"These people are filthy rich and have never really lacked anything (materially) in life but what they do lack is mental peace and love, which they seem to find by following the tenets of Guru Granth Sahib," a `leader' of the `American Sikhs' Harbhajan Singh Yogi said.

The desire for spiritual fulfillment and peace has made them cross the seven seas to pay obeisance to the Guru Granth Sahib as well as to see the land of the religion they have adopted, said Yogi, a practising ayurvedic doctor.

While nearly 5,000 of them are in America, the population of `converted' Sikhs is about three-and-a-half lakh all over the world.

"There are around 127 Gurudwaras for these people all over the world," said Yogi, who is also the director of a participant non-governmental organisation (the3H - Happy, Healthy and Holy) with the United Nations.

However, not all of them adopted Sikhism. A majority of those who have come here are second-generation American Sikhs whose parents had taken to Sikhism decades back.

"I was born into Sikhism and it is the tolerance... preaching of equality of all mankind and belief in one God that prompted my parents to give up their religion and follow the teachings of the ten Sikh gurus," said Srimandir, an American Sikh from Houston.

"What I like about Sikhism is the fact that it does not condemn any other religion and the community by and large is helpful and hospitable," he said, adding "I visit the Golden Temple every year so as to maintain a link with the land of my religion."

However, Yogi admitted that the life style of the "American Sikhs" is different from that of the common Sikhs.

"They get help and love from both India and abroad and even if they face obstacles, it becomes a learning experience in their quest for spiritual love and peace," addedYogi.