Sikh Temple Tokens
May 7, 2026
The Temple Token is dedicated to the first Sikh Guru, Nanak. In the literature, we often find the full name Guru Nanak Dev. Here, ‘Guru’ refers to the role of teacher, whilst the epithet ‘Dev’ belongs to the religious sphere and is used for people of great holiness and spiritual authority. Guru Nanak Dev lived from 1469 to 1539. He stands at the centre of a scene that we encounter time and again in Sikh imagery. It shows Nanak receiving holy men.
In the centre, Nanak sits on the ground. As a sign of his holiness, he wears a nimbus and is accompanied by the sun and moon. He has raised his right hand in a gesture of teaching. The object in his left hand is not explained. Behind Nanak stands his disciple Bhai Bala, who is swatting away vermin with a flywhisk. At the saint’s feet sits his disciple Bhai Mardana, playing the rabab. Opposite this trio sits a seeker of wisdom. The depiction of the dog in this context is highly unusual. Perhaps it refers to the comparison of the believer with a dog, formulated by a later Sikh guru: wild dogs live without masters or rules, and are therefore filthy and anarchic. Quite different is the loyal domestic dog, which is a source of enrichment. The difference between a believer who follows a master and an unbeliever is exactly the same.
From Coin Weekly