Gurdwara Sahib Tronoh

Tronoh was a tin mining area in the 1920's. Most of the Sikhs who settled here had family members who worked in these mines. By the 1930s, there were about 35 Sikh families in this town. Some of them were involved in dairy farming or were bullock cart operators. These Sikhs built a Sikh Gurdwara Sahib on the present site, which is one acre in size, in 1938. This building was a single storey wooden structure with a zinc roof. The cost of this building was Straits Settlements $1,000.00, which was the currency in use at that time. This Gurdwara Sahib was officially declared open on 28th August 1938 by the Sikh Sangat. The original building, which has been repaired over the years, still stands. This Gurdwara Sahib was a central meeting place for the Sikhs in Tronoh who used to do sewa like cooking, cleaning, chopping firewood etc. In the 1970s, the tin mines gradually closed. The Sikh families moved to other towns such as Ipoh, Sungkai, Tapah, Bidor and Kuala Lumpur. Bhai Pritam Singh served as a Granthi here from 1938 to 1950. He was followed by Bhai Udham Singh who served as a Granthi here from 1950 to 1970. Bhai Hira Singh served as a Granthi in this Gurdwara Sahib from 1970 to 1980. The Management Committee comprises of the President, Secretary, Treasurer and eight committee members. Presently, there are about eight families staying around Tronoh who participate in the religious activities held in this Gurdwara Sahib. The Sikh Sangat gathers for prayers once a month on the Sangrand day. Other religious programmes are held as and when necessary at the request of the Sikh Sangat. Courtesy: Sikh Gurudwaras in Malaysia&Singapore Saran Singh Sidhu AMN,PNM,FRNS