amandeepm

Woodcuts were frequesntly coloured prior to being sold - these represent the most unpretentious of all sikh art and woudl have been exactly the kind of images that our great grandparents woudl have bought for a few paisa from a major gurdwara to take back to pind. Since they were the most disposable of Sikh art very few remain - John Lockwood Kipling (Rudyard Kiplings father) with great foresight meneged to collect a good number that are rpeserved in the V&A Aman

This "issue" has been going on for years - I attach below an article that appeared in The Independant (London) back in 1999. Even after this they remained characteristically tight lipped - maybe this radio documentary will make them listen - quite honestly I doubt it Headline: Brummies bodge Sikhs’ holy shrine Journalist: Peter Popham Date: 25 September 1999 Source: The Independent Story: IN THE middle of an artificial lake gleams a golden pavilion. It is the holy of holies of the Sikh religion, and an architectural masterpiece to rival the Taj Mahal. But unlike the latter, this is a shrine throbbing with life. Day and night, plangent Sikh hymns roll across the water. Every day thousands of Sikh pilgrims from all over the world stream through, bathing in the holy waters and prostrating themselves before the holy book. Outsiders are welcomed: two years ago the Queen and Prince Philip were given a tour of the complex, and a model of it to take home as a souvenir. But despite all the love and attention, the Golden Temple in the northern Indian city of Amritsar is under dire threat - ironically, from pious Sikhs who devote all their spare time and money to the shrine. In the name of renovation and improvement, groups of karsevaks, or volunteers, throw themselves into doing their bit for the temple. Prominent among them is a group of British Sikhs from Birmingham, the Guru Nanak Nishkam Jatha. But nobody in the temple exercises informed control over the renovation work that gets done, with the result that this 200-year-old masterpiece is being steadily defaced, distorted and vulgarised. In an octagonal nine-storey tower erected 200 years ago in memory of a nine-year-old martyr, 19th century frescoes depicting the life of Guru Nanak, the religion's founder, have been scraped off the walls and replaced by avocado green bathroom tiles. The holiest spot in the complex is the Harimandir Sahib, the Abode of God, in the centre of the lake, reached by a 200-yard causeway. This is where the holy men sit continuously singing hymns, while devotees troop in and out. The upper part of the Harimandir gleams golden: the copper plates it is made of are thickly covered in gold leaf. The entire roof has recently been renovated by the Sikhs from Birmingham, a work that took four years to complete. But experts in Sikh architecture charge that, in their zeal, the craftsmen hired by the Birmingham devotees have done irreparable damage to the roof, plastering cement over paintings which lay underneath the original copper sheets, thereby destroying them. The Akal Takht is the other holy spot in the complex, the building to which the holy book, the Granth Sahib, is ritually carried every day. The original structure, a delicate brick pavilion, was blown apart by Indian army tanks in 1984, when Indira Gandhi demanded that secessionist Sikh terrorists who had seized it should be killed. Afterwards the pavilion was razed to the ground and rebuilt - but the replacement is a hulking ferro-concrete building with none of the grace of the original. The stream of believers and the singing of hymns ensure a serene mood inside. But the canopy suspended over the holy book, garish pink and fringed like a bedcover, alerts one to the fact that Sikh aesthetics are not what they once were. Upstairs on scaffolding, Harbhajan Singh and his sons, local artisans, are painting the ceiling. Their work is precise and highly detailed, but the colours they use - cream and orange and blue and yellow and pink - would look more at home on a carousel in a fairground. "Did you have this colour scheme approved by the temple authorities?" I asked him. "No, no, I chose it myself," he replied. "I don't have to get permission from anyone. I've been painting here since 1955. Nobody tells me what to do." For many years, educated Sikhs have kept quiet about the stealthy, well-intentioned desecration that is overtaking the Golden Temple and other of Sikhism's historical treasures. But now they are making their indignation known. "These people are showing utter lack of sensitivity towards our heritage," says Patwant Singh, a noted authority on Sikh art and architecture. "Despite the resoluteness with which Sikhs have risen to every challenge, our generation has not been able to face the challenge of conserving its heritage." Gurmeet Rai, an architectural historian who has made a systematic study of the historic buildings of Punjab for Unesco, said: "They are killing the essence of what the religion is. People are concerned - believers are concerned about it - but nobody is organised to make their voices heard." The crux of the problem is the way the Golden Temple and all other historical gurudwaras - or temples - are run. The controlling body is an organisation called the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). But it is said to be riven by factional politics, and has no conservation experts to guide its policy. Patwant Singh said: "The SGPC has more money than they know what to do with. They must stop all physical intervention by outside bodies like the Birmingham group. They have to establish that no historical gurudwaras will be touched unless the work is vetted by them." Most of the Birmingham Sikhs have left Punjab now. One who remains, an elder named Mehnga Singh with a kindly face and a magnificent long white beard, complains of false accusations. "It was quite wrong to blame us for putting bathroom tiles in the Babar Atal," he said. "That was nothing to do with us. We only did the gold leaf work in the Haramandir. And we have nothing whatever to do with the SGPC." Both SGPC spokesmen were out of town and unavailable for comment.

In their zeal to re-guild the Harimandir what they did was to seal the buildings original lime plast and stopped the building from venting the moisture from the brickwork. As a result there is waterlogging inside the brickwork and the marbleis quickly greying inside the building - soon this will be irepairable. they also plastered over valuable wallpaintings that were on the original Harimandir (underneath the guilding carried out by Maharaja Ranjti Singh). these would have been valuable insights into the original building as enviged by the Guru - alas they exist no more. Finally, the GNNSJ tore off most of the old guilded copper panels that Ranjti Singh had commisioned for the HArimandir and had them remade ! the new ones (that are now on the building) are shoddy copies of the originals and are ina garish yellow gold. No one has adequalty answered the question of what happened to the priceless originals. Aman

Please do listen to this (it will be broadcast on the website as well) This is an expose of the shocking way that the re-guilding seva has undermined and ruined the Harimandir Golden Temple restoration controversy investigated by Radio 4 15th October, 2004 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.

The SGPC hasnt gone Locco, this act is entirely consistent with all their previous acts of absolute and complete adjugation of their responsibility. The fact is that the SGPC neither has any respect or interest in our Sikh heriateg. In fact, at their core, they hate Sikh History. they haet history becasue it does not validate their existance. Their active destruction of important historical buildings, burning of sikh manuscripts, destruction of traditions, ritualisation of the trivial is their reason to exist and this act is entitrely consistent with that. the only language they understand is that of the $$$. Anyone who disagrees with the acts of that bunch of yahoos should as a first step cease funding them through the golak - thats the only language that they understand

>Nihang Niddarh Singh>>>> is he genuine??help me Yes, Niddar Singh is genuine - I have seen him with my own eyes and he is not an apparition - I havent prodded him with a stick yet to see if he is in fact a hologram. Why dont you go to one of these classes and find out for yourself? thats a pretty simple solution

Why do all depictions of Guru Nanak in Nanaksar Gurdwara only ever show one hand - the other is always obscured in some way. Is this just a coincidence or is there somethign behind it?

Anyone who has $100K to spend will know the prices of Indian and Mughal manuscripts at the auction houses in London and New York and $100K will buy somethign quite magnificent - so I doubt very much that this quite ordinary lithoed MS in poor condition woudl attract anything like that. If he really wants to try his luck at auction he can but I doubt that auctioneers woudl even auction somethign in that condition? I think the seller is pulling your leg with that price tag

I have recieved a couple of PMs and some emails about this. Here are some thoughts. These types of miniature birs date from around the time of World war 1. Apparantly they were carried by soldiers into battle ? I dont know if that is true or whether they were just produced as "novelties" (clearly they are not practicle in any sense). This particular saroop is in pretty poor condition - the binding has completely gone and it is quite badly worn. It would need a considerable amount of stabilisation and then rebinding. As an artefect it is not of the quality that would attract anything like the value mentioned. I doubt that it is even worth (as an object) even a tenth of that value. Handwritten illustrated janamsakhi manuscripts from a century earlier than this have been sold for £4-£5K in London in the past so a cost of $50K is quite ridiculous. Sorry for turngin the debat einto a commodity one - but I was asked. aman

if you want to get your "work" published then I would urge that you try a mainstrem publisher as the reach is much greater than specialist retailers like DTF - it will also gain you a great deal more credibility. here are some pointers: 1. Make sure that your work has something unique or new to say and make sure that you emphasis this in your pitch to publishers. There are dozens of authors out there who are simply re hashing existing histories or secondary sources and mainsteam publishers simeply wont buy this. 2. Write a really powerful and compelling proposal document. This will include a sample chapter of yor work, details on the rets of the content, what you expect the final work to look like (number of words, illustrations etc); a market analysis of the sikh book buying market - some illustrations of similar books that have been marketed helps and if you can hook into a wider anniversary or media event so much the better 3. This is critical - get some authoratative review of your work. Find experts in your field who can write a paragraph or two on just why your work is important and why its marketable and why the publisher shoudl take it - publishers rely on independant experts to validate an authors proposal 3. Find publishers that are publishing the type of book you want to write - eg OUP India for Academic books or Marg for indian Art books - use books like the Writers Handbook for details on specialities of niche publishers. Approach the commissioning editor and pitch your work - you have to be breif and business like and your english must be pukka ! It takes years and you get lots of rejections so be prepared aman

Hari Ram Gupta was one of the very few writers on Sikh history who relied on primary resosources for their work. Many contemporary writers have relied on other histories on whic to base their work. Critically he was fluent in Persian and for the 18th century parts of the History of the Sikhs he drew heavily on Persian account sthat have otherwise been largely ignored by Sikh writers. He also drew heavily on the East INdia Company accounts in the National Archives in Delhi and again, these provide a vitally important source for the story of howthe sikhs were percieved before the death of Ranjit Singh. Personally I consider his rendering of the Sikh story the best that there is far surpassing Khushwant Singh, Patwant Singhs telling of the story. Since the voilumes were published in India they are remarkably cheap and you should get these

Sometimes we view history with a very modern perspective. This message board is littered with examples of apparant contradictions between ancient traditions and modern perceptions - eg the multiple marriage thread. This is a more recent example of the same phenomena. By the Second World War, it was clear that tens of thousands of young men had left their villages (many for the very first time) to find themselves fighting in a foreign land, ill-equipped, against an enemy that was no threat to them in order to secure the freedom of a people who they had no attahcment to and in the pay of a nation that actually subjugated them . Whilst doing this they were subject to a colour bar that prevented them even getting certain medals and certainly stopped promotion to particular ranks. Under these circumstances it is amazing that only a few Indians joined the INA and switched sides to the Japs and the Germans. On the basis of "my enemy's enemy is my friend" a few hundred joined the japs and the nazis, but it is clear that they really werent an effective physical force but they were a powerful propaganda tool. I wonder if they had really understood the Nazi ideology whether they would still join the INA? There is a stark parallel with the morons in our community who support the BNP solely on the basis that teh BNO are anti-muslim Aman

If you are going to take on the monumental task of depicting any of the Gurus then you have a responsibility to be at least historically acurate. THese cartoon style images can be quite confusing especially to youngsters who quickly see the inherent problems in these sorts of pictures. I am sure that if anyone were to write a biography of a Guru and simply fill the book with hearsay, fantasy, myth, allagorical stories and historical innacuracies then we would all be horrified and we woudl condemn such a work. We should use that same set of rules when approaching these depicitons of our Gurus

THe 500 year old Beri tree needs to be protected not the 50-60 year old marble parkarma which is littered with tacky inscriptions from people who donated money. I have personally seen SGPC employees clambering all over this quite delicate old majestic tree in order to fix flourescent tubes to it in preparation for Diwali - one day they will succeed in killing it. But that's ok they can replace it with a pot of geraniums from B&Q

The 'bubble-gum' pink chola reminded me of a quote from Sarah Lloyd's biog "An Indian Attachment" when an Udasi Baba enters the dera and she comments "Only a Sikh can wear ice cream pink from head to toe and still look like a man" (That was from memory but you get the gist)

Obviously this is a very recent depiction of Guru ji probably early 20th century and bears little resemblance to what he actually looked like. I doubt, for example, that he ever wore an ice-cream pink chola with gold brocade (although I can tbe sure) The much older miniature paintings depict the Guru as I would imagine that he actually looked - a figure dressed not unlike his Akali attendants, with blue Chola, fine weapons and dumalla. This painting is inspired, no doubt by that tradition of Victorian portrait painters who imagined the romantic in Indian subjects, and like many others of its ilk (Devinder Singh, Sobha Singh etc) alsways depict Gurus with olive brown skin and european features wearing elaborate 'princely' costumes. aman

I really think that the answer lies in international bodies. We have to intrest them about the threat to this heritage and side step Sikh organisations and Sikh Egos. I read your comments on the panels - excellent work and I am really happy to hear that they havent been destroyed or even buried (as one of the GNNSJ people told me!) I hope that they are well secured as they incredibly important. When the revoultion comes we cn tear down the shoddy brummie bodge job and replace them with the originals !! Aman

"As far as I know the Smithsonian approached the SGPC and was turned down. " This is not the entire story. I was involved in the early stages of the Smithsonian’s planning of what has now become a Sikh art gallery. A few of us pressed the SI and the Sikh funders of the 'Sikh Heritage Project' to look into a really world-class heritage conservation effort - digitising manuscripts, physical stabilisation and preservation of MSS and paintings and the preservation and conservation of buildings. To that end a conference was held in Washington DC where Gurmeet, Jeevan Deol, myself and others presented on the potential scope of the work. However, much to my disappointment, the entire project was savagely subverted into an exercise in the self-aggrandizement by a single individual who will now have the gallery of his art-collection on display. This is an utterly pointless display - we have had gallery, exhibitions and books - we now need to put resources into conservation. But whilst there is the chance that one man can go on an ego trip at everyone else’s expense we wont get that. It annoys me that the SI and the Sikh funders put money into a tacky model of the Harimandir Sahib for display in Washington while the real-thing is being systematically destroyed ! aman

Sorry, I wasn’t very clear in my Point 5. What I was trying to say is that all debates on destruction end with finger pointing at the SGPC, and that we should not ignore this. It is quite clear that they are orchestrators of the destruction and neglectful of what is left. i was certainly not trying to ignore them. I, too, have tried (in the past) to steer the debate away from the SGPC to more positive actions - which is exactly what the moderators on the 'Destruction of Sikh Heritage' thread tried to do. But this is ultimately not going to help. I do advocate (strongly) that we should expose the goons and yahoos that lead these essentially corrupt organisations and put pressure on them to stop what they are doing. This worked (partially) when Vedanti stopped the regular Bir burning at Kiratpur back in 2001. A final suggestion is for everyone who cares about our heritage to celebrate it. That means store away all those Sobha Singh prints and Devinder Singh cartoons and replace them with prints of the beautiful paintings from our glorious artistic traditions or historical photographs. Buy books on Sikh Arts. Do the same at your local gurdwara. We need this aesthetic revolution - our children need to grow up seeing these things and being inspired and aesthetically in tune with them as they need to continue this battle with what is left in their generation. Sorry that my point 5 was so poorly written. aman

Its a great shame that the only way that we can mitigate the destruction is to take pictures but I do 100% agree with you that we must document what precious little is left before the 'authorities' find a way to whitewash or otherwsie pull things down. I would also add the following: 1. STOP FUNDING THE DESTRUCTION. We know who is behind the destruction and it takes money. Do not put money into their Golaks otherewise you are compliant with their destructive ways. It is alos very liberating! 2. START FUNDING CONSERVATION EFFORTS. I can only really point to the work of Gurmeet Rai and her team. There are various embryonic digitsation efforts around but nothing concrete 3. TAKE IN INTEREST IN PUNJAB'S HERITAGE. When you nect go to the Punj visit the Qila Mubarak, Kapurthala's Palaces and Masjid, Nabhas fort and palaces and more importanly the more modest places. Do some research and find out what is in your area and visit it. When the locals realise that NRIs are keen to spend their time (and film) visiting these places they will start to think that they are sitting on a gold mine - that is an important cultural shift that we need to engender 4. BUYING STUFF OF EBAY DOES NOT PRESERVE HERIATGE. Its nice to own somethign but Sikh antiques passing from one safe pair of Sikh hands to another does not really help. Save your money and use it to buy objects that are really under threat. 5. KEEP THE PRESSURE UP. I ran a seminar at V&A a few years ago titled 'Preserving Sikh Heritage' and I was bit annoyed that the debate quickly descended into an anti-SGPC diatribe. Since then every single internet debate on this subject ends with a anti-SGPC debate. I am starting to see a pattern !! I think that we shoudl express that because at the end of the day these are the peopel we need to either exterminate or change. If anyone has any leverage over them - and we all do in some small way - then we need to exert that pressure. I doubt that their organsication will fall in my lifetime but they can be made to change. We need to think of creative ways to hit them and make them change (as well as not funding them) Must dash . . more later

Yes, that's right Non-Pujnabis are to blame, like this for example Golden Temple artwork: Destruction or preservation! >From Varinder Walia Tribune News Service AMRITSAR: “It is a shame ... why can’t you use natural pigments for preserving this great heritage?†These were the words of Duncan McCallum, a land-use planner of historic buildings and Director English Heritage, UK who was shocked to see the colossal damage to the ‘great artwork’ at Harmandar Sahib during his recent visit to Punjab. The artwork at Harmandar Sahib has suffered not due to lack of funds, as enquired by Mr McCallum. This is mainly because of the indifferent attitude of all concerned. The land of ‘five rivers’ witnessed invasions and political upheavals from time to time. With the result, people of Punjab hardly found any time for artwork. However, after the victories of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Punjabis started taking keen interest in exploring their artistic expressions too. The Sikhs adopted the various traditions, especially Muslim for decorating their shrines, especially during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. However, during the rule of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who had promised to give governance on the pattern of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, it is the rich heritage of Punjabis which has suffered the most. The minor research project sponsored by University Grants Commission has pointed out the present status of the artwork of the Golden Temple. Mr Balvinder Singh, Project Coordinator and Head Department of Guru Ram Dass School of Planning and Ms Ranbir, a lecturer in the Department of Architecture, Guru Nanak Dev University, have done documentation of the artwork of Harmandar Sahib which brought to light the callous attitude of the SGPC management while preserving the heritage. The researchers have stated that with overall development taking place in Punjab, the dawn of the 19th century saw the rise and development of the art of paintings too. Ranjit Singh’s rule in this era has been termed as a period of artistic and cultural renaissance in Punjab. The power and wealth of Maharaja Ranjit Singh attracted the surrounding Pahari painters too. “By the early nineteenth century, the Kangra School of Art was at decline. Kangra and surrounding hill states were conquered by the Maharaja and the artists were attracted towards the plains as lavish patronage to art was extended by Maharaja Ranjit Singhâ€. However, after studying, analysing and documentation of various art forms, the authors pointed out the ‘grey areas. The chapter ‘present status’ reads, “Due to age and weathering effects, these magnificent artforms requires special attention to be restored to their original splendour .... It is pertinent for the present generation to give this valuable treasure to its progeny in its true form ...†The study of these artworks has shown that each of these requires a technical examination to either protect these from further damage or to restore them to their original form. The important artwork — ‘jaratkari’ around the outerwalls of the main shrine is facing problems mainly due to changing colour of the marble slabs, missing inlaid stones and the restoration done in an incongruous way. “There is a need to replace the stones as well as marble slabs in harmony with the existing onesâ€, states Mr Balvinder Singh, in his research work. The ‘mohrakashi’ work on the walls along the staircase (on the first and second floor) which has been damaged to a great extent needs immediate attention, says the research. Mr Balvinder Singh and his colleague say “Along the wall of one of the staircase leading to first floor, the damaged artworks has been ruthlessly scrapped off and thus it has vanished completelyâ€. The researchers say that no doubt the restoration work done by fixing metal sheets along the stairs leading to main shrine, having pure kind of the ‘mohrakashi’ work on the top of the damaged original work looks quite congruousâ€. However, he says “On the first floor hall of the main shrine, at places glass sheets have been used to cover and protect the original artwork which is a good attempt. However, the glass sheets have fixed in such a manner that it does not look juxtaposed and merges with the workâ€. “The ceiling and upper portion of the side walls in ‘Darshani Deori’ which adorned with minute and ornamental artwork have been plastered and covered with embossed gold plates with the result unique artwork has been vanished. The underside of the cornice of the main shrine has faced the same treatmentâ€. Mr Balvinder Singh says, “the ‘Gach and tukri’ work seems better but still at places it is under the arch on the first floor of the main shrine the prayers (Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib and Anand Sahib) need immediate attentionâ€. The authors visualise another threat, which at present is not visible, but may damage the ‘gach work on the ceiling of the first floor, is due to covering of the roof with same transparent material for water proofing. But, the rain water as well as moisture trapped inside the transparent sheets will not evaporate, instead, it will percolate and may damage the invaluable ‘gach’ work on the ceiling below. The authors of the UGC project also made valuable suggestions for preserving this age-old heritage. Mr Balvinder Singh said measured drawings of each and every art form should be prepared and documented. Apart from this, sketches and photographs of all floral designs should be prepared and documented so that in case of damage they can be restored in their original style. He said the restoration of vanished ‘mohrakashi’ artwork should be done with natural pigments instead of paint. He claimed that paints had less life and give a very shining look.

These pictures highlight the absolute destruction of Sikh heritage in just a few years, what Abdali and the Indian army couldn’t do the Babas and the SGPC are doing with great relish. This is being supported by the likes of the Soho Road Gurdwara in Birmingham who have absolutely bodged and wrecked the Harimandir Sahib. All of this has happened in our own lifetimes and it is a great shame. Anyone who reads this thread should at the very least not be complicit in any further destruction and I woudl urge you all to in the first instance stop funding these goons. I read with some interest recently that the recent conservation effort on Michelangelo’s David in preparation for its 500th anniversary consisted of a very gentle brushing with a sable brush and all of this was watched and carefully controlled by the art world. In sharp contrast the Sikhs take their central expression of spiritual and artistic expression (the Golden Temple) and allow it to be vandalised by a bunch of brummies who whip off the old gold panels and replace them with crude poorly executed replicas. (BTW where are the priceless originals?) In doing so they whitewash over the ancient frescos on the original structure and cement over the lime plaster base. This cementing has now created a serious problem with water ingress and the marble work inside the Harimandir Sahib is now discolouring and beyond repair - shahbaash ! Opp the Golden Temple the SGPC decide to knock down the ancient Akal takht (when Michelangelo’s David was damaged by a lunatic in the 90s, the art world preserved the fragments of marble that coudl not be replaced during the conservation and have subsequently been working on analysing them to understand the type of marble that he used!). The SGPC, in contrast, knock the entire standing structure down and bin it! tearing down the old frescoes, the ancient mortars that were used for Ruggraa (Sp) and destroying the ancient plinth that was Guru HarGobinds Takht and replace it with a poorly executed replica that would put a Southall bricky to shame. Its sickening. I could go on and on - for example the SGPC recently stuck a horrible marble facade on one of the very few remaining structures that date from the time of Guru Har Rai. I am afraid one day that they will read a book or two and find the rest just so that they can bulldoze these too.

You may be interested to know that the NIhang Singh on the right in the picture titled 'Nihang preparing Sukha' is Baba Baldev Singh - who also happens to be the manager of the Punjab and Sind Bank in Chandigarh Sector 21 (I think) - he and his family are great people and he is a very talented photographer. In the later picture titled 'Tyar Bar-Tyar Singhs at budda dal Headquaters at damdama Sahib ' the central Akali (with Farla) is Baba Prem Singh also of Chandigarh. He owns and manages a sizeable business that manufactures ropes and such like from a large land holding in the Punjab hills. His wife (a swiss, ex-olympic skiing champion) is a formidible lady who speaks perfect Punjabi and puts lame-assed punjabi speakers like me to shame. Baba Prem Singh has been collecting puratan Shasters for as many years as I have known him through the Sikhligarhs who are loosly attached to the Dal. I wanted to just point out two characters in these pictures becasue all too often on the internet NIhangs are seen as village bumpkins and outmoded anachronistic oddities rather than real, well-rounded, intelligent and diverse group of men and women. Aman

This was also a public poll and these can be very easily subverted by Special interest Groups. Remember the farce of Michael Crawford (FRank Spencer) being voted 17th in the Great Britons poll last year ! In about 96 (I think) the annual BBC Radio 4 'Man of the Year' was very obviously subverted by Hindu Nationalists in the UK who en-masse bloc voted for L K Advani (now Dep Prime Minister of india). Advani was a relatively unknown figure in UK national politics at taht time (and remians that way). In those days we was leader of the ultra natinalistic BJP (they have since calmed down a little ) and was a prominent member of the RSS. The Beed was naturally furious and proceded to cancel the result and I believe have scrapped the poll altogether now? I suspect that Indira's vote as the greatest woman in 1000 years !! is a similar bit of vote banking by eager Congressites in the UK Aman

I think that MKhalsa's interpretation is really fascinating - particularly in the context of Narsinghas write up of the institution and symbolism of the Farla (which is the 'official line' on the farla). Mkhalsas interpretation is simply a fanciful reinvention of history and something that is all too common when historical evidence and tradition don't align with the sanitised view of Sikhism that has been in vogue in the last 50+ years. These fanciful stories exist around debates concerning the Gurus' marriages, Sikh women in battle, dastar, meat and endless other matters. Ultimately these deceptions and cover-ups end in the destruction of material Sikh heritage (such as the whitewashing of wall paintings at Tarn Taran and the removal of paintings and panels at the Golden Temple and the Akal takht or the ritual cremation of hand-written birs) in order to continue the deception. At the end of the day these are lies, simple deceits and have no place in and honest exchange. They would see it differently and say that they are protecting us from Brahministic influence !! I am reminded of an instance where I lent some pictures of Sikh in the First World War to a few AKJ Sikhs to do a talk within the Gurdwara Durbar Hall about Sikh military tradition. These young men had no problem in getting up on stage and lying in front of the entire sangat and Guru mahraj by simply making up stories about the people in the pictures - one example was that one of the French boys that was seen in the picture later converted to Sikhism !! that may seem like a minor transgression but of course it is not . In their zeal to promote Sikhism they cheapen us with this kind of patronising story. Ultimately they are always caught out.