Post by Navdip Dhariwal on Oct 22, 2004 12:55:21 GMT
On the 20th anniversary of the storming of the Golden Temple by Indian government forces, a dramatic controversy over the restoration of the holy shrine still remains. In a documentary on Radio 4 next week, the BBC's Navdip Dhariwal explores the strange story of conflict between a Birmingham based group and professional conservationists in India.
When Indira Gandhi sent the military into the Golden Temple in 1984, many parts in and around the shrine were damaged. An extensive restoration drive, which is now nearly completed, had been led by volunteers from the biggest Gurudwara (Sikh temple) 8,000 miles away - here in Birmingham , UK .
However, their well meaning actions have run into a barrage of criticism from professional conservationists in India . With the Golden Temple now being considered for World Heritage status, the issue has become much more topical.
For the programme, Navdip Dhariwal, the BBC's new South Asia correspondent, travelled to the holy city of Amritsar Punjab where she met a leading conservation architect, Gurmeet Rai. Rai is highly critical of the work that has been carried out and is now overseeing a complete architectural survey of the Golden Temple site as part of the bid to get World Heritage status.
"I came hear and saw the sort of work they were doing I tried to get it stopped but no-one was listening. It's crass and if you are going to decorate the house of our Lord with plastic stickers then I think it is appalling."
"The Harmandir Sahib ( Golden Temple ) is the history of the Sikh faith for over 400 years and to replace this with modern material which is historically unsympathetic is criminal," she added.
Rai's criticism is backed by the Sikh historian Patwant Singh, who told the BBC that the Birmingham group has been over-zealous in the determination to serve the faith.
"Generosity is fine. Voluntary service or kar seva is brilliant. But it doesn't mean ignoring principles of conservation, then it becomes an ego trip: I'll do it but on my terms. When I saw the Golden Temple finally emerge from the scaffolding and I was shocked."
The Birmingham based group in charge of the restoration however hits back at criticism. Mohinder Singh, the Chairman of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sevak Jatha, said: "History will record that I was responsible for doing the gold gilding. My conscience is clear. This is the 400th anniversary of our holy book, a very important anniversary. But, for people who made objections for nothing, the Golden Temple remains un-cleaned inside. This is the damage that was done."
Gold Service : Radio 4 at 11am, on Monday 25th October.
Produced by Ashok Ahir & Jeremy Davies. Presented by Navdip Dhariwal.
When Indira Gandhi sent the military into the Golden Temple in 1984, many parts in and around the shrine were damaged. An extensive restoration drive, which is now nearly completed, had been led by volunteers from the biggest Gurudwara (Sikh temple) 8,000 miles away - here in Birmingham , UK .
However, their well meaning actions have run into a barrage of criticism from professional conservationists in India . With the Golden Temple now being considered for World Heritage status, the issue has become much more topical.
For the programme, Navdip Dhariwal, the BBC's new South Asia correspondent, travelled to the holy city of Amritsar Punjab where she met a leading conservation architect, Gurmeet Rai. Rai is highly critical of the work that has been carried out and is now overseeing a complete architectural survey of the Golden Temple site as part of the bid to get World Heritage status.
"I came hear and saw the sort of work they were doing I tried to get it stopped but no-one was listening. It's crass and if you are going to decorate the house of our Lord with plastic stickers then I think it is appalling."
"The Harmandir Sahib ( Golden Temple ) is the history of the Sikh faith for over 400 years and to replace this with modern material which is historically unsympathetic is criminal," she added.
Rai's criticism is backed by the Sikh historian Patwant Singh, who told the BBC that the Birmingham group has been over-zealous in the determination to serve the faith.
"Generosity is fine. Voluntary service or kar seva is brilliant. But it doesn't mean ignoring principles of conservation, then it becomes an ego trip: I'll do it but on my terms. When I saw the Golden Temple finally emerge from the scaffolding and I was shocked."
The Birmingham based group in charge of the restoration however hits back at criticism. Mohinder Singh, the Chairman of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sevak Jatha, said: "History will record that I was responsible for doing the gold gilding. My conscience is clear. This is the 400th anniversary of our holy book, a very important anniversary. But, for people who made objections for nothing, the Golden Temple remains un-cleaned inside. This is the damage that was done."
Gold Service : Radio 4 at 11am, on Monday 25th October.
Produced by Ashok Ahir & Jeremy Davies. Presented by Navdip Dhariwal.