in North Kensington and Springwell Junior School, Hounslow.
Monday, 05 April, 2004
The breathtakingly striking sword of the legendary founder of the Sikh Kingdom, Ranjit Singh, acted as the stimulus for this special event. Visitors to the Wallace Collection on March 29th were treated to an exciting range of activities.
