The Bitter Exodus of Sikhs from Afghanistan

Picture this: The sun rises over Kabul’s ancient bazaars in the 1970s, where the air hums with the chatter of turbaned Sikh traders haggling over bolts of silk and sacks of saffron. Laughter echoes from the gurdwaras, where families gather for langar, sharing meals with Pashtun neighbors in a tapestry of unity. Fast-forward to 2025: Those same streets are eerily quiet, gurdwaras shadowed by fear, and the once-vibrant community—numbering 200,000 to 500,000—has dwindled to fewer than 150 souls, clinging to their faith amid whispers of departure. Join me on this heart-wrenching journey through time, walking in the footsteps of Afghan Sikhs—from roots deep in history to the bitter exodus that scattered them to the winds. This is their story of endurance, loss, and unyielding spirit. wikipedia.org. soundtruism

Ancient Footsteps: The Dawn of Sikhism in a Mountainous Land

Our tale begins not with flight, but with arrival. In the early 16th century, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, wandered through the rugged passes of what is now Afghanistan during his fourth Udasi—a spiritual odyssey from 1517 to 1521. He traversed Kabul, Jalalabad, and Ghazni, engaging Sufi saints and locals in dialogues on oneness and equality, sowing seeds of faith among Hindu and Buddhist communities. Legend whispers of miracles, like Guru Nanak quenching a parched land with his words. These encounters birthed the first Sikh converts, often from indigenous Khatri families resisting forced conversions to Islam.

Centuries later, the Silk Road beckoned Punjabi Sikhs as traders, their caravans laden with spices and textiles. But the first major wave came in the late 19th century under Amir Abdur Rahman Khan’s reign (1880–1901), when Sikhs fled persecution, crossing borders to settle as merchants in Kabul and Kandahar. By the early 20th century, they numbered in the thousands, their gurdwaras—simple yet sacred—dotting the landscape like beacons of resilience. indianexpress

Exodus of Sikhs from Afghanistan-Hicksville, New York, has come to be a growing refuge for not only Afghan Sikhs but also Hindus, both of them religious minorities that have increasingly suffered discrimination and persecution in their home country, Afghanistan
Hicksville, New York, has come to be a growing refuge for not only Afghan Sikhs but also Hindus, both of them religious minorities that have increasingly suffered discrimination and persecution in their home country.

Golden Days: Prosperity in the Heart of Central Asia

Step into the 1970s, and Afghanistan feels like a crossroads of worlds. Under King Zahir Shah’s relatively stable rule, the Sikh population swelled to 200,000–500,000, intertwined with 200,000 Hindus, forming a thriving minority. In Kabul’s bustling markets, Sikh shopkeepers dominated trade in dry fruits, jewelry, and textiles, their honesty earning them the moniker “trusted brokers.” Gurdwaras like Har Rai Sahib in Kabul pulsed with life—kirtan sessions blending with the call to prayer from nearby mosques, langar feeding the poor across faiths.

Imagine a young Sikh boy, eyes wide, watching his father negotiate deals while elders recite the Guru Granth Sahib under the stars. This era was a golden interlude, where Sikhs contributed to Afghanistan’s economy without seeking power, their turbans a symbol of quiet integration.

Imagine a young Sikh boy, eyes wide, watching his father negotiate deals while elders recite the Guru Granth Sahib under the stars. This era was a golden interlude, where Sikhs contributed to Afghanistan's economy without seeking power, their turbans a symbol of quiet integration.

Cracks in the Foundation: The Soviet Shadow and Civil Chaos

But harmony shattered in 1979. As Soviet tanks rumbled into Kabul, igniting a decade-long war, the first tremors of exodus began. Bombs tore through neighborhoods, and Sikhs—identifiable by their attire—became targets in the crossfire between invaders and mujahideen fighters. Families fled to Pakistan or India, their shops looted, gurdwaras damaged. By the war’s end in 1989, thousands had left, the population halving to around 100,000. thequint. theconversation

The 1990s civil war among mujahideen factions worsened the nightmare. Looting, kidnappings, and forced conversions surged; Sikhs, seen as “infidels” or outsiders, endured extortion rackets demanding “jizya” taxes. A second, more widespread exodus followed, with over 15,000 families departing by the mid-1990s, seeking refuge in India and the West. Picture mothers clutching children, boarding rickety buses at dawn, leaving behind ancestral homes built over generations.

The Taliban's Iron Fist: From Badges to Bombs

In 1996, the Taliban’s rise cast a darker shadow. Enforcing their puritanical vision, they mandated yellow badges for Sikhs and Hindus, echoing the Holocaust’s horrors, to mark them as non-Muslims. Gurdwaras were seized or desecrated, businesses razed, and public worship banned. The 1990s saw another mass flight—numbers plummeting to 20,000 by 2001—as families endured beatings and threats of conversion.

The U.S.-led invasion in 2001 toppled the Taliban, offering a fragile dawn. Some Sikhs returned, rebuilding under the new government, their population rebounding to 300,000 by the mid-2000s. Yet, insurgents like ISIS-K struck relentlessly: The 2018 Jalalabad bombing killed 10 Sikhs en route to a gurdwara, and the 2020 Kabul temple attack claimed 25 lives. Fear lingered, a constant companion. aljazeera.com, internationalaffairs.org, amu.tv

In 1996, the Taliban's rise cast a darker shadow. Enforcing their puritanical vision, they mandated yellow badges for Sikhs and Hindus,
In 1996, the Taliban's rise cast a darker shadow. Enforcing their puritanical vision, they mandated yellow badges for Sikhs and Hindus,

The Final Reckoning: Taliban 2.0 and the Great Departure

The Taliban’s 2021 resurgence sealed the fate. Promises of protection rang hollow as restrictions tightened—women veiled, festivals curtailed, and attacks persisted. India airlifted over 500 Sikhs and Hindus that August, but thousands more fled amid chaos at Kabul airport. Economic collapse, targeted violence, and lack of opportunities drove the final wave: From 1,350 in 2021 to under 150 by 2025, mostly elderly in Kabul and Jalalabad. hinduamerican.org

Reasons intertwined like thorns: Persecution (forced conversions, attacks), insecurity (ISIS bombings), poverty (businesses shuttered), and no future for youth. As one elder lamented, “We were the bridges between faiths; now, we’re ghosts in our own land.” telegraph.co.uk

Scattered Seeds: The Diaspora Blooms Anew

Where did they go? India welcomed most—Delhi’s Majnu-ka-Tilla and Punjab’s villages swelling with Afghan Sikhs, rebuilding gurdwaras echoing Kabul’s chants. The UK, Canada, and U.S. offered asylum, with Toronto and New York hosting vibrant enclaves. Australia and Germany absorbed others, their stories fueling global Sikh solidarity. In exile, resilience shines: Afghan Sikhs preserve traditions, from Punjabi folk songs to langar for newcomers, turning bitterness into bridges.

Echoes in the Empty Halls: A Legacy Hanging by a Thread

Today, in 2025, Afghanistan’s Sikhs teeter on extinction—140 souls guarding faded gurdwaras like Karte Parwan, where services last mere hours. The Taliban claims protection, but attacks and isolation persist. Their exodus, bitter as it is, scatters seeds worldwide, a reminder that faith endures beyond borders. aljazeera.com

As we trace this path—from Guru Nanak’s steps to airport farewells—The story of Afghan Sikhs reminds us that when a community is disappearing, remembering them is a way of fighting back. Share their story so it is never forgotten.

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