Updated 17:03 IST | Saturday, February 04, 2012
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Cold comfort at Golden Temple draws flak
Satinder Bains
Thursday, 29 May 2008
AMRITSAR: Installation of Air conditions inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple by the Shriomani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has invited the wrath of Sikh Scholars and conservationists.
It may be mentioned here that last week SGPC has clandestinely installed the two heavy duty air-conditioners (4 tonnes each), inside the Golden Temple without taking the Sikh scholars and conservationist in confidence, who now came out with severe criticism.
SGPC officials with the condition of anonymity said that it has been done while keeping in view the frequent visits of VVIPs in the Golden Temple in order to provide them desirable atmosphere for long sitting.
The greatest risk from these machines is to the unique frescoes, and the heritage building is now at the mercy of variations in temperature, said shocked anti-AC crusaders and conservationists.
SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar said that ACs were installed after obtaining the opinion of experts and Conservationists and nothing has been done which could go against the pious structure of Golden Temple.
Conservationist Balwinder Singh from Guru Nanak Dev University has also described the decision of SGPC is purely against the heritage as SGPC should not have played with the natural climate of the sanctum sanctorum. Controlled air from the AC can create a serious threat to the centuries-old frescoes and other art work. The architecture of Sikhism's most pious shrine had in its original design factored in cross ventilation to keep the climate inside pleasant.
Balwinder Singh said that devotees visited the Darbar Sahib for spiritual solace and not for physical comforts and, hence, devotees had never made any such demand so far. The walls of the Harmander Sahib are made of burnt bricks and lime mortar and, hence, there was no need to install ACs.
Last year, the move to install the ACs was dropped for a few months when renowned conservationist Gurmit Rai and other Sikh scholars had warned that the air-conditioning system, the Darbar Sahib, would be an extremely destructive intervention.
SGPC senior officials with the condition of anonymity disclosed that ACs were installed with persistent demand by Surinder Kaur Badal, wife of the Chief Minister of Punjab, since she visits every month in the Golden Temple and sit there two to three hours.
It may be mentioned here that last week SGPC has clandestinely installed the two heavy duty air-conditioners (4 tonnes each), inside the Golden Temple without taking the Sikh scholars and conservationist in confidence, who now came out with severe criticism.
SGPC officials with the condition of anonymity said that it has been done while keeping in view the frequent visits of VVIPs in the Golden Temple in order to provide them desirable atmosphere for long sitting.
The greatest risk from these machines is to the unique frescoes, and the heritage building is now at the mercy of variations in temperature, said shocked anti-AC crusaders and conservationists.
SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar said that ACs were installed after obtaining the opinion of experts and Conservationists and nothing has been done which could go against the pious structure of Golden Temple.
Conservationist Balwinder Singh from Guru Nanak Dev University has also described the decision of SGPC is purely against the heritage as SGPC should not have played with the natural climate of the sanctum sanctorum. Controlled air from the AC can create a serious threat to the centuries-old frescoes and other art work. The architecture of Sikhism's most pious shrine had in its original design factored in cross ventilation to keep the climate inside pleasant.
Balwinder Singh said that devotees visited the Darbar Sahib for spiritual solace and not for physical comforts and, hence, devotees had never made any such demand so far. The walls of the Harmander Sahib are made of burnt bricks and lime mortar and, hence, there was no need to install ACs.
Last year, the move to install the ACs was dropped for a few months when renowned conservationist Gurmit Rai and other Sikh scholars had warned that the air-conditioning system, the Darbar Sahib, would be an extremely destructive intervention.
SGPC senior officials with the condition of anonymity disclosed that ACs were installed with persistent demand by Surinder Kaur Badal, wife of the Chief Minister of Punjab, since she visits every month in the Golden Temple and sit there two to three hours.
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