The New Gravesend Gurdwara

[Bhai Sahib]

Gravesend’s Great White ‘Grey’ Elephant

On Vasakhi I had a look at what’s been built of the new Gravesend Gurdwara and I thought to myself, “What a waste of money!”. The project is over-budget and behind schedule.

From what I’ve heard the Gravesend community have raised half the money need for the project £4 million, while the committee have taken out a loan of the other half. But the costs have now risen a further £2 million.

In these days of rising interest rates that loan is going to sting, plus the committee have brought over some bheya from Bihar to do the marble, which I think is costing £2 million. That’s one hell of an expensive wall paper!!.

The marble is not even white, it’s grey. It looks like concrete.

What a waste of money!

But the Gurdwara is huge.

How the hell they are going to pay for the ongoing maintenance cost is anyone’s guess.

The heating, lighting, cleaning, security, and repair??

How are they going to maintain all those Dysons that the bibia will be breaking every year??

If I see those committee members walking up my driveway to ask me to donate yet more money, I'll tell my wife to hand me my shotgun.

When I see that Gurdwara, I think of two words, Bankruptcy and Behzti.

http://www.sikhsangat.org/ssn/publish/Engl..._Schedule.shtml

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/dartgrav...g_the_rules.php

http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/faith/sikh_temple.shtml

[Bhai Sahib]

I think I might be adding an entry onto Wikipedia in the future for the Gravesend Gurdwara when (or if) it’s built.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_elephan...White_Elephants

• The Gravesend Gurdwara, a Sikh place of worship built by undisclosed individuals who are now retired and living in big mansions in the Punjab. The building cost £18 million in total and took 12 years to build, by which time the congregation had dwindle due to lack of interest by the new generation of Sikhs. Due to the long awaited UK property crash in 2013, the Gravesend Gurdwara Committee had to declare bankruptcy on its loans due to the UK interest rates rising to 15%. The Gurdwara is now owned by a London-based property firm which is converting the building into residential flats and offices.
  

[_anon_]

i agree with you 100%

been to gsend a couple of times, got family there... the current gurdwara is always empty, u might see a couple of elderly people. hall gets fuller on big gurpurbs, new yr etc but less n less people are coming to that anyway... theyre in so much debt, its ridiculous. i dont know whos managing the budget, they cant possibly get any more money out of the sangat. just about managing to look after the current gwara and thats pretty small, God knows who's gonna maintain the new one. loads of people will come in the beginning but eventually it'll end up with just the elders, bit like southall havelock road. enormous hall but not enough sangat to fill it. whats the point?

[Guest Dancing Warrior]

If I see those committee members walking up my driveway to ask me to donate yet more money, I'll tell my wife to hand me my shotgun. for them mate you're gonna need a tank

[Bhai Sahib]

I was never consulted on the design for this Gurdwara, never offered any decisive input, yet their happy to take my money to fund some wannabe architects’ fantasy.

[chatanga]

talking bout raising funds for a gurdwara, i had 5 singh come to my house for collecting for beautifying of damdama sahib in bathinda. i asked them why cant sgpc do it themselves? they said sgpc are skint, i said thats rubbish. they have loads of money, and they get people like you( nishkam sewak jatha soho rd) to do repairs at your own expense then spend all their own money on stupid things or waste it on alcohol.

i told him staright if i had any money i would not give you a penny, but i would give it to the families of the sikhs who have suffered since 1984. wy dont you forget beautifying damdama and give it to the poor sikhs.

there are many orgs. that are spending the money on irrelelvant things when they could be spending it on neccessities. after 84 there has been a lot of loss for many sikhs, at least if we have the money it should be spent for ther help.

chatanga

[Simple Singhani]

errr.. why dint u say anything when they planned to built it? its built now.. whats the point in raising this issue?? please educate me......

[Bhai Sahib]

errr.. why dint u say anything when they planned to built it? its built now.. whats the point in raising this issue?? please educate me......

I will educate you.

It has not finished being built.

[Hardeep__singh]

Complete waste of money, instead that Money could help millions who are poor and dont have a cent to eat, drink and cloth their selves,. Just shows you 'SIKHS' these days are more bothered about their selves and their own deras and stuff, it also shows that the Guru's teachings have been ignored and all is wasted. Even so why bother build another Gurdwara, we have enough of them, some of the money raised could also have gone to building funds across UK, as to help the existing buildings, not build another £4m Gurdwara. After all when its built no one really is going to maintain it, are they?

Verdict: Pointless and waste of money. 'Tut'

[smartsingh24]

just to let u no, ur more than likely going to be asked to cite what u state on wikipedia. those kids are sharp.