Lahore’s Dera Sahib Gurdwara In Disrepair

[kurtas]

Someone should ask Dr Bachan and Kiranjit Kaur what exactly they did during their tenures in the SGPC to preserve Sikh heritage. The Kar Sewa wale heritage destruction builders have been given a free reign to destroy anything they want in India by the SGPC. These two are guilty of being party to this as they remained mute spectators as the kar sewa wal destroyed everything and anything.

The following page illustrates the SGPC approved destruction http://www.punjabheritage.org/index.php?op...d=358&Itemid=41

Lahore’s Dera Sahib Gurdwara in disrepair

By SSNews, newkerala

May 4, 2006, 18:28 Email this article

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Contrary to the Pakistan Government’s claims that international level preparations were afoot to observe the 400th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev ji, the fifth spiritual leader of Sikhs in Tarn Taran, the Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore is in an utter state of neglect.

Even after getting liberal donations from Sikhs all over the world for renovation of the Sikh shrines in Pakistan, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (PSGPC) has failed to save and rebuild the Shrine. Cracks are easily visible on the wall of Dera Sahib Gurdwara.

The frescos, which were considered to be prepared few centuries ago, have either been replaced by bathroom tiles or been with whitewash. What is even more astonishing is that centuries-old paintings and murals at Dera Sahib have been replaced with tiles.

The interior walls of the Gurdwara were adorned with murals but unfortunately, many of these have been obliterated beyond recognition, and at present, only a few panels have left. The painting represents the Hindu gods and goddesses and as well as Sikh durbar during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Dr. Gurcharan Singh Bachan, former secretary, SGPC, who recently visited the Shrine, said that on the one hand, the Government of Pakistan claimed of paying special attention to preserving the religious and cultural heritage of Sikhs and special allocations were made for maintaining their sacred places. But on the contrary, the same was destroying the Sikh art and history.

Dr. Bachan said that the most of the Sikh art and work could be seen on walls in frescos and very less work was done on paper. He advised that the Pakistan Government should take immediate steps and must take help of the conservatives and art technicians to save the Sikh heritage and culture.

Kiranjt Kaur, former general secretary of SGPC and a noted critic, said, ”I was deeply hurt when I saw the condition of the Gurdwara in Pakistan, though the newly formed Pakistan Sikh Committee has been doing some work for the face lift of few Sikh shrines, but a lot of work is yet to be done”.

She regretted that even after getting huge donations from the Sikh community from all over the world, the Pakistan Government had failed to save the art which was kept there as their valued positions.

She further went on to say that to mark the 400th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev ji, the Pakistan Government should make efforts to repaint the murals and frescoes with the help of the old paintings preserved by Sikh artisans and experts.

Sikhs living in India and abroad will observe the 400th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev ji, the fifth spiritual leader of Sikhs in Tarn Taran, which was founded by the Guru. Several other functions in this regard would also be held in Lahore where Mughal Emperor Jahangir martyred the Guru.

The martyrdom anniversary will be observed for the first time officially by Pakistan’s Punjab Government in June next year.

Pakistan Government has already given its nod to arrange mega function on the occasion and announced a liberal visa would be provided to the Sikh pilgrimages on the occasion. The government stated it was making every effort to make the visit of Sikh pilgrims comfortable so that they do not face any difficulty in visiting their holy places in Pakistan.

[aman_jee]

ITs true gurdara Dera Sahib does need a lot of restoration work carrrying out on it. but the PGPC cannot be condemned for not investing in the Sikh shrtines in pakistan, the work carried out kartarpur sahb is nothing short of amazing, this one the most improtant shrines in our fatih was in a total state of disrepair until the PGPC restored it. they have also carried out lots of work at gurdara bhai joga singh peshawar, gurdwra rori sahib, nanakana sahib, tamboo shaib and gurdwara shaheed singh singhnian.

Dera sahib gurwdara is more complex as stated it has a lot of fresco work that needs to be carefully restored, proper consulatation needs to be undertaken first, this has started and the Pak govt had stated that they will not rush the work.

On a final point the SGPC cannot comment on developing sikh shrines for 30 years they would come to pakistan on the variious mela's take the sangats money and run back to india...the gurwara's were in an awful state, not one attempt was made by the sgpc to start work on pakistans gurdwara's. there is an improvement and it is a slow proccess. so please be aware of the anti-pak rhetoric that comes from india.

[asmlondon]

The pictures that are on the www.punjabheritage.org site were taken last year. There are a number of issues with the Dera Sahib Gurdwara site that are slightly unclear in this news report.

On the first picture on the site you can see the inside of the tiny sanctom sanctorum of Dehra Sahib. This was once embellished with some of the finest marble and pietra dura work (inlay work). THe best of this work dates from the time of Ranjit Singh and there was some renovations made in the 1930s I believe that above this marble work were wall paintings that covered the walls for the last two feet before the ceiling. You can see at the top of the picture some really gaudy modern mirror work replacing those wall paintings . This was done in the last couple of years. You can see this all over pakistan in mosques and houses. This very cheap, nasty, gaudy work is even less appealing than the bathroom tiles that seem to be popping up in India. The upper conrices of the central shrine are now covered in this horrible addition.

OUtside of this is a covered walkway that surrounds the central shrine on all four sides. This was once covered in wallpaintings in floral motifs and had shallow alcoves that contained paintings of the Sikh Gurus and other religious scenes. Again whitewashing has replaced most of the painted surfaces and the religious scenes are in a deplorabel condition. You can see exactly what I mean in the 2nd and 3rd pictures on the punjabheritage.org site. Some of the scenes have been completely whitewashed and it would be interesting to know what was underneath .

Aman