Retelling Sikh-Muslim Relation through Narrative Analysis

In this paper, I would try to explore the trajectory of Muslim-Sikh relation with special reference to Sis Ganj Gurudwara in New Delhi. The very name of the gurudwara connotes Sikh-Muslim conflict. The word sis means head. The gurudwara takes its name based on the incidence of the beheading of the 9th Guru of Sikhism, Guru Tegh Bahadur Singh in 1675 by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Whenever anybody enters this gurudwara, it reminds him/her of the conflict. The most vital thing is that past is not mere past, past lives in the present; memory is one of the crucial strategies through which past operates and remains alive. It vehemently shapes and determines the subjectivity of the community. In this paper, I shall dissect as to what extent past and memory play a role in determining Sikh-Muslim relationship in present day context for the visitors at the gurudwara.