London's little histories of the Sikhs: Rav Singh in conversation

Abstract

ABSTRACTA little History of the Sikhs is a London-based initiative that explores traces of Sikh history found within the museums, memorials, parks, and streets of London. Through walking tours, they work to introduce their audiences to the shared history of the Sikhs and Britain and touch upon critical moments in the making of British Asian history, such as Partition. In this interview with the Migrant Memory and the Postcolonial Imagination project team, Rav Singh, founder of A little History of the Sikhs, will discuss the role of urban space in London in the preservation of cultural memory, reflect on participants’ engagement with the tours and the significance of preserving and transmitting memories of empire, Partition, and migration in the diaspora.KEYWORDS: SikhsLondonRav SinghAnglo-SikhAnglo-Punjab Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 Randhawa K.S (The Tribune, Sunday 13 January 2002). When fate & destiny conspired against Sikhs’ victory. Available at: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020113/edit.htm#1 [Accessed 15 October 2022].2 Sonia Dhami’s description: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAuIl3iXu1A&list=PLYQPCHfEe0l8eMLJspKb_VmfodVyGw1zq&index=33 Virtual Tours: Sikh Treasures around the World: Virtual London Tour – Sikh Art (Part 1–6): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbb8X_mPUVtH3_BqWh8TwXh8Mg9wG10HO4 https://news.sky.com/story/indias-partition-how-the-ending-of-british-rule-uprooted-millions-and-hit-generations-that-followed-126711895 The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre is an incident that took place in April 1919 in Amritsar, where British troops fired into a gathering of unarmed people gathered close to the Harmandir Sahib. The massacre permanently scarred relations between India and the British, and preluded the non-cooperation movements by the Akali Sikhs.Additional informationNotes on contributorsRav SinghRav Singh, The streets of London are full of history, and stories from Sikh and & Punjab History are brought to life through walking tours by Rav Singh, founder of A little History of the Sikhs. A little History of the Sikhs is a community initiative that works to translate research in modern-day Sikh history and heritage into walking tours in London, day trips in the south-east of England and study visits to destinations in the UK and across western Europe. His research and work is featured on the website: www.alittlehistoryofthesikhs.org