Air Conditioning Installed At The Golden Temple

[Singh, Mahan]

The Tribune newspaper reports that they have quietly installed an Air Conditioning Unit in the Sanctum Sanctorum at the Golden Temple. About a year or so ago, because of the opposition from the Conservationists, the Badal Dal backed off installing it. But now they have quietly installed it. Most of the experts believe that it is going to do colossal damage to Sanctum Sanctorum over a period. It is generally believed that it was being installed for the comfort of Bibi Surinder Kaur Badal ( wife of Parkash Singh Badal). There have been rumours that she feels that it is too hot for her when she visits there. So there we go -- risk doing a colossal damage to the holiest of holy places of Sikhs for the cold comfort of members of Badal family

Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080528/main3.htm

Cold comfort at Golden Temple

Varinder Walia

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 27

Despite world-wide criticism from Panthic circles, the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) has installed two air-conditioners (4 tonnes each), one in sanctum sanctorum and the other on the first floor of the Golden Temple.

The conservationists are of the view that air-conditioning will cause colossal “structural damage” to the ancient holy structure of the Darbar Sahib.They said the devotees visited the Darbar Sahib for spiritual solace and not for physical comforts and, hence, they (devotees) had never made any such demand till date. Conservationists are of the view that the walls of the Harmander Sahib are made of burnt bricks and lime mortar and, hence, there was no need to install ACs.

The senior SGPC officials, including Harbhajan Singh, manager, Darbar Sahib, confirmed the installation of ACs in the sanctum sanctorum. The SGPC had formed a sub-committee to look into the effects of the ACs to the ancient structure when its move had received flak from the Sikh sangat the world over.

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, if introduced in the Darbar Sahib, would be an extremely destructive intervention. Sounding a note of warning, she had stated that the air-conditioning system comprised a blower and a compressor and, hence, while the blower would need to be placed on the floor or mounted on the walls inside the building, the compressor would need to be fixed outside.

These blowers could not be mounted on the walls or the roof without damaging the structure and decorations because of drilling holes or inserting mounting system, she had warned.

Veteran SGPC member Manjit Singh Calcutta described the SGPC decision to install ACs as “ill-conceived”.

The roofing system too is a masonry vaults. The surfaces are extremely decorative, with in-layed marble panel, frescoes or clad with gilded copper embossed sheets. Not even a square inch of plain space can be found on the walls and ceilings to place the ACs without damaging the original structure and decorations.

Decorations will also be at risk due to the variation in the micro climate zones (in temperature and humidity) that will be created inside the building as the doors have to be kept open.

It may be recalled that the SGPC had decided to engage the services of consultants to install ACs in the sanctum sanctorum of the Harmander Sahib, apart from installing security cameras and mobile jammers on the shrine premises in April last year. A decision regarding this was taken at a meeting of the sub-committee, chaired by Raghujit Singh Virk, senior vice-president, SGPC. It is learnt that Surinder Kaur Badal, wife of the Chief Minister of Punjab, has been taking a keen interest in installing modern gadgets in the Golden Temple complex.

[SaRpAnCh]

So much for enemies destroying Gurdwareh our own do it in the name of Kar Seva and comfort things like this ,if they so hot just get one of them portable machine things on wheels

Also 300 saal Guru deh naal fiasco down Hazoor Sahib area,they've demolished so many old historical buildings and trees and plan to destroy more ,just to make flats and hotels

[Singh, Mahan]

So far there has not been any comments by the Sikh leaders regarding this issue. I suppose they think it just is an issue of making Darbar Sahib “modern” .

As conservationist architect Gurmeet Rai said some time back ( when the issue was discussed a year or so ago) , that the structure is made from “lime mortar stucco” On the outermost layer of the mortar inside the Sanctum Sanctorum are the murals and paintings. Such material is very much affected by even the small amount of vibrations from the compressor operating, and the air flowing through the “ducts. In addition the change in moisture content are likely to change the texture of the last layer of the stucco on which the painting are.

Well , so far only one person seemed to have made the comments in the newspaper. “The day air-conditioners were installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple will go down in the history of the shrine as one of the darkest days”.

( Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080529/punjab1.htm#9 )

ACs in Golden Temple draw flak

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 28

US-based Sikh scholar Harjap Singh Aujla today took exception to the installation of air-conditioners (ACs) in the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple here.

After reading the news, “Cold comfort at Golden Temple”, in these columns, Aujla in an e-mail to The Tribune said, “The day air-conditioners were installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple will go down in the history of the shrine as one of the darkest days”.

Aujla added, “When governments get drunk in absolute power and can not distinguish between right and wrong, the judiciary remains the only recourse for the powerless public. Someone with love of Sikhism in his heart, must file a public interest litigation in the high court”.

[Matheen]

The SGPC deserves to be wiped out.

Are there any pictures of the AC system?

[saint-soldier]

Badal's wife needs to go to iceland forever if she feels its to hot in there and before she goes she needs to take badal with her.

[Singh, Mahan]

One more source (newspaper) that published the news of the "flak". But, still not any thing about this foolishness from the SGPC that is supposed to manage the buildings.

Source: http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/10635/38/

Cold comfort at Golden Temple draws flak

JAGMOHAN SINGH

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.

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

this is the same bibi surinder kaur badal who visits ashutosh for his "blessings".

can't believe the whole quam is being played like fools by these characters.

peace.

[saint-soldier]

this is the same bibi surinder kaur badal who visits ashutosh for his "blessings".

can't believe the whole quam is being played like fools by these characters.

peace.

The sad thing is that the whole quam knows that they are being played like fools but they dont want to do anything about it.