Demolition Of Akal Takht By Radical Sikhs

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070831/punjab1.htm#10

He protected Takht podium

Varinder Walia

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 30

When the two-and-a-half-century old ivory mosaic work, priceless murals, naqqashi and paintings, depicting mythological scenes were being destroyed in the demolition of Akal Takht in January, 1986, by radical Sikhs, it was on the intervention of Giani Mohinder Singh, former SGPC secretary, that the original podium where Guru Hargobind used to address the Sikh Sangat was protected.

The former SGPC secretary, who turned 99 today, told The Tribune that he immediately approached Bhai Gurdev Singh Kaunke, who had been appointed Jathedar of the Takht by militants, after he saw the structure being pulled down. There was nobody who knew the importance of the base of the Takht. It was the biggest achievement of his life that the SGPC agreed to preserve the structure, he added.

Giani Mohinder Singh is the oldest surviving Sikh leader who had witnessed the most significant historical events, including Jallianwala Bagh tragedy, pre-Partition Akali morchas, and had worked with the legendary Shiromani Akali Dal presidents like Master Tara Singh.

He said the priceless naqqashi, which fell prey to the militant diktat two decades ago, was a specimen of excellence attained by Sikh craftsmen. The craftsmen had dedicated their lives to complete the exquisite artwork in the interiors of the Takht.

Frescoes were introduced by Bhai Kehar Singh under the patronage of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Today, few artists pursue this “Sikh school of art”.

Now, the work of gold-plating of the Takht, which remained incomplete after Operation Bluestar in June 1984 for a long time, was re-started through kar sewa. After the reconstruction of the Takht, the gold-plating work on the Takht could not be completed in time.

However, hundreds of original frescoes, including that of Hindu gods and bhagats, are in the possession of descendants of Bhai Gian Singh, who belongs to the lineage of naqqashs.

The artwork, which has been lost forever, included “jaratkari”, which is known as “munavat”. In this technique a drawing is made on the paper first and later transferred on to a marble slab by the naqqash. The original drawing, complete with colours schemes, is passed on to coloured-stone dressers for cutting patterns from the multicoloured stones. These patterns are then set on the slabs by the “pather-gharas”.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------bhoot mata, as a singh on this forum says, does it again. changes history so sikhs in india who can read the paper learn that sikh militants destroyed akaal takhat sahib.

they don't write that the sikh nation tore town the rebuilt takhat, which was destroyed by the indian army, because it was made by indira's hand selected sikh sellouts.

beware of indian media spreading its false propaganda to sikhs in india and abroad. this is a blatant example of the type of garbage sikhs in india are fed. slowly they are rewriting our history, be aware, be awake.

peace.

[Guest Dancing Warrior]

YES YES!! Deny the truth! And the reality that it was Militant Sikhs who actually tore down the Thakat in its entirety! Even though it was about twenty percent that had been damaged and replaced, that’s also a fact! Replacing it with a different design to that which Guru Hargobind Ji had it constructed! that’s also a fact! Obviously the militants knew best even more so than Guru Ji about the correct design of the Thakat!

[ocelot]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070831/punjab1.htm#10

He protected Takht podium

Varinder Walia

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 30

When the two-and-a-half-century old ivory mosaic work, priceless murals, naqqashi and paintings, depicting mythological scenes were being destroyed in the demolition of Akal Takht in January, 1986, by radical Sikhs, it was on the intervention of Giani Mohinder Singh, former SGPC secretary, that the original podium where Guru Hargobind used to address the Sikh Sangat was protected.

peace.

Why sikhs are so much concerned about Mythology.

I was thinking there is no mythology in Sikhism

So you are upset that those singhs destroyed some old mythology

Never mind i am like that, but there is no mythology in sikhism, who is sure when that structure was actuall built?

Do all Nihangs love mythology and happy to prey to Chandi (kali), why are they always so touched if someone talks about Hindu Mythology.

We are afterall sikhs and there is no Mythology in sikhi.

[S1ngh]

Don't blame militants

Blame Government who attacked and destroyed

[Bijla Singh]

YES YES!! Deny the truth! And the reality that it was Militant Sikhs who actually tore down the Thakat in its entirety! Even though it was about twenty percent that had been damaged and replaced, that’s also a fact! Replacing it with a different design to that which Guru Hargobind Ji had it constructed! that’s also a fact! Obviously the militants knew best even more so than Guru Ji about the correct design of the Thakat!

You know nothing about the history. GOI hired a puppet to rebuild Akal Takhat who within two months with budget of couple of crore rs. did the job and satisfied the government despite the opposition from the entire Panth. When it was finally decided to destroy the government built building, Baba Thakur Singh and other kar seva babas wanted to tear down everything including the base and build the so-called new room full of marble and paintings. It was some Sikh historians who interfered and saved the Kotha Sahib. When the building was tore down many bones were found which had been mixed in the cement. The entire Panth agreed to rebuild Akal Takhat. Panth has the right to change the design and make it bigger as long as the concept, principle and function do not change. In fact, Panth rebuilt Darbar Sahib one time and Nawab Kapoor Singh laid the foundation after it was completely destroyed by Abdali. Design doesn't matter. What matters is the message and its relation to gurmat. It is kar seva babas who destroyed our unique heritage and became rich.

[S1ngh]

YES YES!! Deny the truth! And the reality that it was Militant Sikhs who actually tore down the Thakat in its entirety! Even though it was about twenty percent that had been damaged and replaced, that’s also a fact! Replacing it with a different design to that which Guru Hargobind Ji had it constructed! that’s also a fact! Obviously the militants knew best even more so than Guru Ji about the correct design of the Thakat!

You know nothing about the history. GOI hired a puppet to rebuild Akal Takhat who within two months with budget of couple of crore rs. did the job and satisfied the government despite the opposition from the entire Panth. When it was finally decided to destroy the government built building, Baba Thakur Singh and other kar seva babas wanted to tear down everything including the base and build the so-called new room full of marble and paintings. It was some Sikh historians who interfered and saved the Kotha Sahib. When the building was tore down many bones were found which had been mixed in the cement. The entire Panth agreed to rebuild Akal Takhat. Panth has the right to change the design and make it bigger as long as the concept, principle and function do not change. In fact, Panth rebuilt Darbar Sahib one time and Nawab Kapoor Singh laid the foundation after it was completely destroyed by Abdali. Design doesn't matter. What matters is the message and its relation to gurmat. It is kar seva babas who destroyed our unique heritage and became rich.

Thanks.. Learned something new today !

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

did you read my comments? i'm not saying sikhs destroyed akal takhat sahib..that's what the indian media is saying.

[Guest Dancing Warrior]

That makes perfect sense, the Sikhs who help rebuild it to its original specs are traitors and the ones who in part caused it to be destroyed in the first place and took it upon themselves to alter it are heroes!

Like I said militant neo-Sikhs of today take it upon themselves to alter and change history to suit their own pseudo nonsense, fundamentally the cause of many problems within the panth today.

“When the building was tore down many bones were found which had been mixed in the cement”

Well there you have it folks!! More ridicules hotchpotch from the expert in history and the director producer of quantum leap!

I’ll leave you guys to slap your own backs, and learn from each other! :homer

[Ahem]

What we need to remember is the INNOCENT sikhs that we're attacked. never has any government attacked a holy place like Sri Harmandir Sahib. I think we need to wake up and stop believeing what the media say and start doing our own research.

[Mehtab Singh]

After Indira Gandhi was assasinated, Zail Singh ordered the massacre of Sikhs and was strongly condemned by Rajiv Gandhi for such an irresponsible statement.

Thank God they haven't published something like that yet.