1984
Sikhs Lay Claim to Hardwar Gurdwara Destroyed by Hindu Mobs in 1984
NEWS REPORTS
The final resting place for many Sikhs, historically, has been Gurdwara Gyan Godri Sahib in Hardwar. It was built in memory of Guru Nanak.
However, this holy city of the Hindus - 200 km from India's capital, New Delhi - was where this iconic Sikh place of worship was demolished by Hindu mobs in 1984.
Now the Sikh community wants to restore the Gurdwara, which commemorates the famous parable of Guru Nanak's dialogue with the Hindus over their ritual of throwing water at the Sun for the benefit of their ancestors.
This restoration project falls under the Har Ki Pauri and will be facilitated by the local administration.
However, the Hindu administration plans to relocate the Gurdwara. Understandably, the Sikh community is outraged by this proposal.
Sikhs have therefore planned a march from Gurdwara Rakabganj in Delhi to the site in Hardwar on September 22 to underline their desire and intent to restore the Gurdwara, especially at its original location.
This is in direct contradiction to the position taken by the local Sikhs, who have - under intimidation by the majority community, have expressed agreement with the Hindu plan to relocate the Gurdwara to another place on the banks of a canal.
The President of The All India Sikh Conference, Gurcharan Singh said "The administration is offering land at an alternative site, but the Sikhs would not agree to this. We want to worship at the same place where Guru Nanak gave his message [against] meaningless rituals ... We have revenue records to prove that the land was in the Gurdwara's name.''
"This Indian government led the attack on Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar, alleging that it was an attempt to flush the complex of terrorists in 1984, but the question is why did the mobs also attack 76 other Sikh Gurdwaras across the country? The Sikh community is still waiting for the Congress government to acknowledge this tragic attack on its own people and compensation for destroying their places of worship," said the spokesman for "Punjab and Punjabis in Crisis".
[Courtesy: The Sikh Times]
September 15, 2010
Conversation about this article
1: Khalsa Lakhvir Singh (Nairobi, Kenya), September 15, 2010, 3:14 PM.
"... hindu andhaa turku kaana ...". This pankti from Bhagat Namdev ji applies to the current state of affairs. In the ignorance of the self and lack of humility, one is insecure of his faith, the other adamant about his. Rather than sit down and objectively discuss this through, they have fallen into the same trap. What use is the conflict? It's nothing different from the Israel-Palestine issue - which has not be resolved to date because of the ego of both ends. Humility has taken flight and egos have continued the fight. In my humble opinion, God is nowhere in this mindless argument.
2: Taran (London, United Kingdom), September 15, 2010, 4:21 PM.
I wonder why the Gurdwara was not restored soon after '84. It has been so many years! Is it all political? Why did the S.G.P.C. not get involved? Why was the issue not raised earlier? Of course, the administration would allocate a land at a different place as they would not want the Gurdwara to once again become a popular place of worship. It would close the livelihood of so many local businesses of sadhus, brahmins, etc. as they thrive on superstitious practices.
3: Gurjender Singh (Maryland, U.S.A.), September 15, 2010, 9:58 PM.
I lived in Hardwar in 1972 and 1973. At that time, one could very easily see the Parkash of Guru Granth Sahib even from outside, from the Har Ki Pauri. These pictures are very different now. God help Sikhs in this dishonest world. I wish the Sikh leadership would get united to protect Sikhs and others.
4: Gur Singh (Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.), September 15, 2010, 10:20 PM.
Can sikhchic.com publish one more article on the same topic and bring forth the pics of the Gurdwara in question dating before 1984 and during 1984 (if available), and of the place it has become now. Pics speaks more than words. Thank you.
5: Jasbir Singh (India), September 19, 2010, 12:06 PM.
Veer ji, this not the place where Guru Nanak offered water to Kartarpur. This is totally another place. The actual place is supposed to be 200 meters from this spot. I have visited this place. And many of local shopkeepers agree that the actual historical spot has been lost.
6: Baljit Singh (Chandigarh, Punjab), November 30, 2010, 9:12 AM.
Gurdwara Gyaan Godrhi in Hardwar at Har ki Pauri was demolished during the 1984 pogroms. The Uttar Pradesh government administration constructed a complex of 60 (approx.) shops in its place. Who will liberate this historical gurdwara from the Govt. shops? From where will the Khalsa come to take care (seva Sambhaal) of the new gurdwara? Why do we do ardaas every day that - " Panth to vichhorhe hoye gurdwariaa(n) di seva sambhaal Khalsa ji nu bakhsho ji..." The photo of the Pracheen Guru Ka Langar is not the actual place of the Gurdwara Gyaan Godrhi. Correctly, it is nearly 200 meters ahead of it, at Asthee Ghat.
7: Baljit Singh (India), January 14, 2011, 4:40 AM.
The picture Pracheen Langar is not the original place of Gyaan Godri. Please collect the original picture and the new picture at U Tube. Search - Gurudwara Gyaan Godri Hardwar.
8: Baljit Singh (India), February 07, 2011, 10:18 AM.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS2KFBDMRpg - The original place is at this link ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2PqifEZtII
9: Ranvir (Montreal, Quebec, Canada), February 07, 2011, 9:24 PM.
You can win most people by logic rather than open confrontation and mere aggressiveness - that's what Guru Nanak did. That's what we are lacking today. We are becoming good at mis-directing intellectual as well as financial resources in the name of political will.