Sikh City vs Latina in the Pontine Plain

In the 1980s, Sikhs migrated to the Pontine Plain from Punjab, one of the wealthiest and most fertile regions of the Indian subcontinent. To the Sikh migrants, the Pontine Plain was not just a foreign land but a place that echoed their homeland's rural character and physical features. Sikh settled between Latina, Pontinia, Aprilia, Bella Farnia, Sabaudia, Borgo Hermada, San Felice al Circeo, Terracina, and Fondi, transforming many former farm sheds into places of worship, social gatherings, and political discussions. According to estimates, in 2018, around 11,000 Sikhs lived in the Pontine Plain. However, the actual number may be more than twice as high. This Sikh community is considered the second-largest in Europe. Based on research carried out by C. Pallini for the EU-funded project Modscapes and ongoing work by D. Bose for his MA thesis, this paper explores the settlement patterns of the Sikhs, arguing that their settlement might provide an asset for the future, taking into account the challenge of climate change.