As experienced Sikh funeral directors in Birmingham, The Indian Funeral Company arranges antam sanskar with cultural care — care of your loved one, gurdwara coordination, the Ardas and Bhog. We guide families across the city and the wider West Midlands, so your sangat can focus on the prayers, at any hour.
Call 01922 438503The Indian Funeral Company cares for Sikh families right across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. As local Indian funeral directors, we work hand in hand with gurdwaras throughout the region and know its crematoria well — and we are only ever a phone call and a short journey away when time matters most.
We regularly arrange Sikh funerals in Handsworth, Smethwick, Sandwell, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Coventry, Dudley and Solihull, as well as across the rest of the city. Our arrangements cover Birmingham’s crematoria, and we help you choose one that can accommodate the shabad kirtan, Ardas and the observances your family wishes. Families here know us as Asian funeral directors who understand Sikh tradition from the inside — and our funeral services come to you, at any hour.
In the Sikh faith, death is understood as the soul’s reunion with Waheguru, accepted as His Hukam, or divine will. The funeral is approached with remembrance and calm rather than despair. The antam sanskar centres on cremation and on hymn-singing and prayers conducted in accordance with the Sri Guru Granth Sahib — from the Sukhmani Sahib, the Prayer of Peace, to Kirtan Sohila and the Ardas offered for the departed.
Observances vary between families and gurdwaras. Our arrangements follow your family’s wishes and the guidance of your gurdwara and granthi — we arrange and support the rites, we never direct them.
Washing and dressing your loved one respectfully, with room for the family to observe the traditional bathing and to keep the articles of faith — the Five Ks — where they apply.
Time for family and sangat to gather and recite prayers, often including the Sukhmani Sahib, and to pay their respects before the funeral in a calm and dignified setting.
Shabad kirtan, the recitation of Kirtan Sohila and the Ardas, led by the granthi, with the venue, timing and coordination handled by us.
We arrange the cremation, and coordinate the Sahaj Paath and Bhog ceremony that follow, together with the langar shared at the gurdwara.
If you have never had to arrange a funeral before, it helps to understand the shape of the days ahead. This is the path most Sikh families follow, and we adapt it to your family and your gurdwara.
We collect your loved one at any hour. The washing and dressing begin, with room for the family to observe the traditional rites and to keep the Five Ks where they apply.
Family and sangat gather to recite prayers such as the Sukhmani Sahib and to take comfort together, at the family home, the gurdwara or our premises.
Shabad kirtan and readings from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the recitation of Kirtan Sohila and the Ardas, led by the granthi at the gurdwara or crematorium.
The committal follows the service. We arrange the cremation in keeping with Sikh custom and coordinate the timing so it flows naturally from the prayers.
A complete reading of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib — the Sahaj Paath — concludes with the Bhog ceremony, usually at the gurdwara, followed by the langar shared with the community. We help coordinate all of it.
As experienced Indian funeral directors, we handle the practical work of a Sikh funeral so your family and sangat can concentrate on prayer and remembrance.
Many Sikh families hold part of the funeral at their gurdwara, or wish the granthi to lead the shabad kirtan, Kirtan Sohila and Ardas at the crematorium. In the days that follow, the family often continues with a Sahaj Paath — a complete reading of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib — concluding with the Bhog ceremony and the langar shared with the sangat.
What each gurdwara and crematorium can accommodate varies. As Sikh funeral directors working across Birmingham and the West Midlands, we know the region’s gurdwaras well, coordinate the timing so it fits both the gurdwara and the crematorium, and make the practical arrangements so your granthi and sangat can give themselves fully to the prayers.
After the cremation, Sikh tradition calls for the ashes to be immersed in flowing water rather than kept or enshrined. Some families immerse the ashes in a river here in the UK; many wish to take them to India — often to the Sutlej — and we can arrange for the ashes to be repatriated and taken to the place of your choice.
Whether you wish to remain in the UK or return the ashes to India, we will explain the options and handle the documentation and transport involved. Talk to us about what feels right for your family.
Meera Bhanot founded The Indian Funeral Company to serve the Sikh community with the fluency and respect the antam sanskar deserves. For more than a decade she has guided families through these rites personally, in English, Hindi and Punjabi, and works hand in hand with gurdwaras across the West Midlands.
Her advice is to bring us in early and to lean on us for the coordination. Aligning the crematorium slot with the gurdwara, the granthi, the Ardas and the Bhog is where families feel most stretched — and it is exactly the part we take off your shoulders, so your sangat can simply be present in the prayers.
Meera Bhanot — Founder, The Indian Funeral Company
Yes. We are Sikh and Asian funeral directors based in the West Midlands, serving families across Birmingham — from Handsworth and Smethwick to Solihull and Coventry. We work with gurdwaras throughout the region and come to you, day or night.
Sikh tradition usually calls for a prompt cremation. We work quickly and will do everything we can to respect the timing you need, alongside the necessary steps of medical verification and registering the death. Where more time is needed, we remain flexible. Call us on 01922 438503 and we will begin right away.
Yes. We make space for the family to observe the traditional bathing and dressing of your loved one, including the articles of faith — the Five Ks — where they apply. We are guided by your family’s wishes throughout.
Yes. We coordinate with your gurdwara and granthi for the funeral service, Kirtan Sohila and Ardas, and help arrange the Sahaj Paath, Bhog ceremony and langar that follow. We support the rites; we do not make religious decisions on your behalf.
Modest, subdued clothing is customary, and the head is covered in the presence of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib — so bring a scarf or head covering for the gurdwara. Many families ask guests to avoid bright colours. If you are unsure, ask us or the gurdwara and we will guide you.
Our Complete Cremation Package is £3,999 on a weekday, including care of the deceased, an oak-veneer coffin, chapel viewing, a Jaguar hearse, a limousine and administration, plus cremation fees of up to £1,000. A full itemised price list is published on our pricing page.
Yes. Sikh tradition calls for the ashes to be immersed in flowing water. We can arrange immersion in the UK, or repatriate the ashes to India — often to the Sutlej — and take them to the place of your choice. We also arrange full repatriation of your loved one to India where that is your wish, handling the documentation and transport. Call us to talk it through.
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Call us at any hour and we will arrange a Sikh funeral that honours your loved one, your gurdwara and your traditions.
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