With humility and reverence

When we walk to Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, we submit ourselves to the Guru. Indeed, paying obeisance there is a dream for Sikhs, especially those who live outside Amritsar. We were children when we first went to the Darbar Sahib. We didn’t know then that one day we would live in the city and in those years, I would cycle down after school and spend my time in the parkarma, or sit at various places within the sanctum sanctorum, listening to kirtan being sung.

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Going there with an offering of my labour of love triggered so many emotions in me—primarily humility and deep gratitude to the Guru who put me on this path and the guidance of the Guru’s teachings that have shaped my worldview.

I presented a copy of my book, Gurdwaras: Abodes of the Guru, to Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, at the Information Centre of Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, on August 14. 2026.

After nearly five years of work documenting the history, heritage and significance of 51 Gurdwaras across the world, it was especially meaningful to place a copy of the book in the hands of the head of the institution entrusted with the management of some of Sikhism’s most sacred shrines.

At the Press conference after the presentation, Dhami Sahib spoke about the book and its illustrations, which are watercolour paintings. He appreciated how these Gurdwaras have been presented and the international reach of the volume.

My sincere thanks to all those from the SGPC who helped make this possible, my journalist friends, and especially Amarvir Dhillon for all his help in facilitating this memorable occasion and attending it.

We got good coverage in the media coverage. Besides various channels that aired videos of the event, The Tribune’s Amritsar edition and Punjabi Tribune print and internet editions also reported on the occasion.

The following is the text of the news, as published in the Internet Edition of The Tribune:

Roopinder Singh's book on Sikh shrines presented to SGPC chief

The book 'Gurdwaras: Abodes of the Guru' documents history & heritage of 51 historic gurdwaras across India and different parts of world

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Eminent writer Roopinder Singh today presented his latest book, "Gurdwaras: Abodes of the Guru", to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami at the Information Centre of Darbar Sahib in Amritsar.

The book documents the history, heritage and significance of 51 historic gurdwaras across India and different parts of the world. It has been illustrated by artist Allan Quesada, whose paintings complement the writer’s accounts of the gurdwaras, their architecture, traditions and the lives of the sangat associated with them.

Speaking on the occasion, Roopinder Singh said he had not confined the book to descriptions of gurdwaras, but also written extensively about the sangat, history and the traditions surrounding these sacred places. He added that he had visited many gurdwaras while working on the project and came across several aspects of Sikh heritage that were new to him. The project took him nearly five years to complete.

The book covers 33 gurdwaras in Asia, particularly prominent Sikh shrines in India and Pakistan. Detailed accounts of Sri Harmandir Sahib and the five Takhts—Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Takht Sri Patna Sahib and Takht Sri Hazur Sahib—are included.

It also makes the mention of historic gurdwaras in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. In Pakistan, the book features gurdwaras at Nankana Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib and Eminabad. Gurdwaras in Bangladesh, Kathmandu, the UAE, the Philippines, Singapore, China, Thailand and Malaysia are also included.

The book further documents six gurdwaras in Europe, including those in London, Paris, Italy, Norway and Switzerland. Sikh shrines in Canada, the US and Panama in North America, as well as gurdwaras in Johannesburg, Melbourne and Glenorchy are also featured.

The foreword was written by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, although the book was not published at that time. Roopinder Singh has dedicated the work to his parents, Inderjit Kaur and noted Sikh scholar Giani Gurdit Singh.

A major attraction of the book is the artwork by Allan Quesada. The paintings depict the exterior and interior views of gurdwaras, domes, architectural details, Sikh art, stone, gold and wood work, sarovars, trees , the devotion of the sangat, daily duties of sewadars and granthis, Sikh musical instruments, weapons and traditional architecture.

The illustrations also portray Sikh symbols associated with the Gurus, weapons, murals, Janamsakhi narratives, langar and seva, ancient relics and memorials preserved at gurdwaras, Sikh manuscripts, historical gurdwaras and modern Sikh architecture overseas. The paintings also capture the character of gurdwaras in Pakistan and other conflict-affected regions and portray the faith and everyday lives of Sikh devotees.

Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami congratulated Roopinder Singh on the publication and appreciated his effort to document Sikh gurdwaras and their heritage. He said Roopinder Singh had previously authored eight books and expressed hope that he would continue contributing to Sikh literature and heritage through such works.

Roopinder Singh thanked the SGPC president for honouring him and said Sikh history was deeply connected with gurdwaras, which provided an important understanding of Sikh principles, traditions and heritage.

He expressed hope that the book would prove useful to the sangat and help readers develop a deeper understanding of historic gurdwaras and their significance.