Statue of Baba Band Singh Bahadur at Sri Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara, Gravesend (UK)
Difference between idol worship of a deity using stones, statues and images and, depiction of Sikh History through works of art, two dimensional images, three dimensional statues and films.
Idol worship is the religious veneration, devotion, or adoration of physical objects (idols, images, statues) believed to represent or embody a deity. So, an idol represents gods when used as an object of worship. Idol worship is central to the Hindu ideology and the Sikhi view about such worship is clear in Gurbani: For example:
ਹਿੰਦੂ ਮੂਲੇ ਭੂਲੇ ਅਖੁਟੀ ਜਾਂਹੀ ॥ ਨਾਰਦਿ ਕਹਿਆ ਸਿ ਪੂਜ ਕਰਾਂਹੀ ॥ ਅੰਧੇ ਗੁੰਗੇ ਅੰਧ ਅੰਧਾਰੁ ॥ ਪਾਥਰੁ ਲੇ ਪੂਜਹਿ ਮੁਗਧ ਗਵਾਰ ॥ ਓਹਿ ਜਾ ਆਪਿ ਡੁਬੇ ਤੁਮ ਕਹਾ ਤਰਣਹਾਰੁ ॥੨
Meaning: The Hindus have forgotten the Primal Lord they are going the wrong way. They are blind and mute, the blindest of the blind. As Naarad instructed them, they are worshipping idols. The ignorant fools pick up stones and worship them. But when those stones themselves sink, who will carry you across?
(M 4 SGGS Ang 556)
A stone (pathhar) and almost anything can be the object of idol worship in Hindu tradition.
In his e-mail of 22 April, 2026, prominent Sikh personality, Sardar Tarlochan Singh (ex-MP and former Chairman Indian National Minorities Commission) wrote on a forum, to quote: Earlier I wrote to S. Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, MP who is from Gravesend objecting to placing of Banda Singh Bahadur Statue in Gurdwara premises which is against our tradition. Statues should be on main roads or crossing and not in the Gurdwaras. Perhaps you are aware Tara Singh Statue in Delhi is on the main road leading to Parliament, outside the boundary the of Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib. S. Jaspreet Singh on the forum agreed. He wrote: there is no place for idols and statues in Sikhi.
Indeed, there is no place for idol worship in Sikhi if any stone, image, statute etc is represented as a deity, god, devi, devta etc. However, there are works of art, images, portraits, photographs of historical figures displayed within the precincts of many Gurdwaras, for example, in Langar Halls and at the Central Sikh Museum at Darbar Sahib. I seem to recall statues of Sikh historical figures at entrances of one or more Gurdwaras in Panjab.
Historical Gurdwara Mehdiana Sahib, located in the village of Mehdiana near Jagraon in the Ludhiana district of Punjab, has been referred to as a School of Sikh History. Guru Gobind Singh Ji wrote parts of the Zafarnama (Epistle of Victory) there. In front of the Gurdwara, Sikh sacrifices and events in Sikh history, including the martyrdom of Banda Singh Bahadur, are depicted through statues. One observer writes: These sculptures serve as a powerful visual narrative of the sacrifices and bravery of the Sikh community with the aim of educating visitors.
Over the years I have taken own growing up children to this Gurdwara not far from our historical village, Bassian near Raikot.
The distinction between idol worship and educational works of art depicting Sikh history is important.
Gurmukh Singh OBE
E-mail: sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk
https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurmukh_Singh_OBE