A Sikh funeral, the antam sanskar, releases the soul on its onward journey. Cremation is the tradition at every age, and grief is met with recitation rather than lament. This guide covers what to expect – before, during and after – and how your local Dignity funeral director can support you to arrange a Sikh funeral.
Guru Nanak taught that all people are subject to the transmigration of souls, and that release comes through meditation on the divine name. The soul progresses through births until it reaches mukti, liberation, and union with God.
Sikh teaching frames death plainly: whoever is born shall die and depart, and all shall take their turn. Death is described as the name of forgetting God. The death of a gurmukh, one who follows the Guru’s word in thought and action, results in union with God.
Because the soul continues and the body is only its vessel, the rite is not concerned with preserving the body, and no monument is raised at the place of cremation.
The Sikh Rehat Maryada, the Sikh code of conduct, sets out the funeral ceremonies in its Article XIX. There is no ordained priesthood in Sikhism; what the code requires of every rite is the recitation of Gurbani and the performing of Ardas.
Cremation is directed at every age. There is no restriction on the time of day, and no auspicious hour to wait for, so families often want the earliest slot available. In the UK, the crematorium takes the place of the open pyre, and the closest relation performs the committal in place of lighting it.
At Dignity, we support families of every faith and background. From making sure the Five Ks stay in place to agreeing the kirpan with the crematorium in advance, we have the expertise and experience to honour every detail. If you need to arrange a Sikh funeral, just contact your local Dignity funeral director who will talk everything through with you.
Sikh etiquette centres on the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib, so much of it applies at the gurdwara. Here's what to expect:
No one is turned away on grounds of country, religion or caste. If part of the rite is at the gurdwara you are welcome there, and you will be welcome at langar afterwards – the free community kitchen, where the food is always vegetarian so that everyone can eat.
In the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib nobody sits bare-headed, and shoes are removed before entering the gurdwara. Bring a scarf or a head covering. Tobacco and alcohol must not be carried on your person.
Sikh teaching directs that mourners do not raise a hue and cry or beat their breasts. Wailing is discouraged. This is resignation to the divine will rather than an absence of feeling, and consolation is found in kirtan and Gurbani.
On entering the gurdwara it is usual to bow before the Guru Granth Sahib. Stand with folded hands for Ardas. Karah prasad – a sweet made of flour, sugar, ghee and water – is shared with everyone at the close; accept it in cupped hands.
The cost of a Sikh funeral in the UK depends on the funeral director and the crematorium you choose, along with any extras such as transport or repatriation of ashes. Most Sikh families choose an attended cremation, often at the earliest available slot, with time at the gurdwara before or afterwards. Because Sikh funerals frequently draw large congregations, the size of the chapel and the parking matter more than usual. Your local Dignity funeral director can talk you through everything that is included, and the costs.
Our funeral directors are at the heart of their communities, with over 500 branches across the UK. Search below to see if we have a funeral director near you.
At Dignity, we’re here to support people of all religions and none. We can arrange Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Quaker, Orthodox, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist funerals. Call your local funeral director today to talk about your needs.
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More guidance on funeral traditions across different faiths and cultures.
A Hindu funeral is a farewell and a step in the soul's onward journey: what to expect before, during and after, etiquette, what to wear and costs.
A Muslim funeral is a final act of care, returning the body to the earth: what to expect before, during and after, etiquette, what to wear and costs.
What to expect at a Buddhist funeral – the beliefs, customs, etiquette, what to wear and costs – and how your local funeral director can help you arrange one.