Scotland: Indian Consulate, Edinburgh Univ work on facilitating darshan of 300-year-old manuscript of Guru Granth Sahib
Edinburgh, June 30
A team from the Indian Consulate in Scotland on Tuesday held a meeting with the University of Edinburgh officials and Gurudwara representatives from Edinburgh and Glasgow to facilitate darshan of the 300-year-old manuscript of Guru Granth Sahib.
"The Consulate team was pleased to join Gurudwara Representatives from Edinburgh and Glasgow, Mrs. Trishna Singh of Sikh Sanjog and University of Edinburgh officials for a coordination meeting to facilitate darshan of the 300-year-old manuscript of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj at Central Gurdwara, Glasgow," the Consulate General of India in Edinburgh wrote on X.
The manuscript was discovered in the university's archives in 2020 and has undergone extensive restoration and preservation since then.
"Discovered in the University archives in 2020, the sacred manuscript, once belonging to Maharaja Kharak Singh of Punjab, has undergone extensive restoration and preservation. A meaningful step in preserving and celebrating our shared heritage," the Indian Consulate noted.
The handwritten manuscript was first displayed for public in November at Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Edinburgh.
"Consul General was honoured to join community members at Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Edinburgh, for the historic first public presentation of a 300-year-old handwritten Saroop of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj," it noted on X.
"A remarkable moment of faith, heritage and community. Grateful to Edinburgh Gurdwara, Sikh Sanjog and University of Edinburgh for bringing this together. The Consulate remains committed to supporting the Sikh community across Scotland through cultural, heritage and community services," the Consulate added.
According to the University of Edinburgh, the Guru Granth Sahib is one of three Sikh scriptures at the University of Edinburgh.
"Formerly in the possession of Kharak Singh, the second Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, it was taken from the fort at Dullewalla in India during its capture in 1848. The scriptures were given to the University by Sir John Spencer Login, who also brought the Koh-I-Noor to Queen Victoria," wrote Geraldine Dick, the Corporate Communications Manager at the University of Edinburgh in an article published on November 25, 2025.
While the scriptures have likely been at the University for more than 175 years, efforts to learn more about them only began in 2020.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Impressive preservation work by the University of Edinburgh. However, I'm curious about how the manuscript ended up being taken during the colonial era. While it's being restored now, we should also acknowledge the complex history of how these artifacts left their homeland. Glad to see the Indian government engaging respectfully with this heritage.
Finally some positive Indo-British cooperation that doesn't involve complaining about colonialism! The Guru Granth Sahib is a treasure of humanity, not just for Sikhs. I hope this sets a precedent for other colonial-era artifacts to be properly preserved and made accessible to communities of origin. Kudos to all involved.
As a Scottish-Indian who grew up in Glasgow, this makes me so emotional! 🥲 My grandparents would have loved to see this. The University of Edinburgh has been great with Sikh heritage projects. I've visited the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Edinburgh before, and the community there is so welcoming. This is what cultural diplomacy should look like!
Wait... the Koh-I-Noor was also brought by Sir John Spencer Login? That's quite a coincidence. Makes you wonder how many other artifacts are sitting in British institutions. Anyway, good that this manuscript is being preserved properly. Hope the community in Scotland gets to experience the darshan soon.
As someone who works in archival preservation, this is a fantastic achievement. The fact that the manuscript was only properly examined in 2020 shows how much hidden history exists in university collections. I'm glad the Indian Consulate is prioritizing community
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.