French Sikhs are a growing but minority group in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. It is estimated there are about 30,000 Sikhs, most of whom are based in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, Bobigny and

Île-de-France , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 = +01:00 , timezone1_DST = CEST , utc_offset1_DST = +02:00 , blank_name_sec1 = Gross regional product , blank_info_sec1 = Ranked 1st , bla ...

History

Sikh Empire

General Jean François Allard, a Frenchman served as the first foreign general under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the last Sikh Maharaja of Punjab. General Allard issued commands in French but also learned Punjabi to communicate with his soldiers.

Saint-Tropez , INSEE = 83119 , postal code = 83990 , image coat of arms = Blason ville fr Saint-Tropez-A (Var).svg , image flag=Flag of Saint-Tropez.svg Saint-Tropez (; oc, Sant Tropetz, ; ) is a commune in the Var department and the region of Provence-Al ...

, a renowned coastal resort in France, is associated with this historical relationship. Within the town, a municipal park features a statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and General Allard. It was presented to the town by the Government of Punjab in 2016. General Allard and Maharaja Ranjit Singh formed a close friendship, and Allard played a pivotal role in establishing the Fauj-i-Khas, a well-structured brigade inspired by

Napoleon's Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

army, which contributed to the Sikh triumph in the first Anglo-Sikh war. During battles against the Afghans at the

Khyber Pass The Khyber Pass (خیبر درہ) is a mountain pass in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, on the border with the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan. It connects the town of Landi Kotal to the Valley of Peshawar at Jamrud by traversing pa ...

, the brigade's orders were conveyed in French, providing a tactical advantage. The connection between Punjab and

further encompasses the marriage of General Allard to Bannu Pan Deï, strategically arranged by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to strengthen Allard's ties with Punjab. Henri Prevost Allard, the great-grandson of General Allard and the deputy mayor of St Tropez, along with Ranjit Singh from the Sikh Council of France, had proposed the idea to celebrate this connection between the two communities.

Colonial Rule

The history of Sikhs in France dates back to the early 20th century. Sikhs first arrived in France during the colonial period when the country had overseas territories, particularly in Southeast Asia. Many Sikhs served as soldiers or laborers in the French colonies, including French Indochina (present-day Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia).

World War I

After

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, some Sikh soldiers who had fought in the French army chose to settle in France. They formed a small community, primarily centered around the cities of Marseille and Paris. These early Sikh immigrants faced numerous challenges, including language barriers and cultural differences. However, they established places of worship and gradually integrated into French society. In the mid-20th century, a significant influx of Sikhs arrived in France as a result of political and economic factors. The partition of India in 1947 and the subsequent creation of Pakistan led to communal tensions and violence. Many Sikhs migrated to various countries, including France. Additionally, in the 1960s and 1970s, economic opportunities in France attracted Sikh immigrants, from Punjab in northern India.

Demographics

* In 2004, according to ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'', there were estimated to be 8,000 Sikhs living in France with 5,000 of them living in Paris. * In 2017, there were estimated to be 30,000 Sikhs in France.

Turban ban

French Sikhs have been in the limelight since the 2004 turban ban, banning Sikhs and other religions from sporting a headwear. This has met with anger and worldwide protest by the

Sikhs Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism (Sikhi), a monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ...

. At least five Sikhs wearing

turban A turban (from Persian دولبند‌, ''dulband''; via Middle French ''turbant'') is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Communities with promine ...

s or cloth covers for their uncut hair were barred from classrooms near

. For three years, Sikhs petitioned the authorities to lift the ban on the turban.

List of French Sikhs

* Ranjit Singh Goraya – Deputy Mayor of Bobigny, first Sikh Deputy Mayor in France

Gurdwaras

Gurdwara A gurdwara (sometimes written as gurudwara) (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ''guradu'ārā'', meaning "Door to the Guru") is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths ...

s in France include: *Gurudwara Singh Sabha Culte Sikh France, Bobigny *Gurdwara Sahib, Bourget *Gurudwara Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib, Bondy *Gurdwara Sant Baba Prem Singh Ji, La Courneuve *Gurdwara Shri Guru Ravidass, Paris

Sikh organisations and associations

*Singh Sabha Paris *Conseil Representatif des Sikhs de France * Sikhs de France * Sikh Council France * Sikhs Unis * Punjab Sports Club * Chardikala Sewak Jatha France * Nawjawan Sikh France * International Sikh Charity France * International Sikh Council France

Places with a significant Sikh population

* Bobigny * Seine-Saint-Denis

References

{{Sikhism Religion in France

Fra A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ol ...