Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib, located at Calle Ciudad de Frías, 25 in the Villaverde Alto district of Madrid, Spain, is the principal Sikh place of worship in the Spanish capital and one of twelve gurdwaras serving Spain's estimated 26,000-strong Sikh community. Situated in an industrial quarter of southern Madrid, this community-built gurdwara has served as a spiritual home for Sikhs living in and around the city since its inauguration on August 8, 2008. The gurdwara belongs to the Nanaksar tradition, a deeply devotional movement within Sikhism founded by Sant Baba Nand Singh Ji in the early twentieth century in Punjab, India.
Nanaksar gurdwaras are distinguished by their exceptionally reverent treatment of the Guru Granth Sahib — the eternal Sikh scripture — and a strict adherence to vegetarianism, meditation, and spiritual discipline. Unlike most gurdwaras, Nanaksar institutions do not fly the Nishan Sahib (the Sikh flag), reflecting the movement's commitment to being purely spiritual and non-political. Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib Madrid serves the approximately 400 Sikhs who call the Spanish capital home, along with visitors, curious locals, and members of the wider Indian diaspora.
Each Sunday, well over a hundred worshippers gather for the combined experience of ardas (communal prayer), kirtan (devotional singing), and the celebrated langar — the free community meal that is the cornerstone of Sikh hospitality. The langar at Villaverde has become an institution in the neighbourhood, drawing not only Sikhs but also members of the multicultural local community, including Bangladeshi, African, Chinese, and Spanish residents, all welcomed without distinction. The gurdwara occupies a modest two-storey building nestled among the warehouses of an industrial zone close to the Villaverde Alto metro station — a setting that underscores the grassroots, community-built nature of this Sikh institution in Europe.
The ground floor houses the Guru Ka Langar hall and kitchen, as well as accommodation for the resident Granthi (scripture reader) and sewadar (volunteer). The upper floor is home to the Darbar Sahib, the main prayer hall where the Guru Granth Sahib is reverently enshrined. Despite its modest exterior, the gurdwara radiates a warmth and spiritual energy that have made it a cherished gathering place.
The resident Granthi leads daily prayers (nitnem) each morning and evening. Special celebrations are held for all major Sikh festivals including Gurpurab (the birthday anniversaries of the Sikh Gurus), Baisakhi, and Diwali. Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib is more than a place of worship — it is a community centre, a cultural anchor, and a living demonstration of the Sikh principles of seva (selfless service), simran (divine remembrance), and sangat (holy congregation).
For Sikhs in Madrid, it represents an enduring connection to the faith and heritage of Punjab, thousands of miles from home.
Significance
Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib holds profound religious and cultural significance for Madrid's Sikh community as the only Sikh gurdwara in the Spanish capital. As a Nanaksar-tradition institution, it upholds a particularly reverential and devotional approach to Sikh worship. The Guru Granth Sahib is treated with extraordinary reverence in keeping with Nanaksar customs — placed upon a full-sized bed and covered with specially gifted ceremonial coverings (ramalas), rather than a simple stand.
This deep veneration of the sacred scripture is a hallmark of the Nanaksar lineage, which traces its spiritual roots to Sant Baba Nand Singh Ji's reported visions of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism. For the Sikh diaspora in Madrid, the gurdwara provides an irreplaceable sense of spiritual continuity and cultural identity. Sunday services and the communal langar function as weekly anchor points that bind the community together, allowing devotees to practice their faith, teach their children Punjabi language and Sikh values, and maintain a living connection to Punjab's rich spiritual heritage.
The gurdwara also embodies the Sikh principle of sarbat da bhala — welfare of all — by opening its langar to people of every background, faith, and nationality without charge. This act of universal service has made the gurdwara a respected institution in the wider Villaverde community. As one of twelve gurdwaras in Spain, Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib Madrid plays a vital role in maintaining the spiritual and social fabric of the Spanish Sikh diaspora, connecting approximately 400 local members with the global Sikh panth of over 30 million people worldwide.