Underground building a gift from Maharaja Ranjit to our ancestor: Amritsar family
: Four days after tunnel-like structures made of small bricks, reportedly used centuries ago, were found during excavation work to construct a “Jora Ghar” on the Akal Takht secretariat side of the Golden Temple complex, descendants of a legendary Sikh figure have said that the structures were a gift from Maharaja Ranjit Singh to their ancestor.
Yadwinder Singh, 80, who represents the 6th generation of Giani Sant Singh, a former head granthi at the Golden Temple, told HT on Sunday, “This is a tribute to Giani Sant Singh and was gifted by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who was happy at his supervision of the gold-plating of the Golden Temple. It was called ‘Sarad Khana’; these were underground rooms in the basement of a three-storey building. We were one of the four families, all of descendants, who lived there till 1988.”
He added that this ‘Sarad Khana’ was attached with Gurdwara Jhanda Bunga in the shrine complex. “My forefathers used an underground path to perform their duties as granthis and give their discourse inside the Sri Darbar Sahib,” Yadwinder, who resides with family in Basant Avenue, added.
“We got emotional to see the remains of the house where we spent years. My husband and daughter still find themself in the Haweli in their dreams,” said Yadwinder’s wife, Ranjit Kaur Giani.
Yadwinder’s father Giani Harinder Singh Roop was an eminent Punjabi writer. “The building had a unique architecture spread over 1,200 square yard housing 50 rooms and a well. Even as the rooms were underground, light entered there. The government acquired it in 1988 to construct a Galliara (open walled space) around the Golden Temple for more control over it after Operation Bluestar.”
He added that the government did not touch the structure for a year, before destroying it and burying the underground rooms.
“Three of our forefathers, including Giani Sant Singh, also headed Damdami Taksal, the Sikh seminary. Giani Sant Singh was a Sanskrit scholar and translated Ramayana into Gurmukhi. Sikh organisations have not given importance to our pedigree, which starts from Bhai Ram Singh who took ‘Amrit’ from Guru Gobind Singh at Sri Anandpur Sahib. The 10th Guru gave him title of ‘Giani’ and stated that his family would be known for this title. Giani Sant Singh was his grandson,” he added.
“Despite accounts mentioned in history books about Giani Sant Singh, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is seeking proof. Does it not follow history? Has it not seen relics and mention of Giani Sant Singh in Sri Darbar Sahib that it manages? If the SGPC follows Sikh history, it should preserve these rooms as rare relics of Giani Sant Singh,” Yadwindra claimed.
The apex Sikh shrine body, on its part, has invited archeological experts, historians and heritage experts to study the structures and give their opinion.