Virasati Asthan Seva

Virasati Asthan Seva Virasati Asthan Seva is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of sites of Sikh importance.

Back in July, the team continued to work on the rooms on western side of the Haveli. At this point, the roof of 6F, the ...
20/05/2026

Back in July, the team continued to work on the rooms on western side of the Haveli. At this point, the roof of 6F, the intermediate floor between 6F and 6 and the roof of 7F had all been restored with the old rotting beams and modern concrete additions all replaced by a far more authentic structure. Now it was time for the intermediate floor of 7F and 7 to be restored!

If you want to see Sikh heritage receiving the care and attention it deserves, please consider supporting this Seva with a donation. This Seva is only possible through the collective efforts of the Sangat!

It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of Raghu Rai, a visionary behind the lens, whose photographs bore witnes...
06/05/2026

It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of Raghu Rai, a visionary behind the lens, whose photographs bore witness to the soul of Punjab and the spirit of Sikh history. Raghu is survived by his wife, Gurmeet Rai , our lead conservation architect who has been so critical to the Seva Virasati has been engaged in.

With an unflinching eye and rare candour, he captured moments that were not just seen, but deeply felt, preserving stories that might otherwise have faded with time.

His life’s work stood in powerful synergy with that of his wife, Gurmeet Rai. While she dedicated herself to conserving and restoring heritage ensuring that history continues to stand, breathe, and endure, Raghu documented it with extraordinary clarity and artistry, making it visible to the world in all its depth and humanity. Together, they formed a remarkable dialogue between preservation and perception.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Gurmeet Rai and her family during this time of profound loss. May she find strength, comfort, and continued purpose in the legacy they built together, and may his memory remain a blessing. His images will remain timeless and evocative. Through them, his voice continues.

Image 1-5 : a number of photographs by Raghu Rai over his long and distinguished career
Image 6: image from CRCI showing the restoration of Rambagh Palace in Amritsar lead by Gurmeet Rai.
Image 7: Raghu Rai Ji

With Satguru Ji’s apar Kirpa, we are delighted to announce that a Sri Akhand Path Sahib was commenced at the Haveli Kavi...
23/02/2026

With Satguru Ji’s apar Kirpa, we are delighted to announce that a Sri Akhand Path Sahib was commenced at the Haveli Kavi Santokh Singh Ji this morning to give thanks for the Seva completed in Phase 1! It’s the first Sri Akhand Path taking place in the restored part of the Haveli, in room 6F!

Can you spot all the changes that have gone on in Room 6F to allow this momentous occasion to take place?

Our trustees have been incredibly busy organising the Baba Sham Singh Ji smagam and book launch; but catch up posts on the remainder of the Phase 1 work and the new Phase 2 work that started in January will be following in the next few weeks. Thank you for your continued support.

Over the last few months, the team have been working diligently to restore some of the carpentry elements of the Haveli....
31/12/2025

Over the last few months, the team have been working diligently to restore some of the carpentry elements of the Haveli. The front facade of Room 6 had been totally modified over the last few decades. With the modern cement and brick infills removed and the brick work restored with period appropriate Nanakshahi bricks, the team have been working meticulously to recreate the facade by recreating the Tin Dari (the three achways) that are seen iconically across North Indian architecture.

Picture 2: New door frame installed in one of the archways
Picture 3/4: All three archways installed with new door frames
Video 5: Our talented carpenter Zaffar hand chiselling the semi circular archway that frames the upper door way with wonderful precision.
Picture 6/7: New doors, created in line with the rest of the older doors and windows panels present in the Haveli, Colonial in style to match the facade of this side of the Haveli.
Picture 8/9: The new doors treated to withstand nature’s elements
Picture 10: Looking out to a new day!

We will be providing an annual summary of all the work to date within the next few weeks as Phase 2 of the works kicks off in January 2026! We would like to thank all of you who have supported this Seva this far. None of this is possible without your continued support and blessings 🙏🙏

ਦੀਵਾਲੀ ਦੀ ਰਾਤਿ ਦੀਵੇ ਬਾਲੀਅਨਿ॥Haveli Kavi Santokh Singh Ji illuminated for Diwali! Heartening to see how our heritage buil...
21/10/2025

ਦੀਵਾਲੀ ਦੀ ਰਾਤਿ ਦੀਵੇ ਬਾਲੀਅਨਿ॥

Haveli Kavi Santokh Singh Ji illuminated for Diwali! Heartening to see how our heritage buildings can continue to retain their history and create new history as time passes by. May the Purabs of the Panth continue to be celebrated here with the blessings of Satguru Ji.

It’s hard to capture exactly how much depth there is to the work being carried out at Haveli Kavi Santokh Singh. Nothing...
25/09/2025

It’s hard to capture exactly how much depth there is to the work being carried out at Haveli Kavi Santokh Singh. Nothing is as it seems and if you don’t look beneath the surface, you may just miss the issues it’s masking!

This is incredibly visible in the front facade of the building where modern concrete additions and modular brick additions masked the traditional tin dari (three doorway) facade. In the planning phase the team uncovered these changes and now they’ve been removing them exposing the traditional structure underneath. Our expert team has been carefully applying a healing touch, and the results, although yet in progress, are spectacular!

Keep up with the updates of the Seva here . And if you want to see this Seva continue, please make a donation using the link in our bio!

With the main roof of Room 6F exposed down to its wooden joists and beams, the subsection of the roof overlying the wond...
24/06/2025

With the main roof of Room 6F exposed down to its wooden joists and beams, the subsection of the roof overlying the wonderful stone columns needed to be addressed.

There was a thick brick layer overlying this portion of the roof which was dismantled carefully. Notably, as the bricks were removed, a semi-circular brick pattern emerged. This relieving arch was embedded inside the wall and it acts to distribute the load of the wall evenly through the structure.

The team then removed the rotting wood planks and replaced them diligently following the original footprint as far as possible.

Keep an eye out for our next reel which will show the reconstruction of the main roof of 6F!

Since the Haveli Kavi Santokh Singh fundraising campaign launch in late November 2024, we’ve been able to hit the follow...
07/05/2025

Since the Haveli Kavi Santokh Singh fundraising campaign launch in late November 2024, we’ve been able to hit the following milestones with Guru Ji’s Kirpa:

- £54564 raised in conjunction with the Kavi Santokh Singh Churamani Trust. The total required to complete the project is £250,000.
- £2515 in monthly direct debit donations
- £31529 spent in the conservation and restoration works of Haveli Kavi Santokh Singh.

In that time, we’ve been able to watch the expert led work taking place at the Haveli where cutting edge modern techniques are combining with traditional and puratan methods and materials to revive this historic Sikh Asthan.

We would like to say thank you to everyone who is supporting this Seva. Virasati is a grassroots movement. It is the result of the common person claiming their heritage and taking proactive steps to make the change they want to see. If you’ve ever felt that Sikh Heritage needs more care and attention, then supporting Virasati is one way to channel that feeling into action. Please consider making a donation if you’re able (see the link in bio). We will continue to bring you updates as the Seva progresses.

We were blessed to be able to visit the project at Haveli Kavi Santokh Singh towards the end of March. It was inspiring ...
08/04/2025

We were blessed to be able to visit the project at Haveli Kavi Santokh Singh towards the end of March. It was inspiring to see the conservation work in action and wonderful for the whole team to be on site at the same time.

One moment of note was the presentation of the English translation of Sri Nanak Prakash, one of the early works of Mahakavi Santokh Singh Ji, at the very site where he lived and willed his poetic creations into existence. This translation was written by Virasati Trustees, Dr Resham Singh and Bhai Jivanpal Singh back in 2019. For them, this was a dream come true moment!

Stay tuned for more updates from our trip and on the upcoming exciting works at the site!

Image 1: Dr Resham Singh presenting the Pothi (book) to Giani Tikka Singh (custodian of the site and representative of Kavi Santokh Singh Churamani Trust)

Image 2: The team seeking Guru Ji’s blessings and receiving Honours from Giani Tikka Singh Ji (Guru Ji js Parkash in the building opposite the Haveli)

Image 3: Team photo!
1st row: Karanveer Singh, Bindu Gowda, Giani Tikka Singh Ji, Resham Singh, Rakesh Kumar
2nd row: Gurmeet Rai, Ajaydeep Jamwal
3rd row: Devanshi Maheshwari, Maninder Gill, Mandeep Singh

Address

London

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Virasati Asthan Seva posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organisation

Send a message to Virasati Asthan Seva:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category