Church Next To Harmindar Sahib

[Bundha]

If you look at old pictures of Harmindar Sahib , maybe around the 18/19th century there is a huge church right next to Darbar Sahib complex. Does any one know of the story about this? Persumably it was made by the Christians as a direct challenge to Sikhi, and it looks like after independence it was demolished.

[dalsingh101]

If you look at old pictures of Harmindar Sahib , maybe around the 18/19th century there is a huge church right next to Darbar Sahib complex. Does any one know of the story about this? Persumably it was made by the Christians as a direct challenge to Sikhi, and it looks like after independence it was demolished.

I vaguely recall reading somewhere that various religious schools would have preaching centres around Harmandir Sahib (including nonSikh ones) in the pre 'annexation' period. I think the Brits must have built a grand monument in the vicinity as some sort of overblown demonstration of their power and 'greatness' in relation to the various competing religions to 'mesmerise the natives'. You know they are prone to this sort of posturing.

Would be nice if you could post a picture of this church for us.

[proactive]

It was a clock tower that resembled a church. It was taken down after Independence. With regard to Christian activities after the annexation of Punjab, it was flooded with missionaries and even a bunga near the Durbar sahib was used for christian activities. These were stopped around the time of the Akali movement.

[Bundha]

There is a picture of it on this page while it was under construction.

http://www.info-sikh.com/HHPage2.html

Yes, the whole idea I think about it being very tall and grand was to show their superiority.

[dalsingh101]

There is a picture of it on this page while it was under construction.

http://www.info-sikh.com/HHPage2.html

Yes, the whole idea I think about it being very tall and grand was to show their superiority.

Thanks for sharing these images.

It's very interesting to note that reading classes and even commerce such as flower selling once took place on the parkarma. You can also see a dark cow in one of the images.

PS - Yes, I think they were trying to inspire 'awe' in the natives with their miniature Big Ben. They did a lot of this prior to and after the colonisation of Panjab.

[Singh, Mahan]

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The church was not taken down after the independence. I think, it was taken down much earlier. I have read some where that this church was built around 1885, but was turned into a clock tower by the the the backer of the construction himself, within a few years after it was built. And later it was taken down. He (the builder/ backer) was an English high ranking administrative officer and he was keen about spreading Christianity in Punjab. The legend says that as the church was being built he started to become sick. So some good soul advised him that he should not have built this church as a challenge to Darbar Sahib. So after some thought and after consulting his backers, he decided to abandon his original plans to make it into a grand church.

(This is what my understanding is. Could someone search the history and find out what really happened?)

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[S1ngh]

It was Amritsar DC's order to abandon the project of building the church in the place of ghanta ghar. It was also his idea to build or promote Christianity in punjab.. However, he suddenly abandon church structure (which was almost finished) and ordered to be demolished. DC later on told that someone in turban visited him in his dream and advised/told him that what they are doing is not right. When he explained more about the person who visited him in his dream, all characters pointed to Guru Gobind Singh ji and he later mentioned that it looks one of the sikh gurus.

Here's the close-up picture:

[BhaiSukhSingh]

Wat bout when the British wanted to turn Sri hamandir sahib into a church? When ur waiting for darshan of Maharaj where the arch is u can read the following stOry

When the britsh were going to change Sri hamandir sahib into a church they did it slowly they started by putting up crosses inside the datbar sahib

And they set a date when the will escort maharaj out of the datbar sahib and install bigger crosses and the Singh set it so on this day a akand parh they set will come to aramb after the bhog happened Singh tuk hukamnamma

The British were on the outside planning where this will go and how they will do that

Than suddenly from the sky a bright light came blinding everyone this shocked the British as it was the middle of the day

They became frightened and left there plans to turn Sri hamandir sahib into a church

Typed o. iPod so sorry for any errors

Also I have a gud pic of the church the britsh it made it on a higher platform than Sri hamandir sahib thus to show our religion is more powerful than your

I dnt think they understood why we walk down the steps to Sri hamandir sahib

When I get on lappy will upload pic of church

[dalsingh101]

Just out of interest. What is that guy in the picture in post 7 doing exactly (the one squatting down)? What is that thing on his shoulder?

[BhaiSukhSingh]

with respect to other users comments in the below picture you can see the church errected and see the cross on the top

can anyone explain this picture when the sarover the seva is taking place why was the gal removed this is in 1923

you may need to click pictures to view