The theme for this year's South Asian Heritage Month, which runs from 18 July – 17 August, is 'Roots to Routes'.
Michael Ravuri, Intercultural Ministry Enabler
This title reminds me that ‘heritage’ is our origin story but also a means through which God can expand and develop our faith. Heritage is more than just a memory or a collection of familial experiences; it is also a narrative of belonging, identity, and blessing.
For many South Asians - whether born on the continent or raised in the diaspora - heritage is a beautiful and complex formation of different experiences that shape who we are as people and communities. Whether it is the handing down of traditions, languages, culture or practices – ‘heritage’ is the gift that each generation bestows to the next.
With the celebration of South Asian Heritage Month, the next few weeks are an opportunity for the country and our local churches in the diocese to share in unique traditions and cultures that may differ from our own. See here a list of ways to experience and reflect on South Asian culture this month.
While the South Asian population makes up the majority in certain parts of Leicestershire, our local churches may not be as diverse. Therefore, this month gives us a chance to further understand the South Asian experience, how it is lived generally, but also specifically in relation to our faith.
Historically, heritages that differ from that of Britain have been questioned or even denigrated when discussed alongside Christianity – even as we know that our multi-faceted, omnipresent God displays Himself through various cultures, heritages and people. It is important for us to remember that even as languages change, traditions evolve, and different generations interpret faith in various ways – our God is still the same, even as He is expressed differently. He values all our stories and is delighted in a racially and culturally diverse church that represents the kingdom He is seeking to build amongst His followers.
As a diocese we are excited to continue this journey of diverse Christian expression through our intercultural worship spaces and services; sharing how the goodness and beauty of God is powerfully expressed through many forms and people.
In the book, Intercultural Church for a Multicultural World, we learn how differing heritages honour the “gift of diversity”. Heritage is a divine blessing and a reminder of the importance of actively cherishing our differences as reflections of God’s kingdom.
As in the Bible, the gift of hospitality is a staple in the South Asian community. Once, while my wife and I were walking home, we overheard a young couple having a difficult conversation. Feeling compelled in our spirits, we gently asked if they were okay.
As the conversation continued, we invited them to our home – which for people of other cultures may be unthinkable when it comes to strangers! However, in offering them hospitality within our home of faith, we were able to listen, pray and comfort them at a challenging time.
For us, this was a manifestation of what our faith and heritage have asked of us, to “offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4v8). Instead, seeing hospitality as an outpouring of our love for God and one another. These cultural practices and traditions that harken to our heritage but are expressed through faith, display how God can use our heritage to show love in the communities He places us.
I am inspired to see how God is bringing and using individuals from South Asian countries to advance His kingdom in Leicestershire. I am also encouraged by how the Diocese is nurturing these individuals, and as a South Asian man, I am delighted to be part of this work.
I would ask that we continue to pray for the UK population, specifically those in Leicestershire, who have yet to experience God's unconditional love, especially within the South Asian community.
I also pray that we will offer our culture and heritage to God— asking Him to refine and use it for His glory.
Also, that this South Asian Heritage Month, we will all reflect on how we can use our unique experiences and origins to carry forward our love for God and a love for all His people.
Five facts about South Asian communities and heritage in the Diocese of Leicester
- In 1972 around 10,000 Ugandan Asians – mainly Gujaratis – migrated to Leicester. They had lived a wealthy life in Uganda until General Idi Amin took over the country and decreed that all Asians must leave within 90 days. Many Ugandan Asians had British passports and legally Britain took responsibility for many from the displaced community.
- The story of the Golden Mile is one of resilience and enterprise. For many years Belgrave Road was a thriving area with large companies such as Wolsey and the British United Shoe Machinery (BUSM) company sharing the nearby streets with many smaller workshops and businesses. BUSM was Leicester’s largest manufacturing company. In the 1960s and ‘70s the area was in decline. Many industries based in the area had closed and the houses built for their workers were often empty. These Victorian terraces, however, provided affordable housing for newcomers from India and Pakistan. Many Asians fleeing Uganda from 1972 also lived there. The incoming Asian community set up small and efficient businesses, applying their previous trading experience. The new influx of people rejuvenated the area and, along with improvements to the built environment, created the Golden Mile that we know today.
- The Golden Mile’s annual Diwali (Hindu festival) celebrations in October are often said to be the largest outside of India and have an international reputation, with crowds over 40,000 enjoying music, food and fireworks.
According to the latest 2021 census, the population in Leicester is predominantly Asian (43.4%). The city also publishes official council documents in Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati and Urdu to meet the diverse language needs of the population.
- In 2008-2009, Manjula Sood became the UK’s first Asian female Lord Mayor. Sood is an educator and community leader, who has also been awarded an MBE.
Prominent figures from South Asian heritage in the Church of England
1. First Parish Vicar: Shapurji Edalji (1841–1918)
An Indian-born convert from Bombay, Reverend Shapurji Edalji is believed to be the first South Asian appointed as a vicar in an English parish (Great Wyrley). He converted in 1856.
2. First Asian Bishop in House of Lords: Michael Nazir-Ali
Born in Pakistan and ordained in the Church of Pakistan, The Right Reverend Michael Nazir-Ali became Bishop of Rochester in 1994 and subsequently the first Asian bishop to sit in the House of Lords.
3. South Indian Bishop: Smitha Prasadam
Born in South India, The Right Reverend Smitha Prasadam became Bishop of Huddersfield in June 2023. She adds to the growing representation of South Asians in episcopal leadership.
4. Youngest Bishop from South India: Saju Muthalaly
Our very own Bishop of Loughborough, The Right Reverend Saju Muthalaly, was born in Kerala, India and became one of the youngest bishops in the Church of England when his appointment was announced in late 2021.