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Golden Temple replica in Punjab's
Malwa raises hackles
Mansukh Kaur
 SANGRUR: In a
rather peculiar controversy that is likely to attract much attention
and debate within the Sikh community, an upcoming gurdwara four
kilometers from Sangrur town in
Punjab and just
behind the memorial to Sant Attar Singh Mastuana Sahib wale has been
raised as a near replica of the Sri Darbar Sahib,
Amritsar.
The shape and
looks of the new gurdwara are clearly similar to the world renowned
Golden
Temple, and the SGPC has taken a strong note of it, sending a team
to Sangrur on Tuesday to study it after the controversy hit
headlines in sections of Punjabi media.
The new gurdwara
is being raised by followers of the cash-rich Mastuana dera, and
surprisingly, the construction is on since 1967. Earlier, a similar
row had arisen in 1993-94. Interestingly, the foundation stone of
the gurdwara was laid by then Akali Dal president Sant Harchand
Singh Longowal. When the controversy first erupted in 1993-94, the
then Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Kewal Singh had examined the
spot and had instructed a few changes so that the gurdwara looks
different from the
Amritsar Golden
Temple.
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The Mastuana leadership claimed privately that Sant Tek Singh
Dhanaula and Sant Mitha Singh were among those fanning the
controversy and Sant Tek Singh was at one stage instrumental in
getting control of the gurdwara. |
Gurdwara
Sachkhand Angeetha Sahib head, Sant Sadhu Singh, who is supervising
the venture now, said even though at first the new gurdwara does
seem to most as a replica of the
Golden Temple,
the row was a doing of some vested elements. He said rumors are
being spread that an Akal Takht style structure is also to be raised
in front of the Gurdwara or that gold leafing will be done as epr
the pattern at Sri Harmandir Sahib. He said it was not a replica of
the Amritsar gurdwara but was the Darbar of Angeetha Sahib.
Not many in the
Sikh community are likely to take the sect's words at their face
value even though it maintained that neither the sarowar around the
new gurdwara was as large nor was there a Darshani Deodhi style
structure.
SGPC officials
including general secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, Rajinder Singh
mehta and team's coordinator Roop Singh made a tour of the structure
but apparently did not hear out the sect leadership, telling it
that, "We have come here to see, not to hear."
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No one can
raise Darbar Sahib replica: Akal Takht
 Akal Takht
jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh has said no one will be allowed
to raise a replica of Sri Darbar Sahib,
Amritsar. He
said a similar effort earlier was stopped by the Akal Takht and
if need be, strict action will be taken this time. |
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The structure is
surrounded by a sarowar and marble is being put on the steps around
the sarowar. The causeway leading to the structure over the sarowar
is similar to the one at
Amritsar while
from inside the structure, two stair cases lead from each side of a
Har Ki Pauri style construction, just as in the case of Sri Darbar
Sahib, Amritsar.
The Mastuana
leadership claimed privately that Sant Tek Singh Dhanaula and Sant
Mitha Singh were among those fanning the controversy and Sant Tek
Singh was at one stage instrumental in getting control of the
gurdwara. He was eased out on January 9 this year in a bitter and
public turf war.
Though Dhanaula
was a member of the panel named by the SGPC to report on the new
structure, he did not accompany the SGPC team because of intense
antipathy among the local dera following against him.
The sect has
threatened massive agitation by lakhs of dera followers if any
attempt was made by the SGPC to force it to alter the structure of
the gurdwara. "We will not let the conspiracy to thwart our plans to
complete the structure to succeed," said Advocate Vijay Kumar
Aggarwal.
Currently, there
is already prakash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib inside the new gurdwara
and Sukh Asan is performed and the palki brought out every evening
just as in the case of Sri Darbar Sahib.
10
June 2009
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