127-598: Jallianwala Bagh is a historic garden and memorial of national importance close to the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar , Punjab , India, preserved in the memory of those wounded and killed in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre that took place on the site on the festival of Baisakhi Day , 13 April 1919. The 7-acre (28,000 m) site houses a museum, gallery and several memorial structures. It
254-568: A Sikh family on 26 December 1899 in the neighbourhood of Pilbad in Sunam , around 130 miles south of Lahore , British India , to Tehal Singh, a Kamboj , low-skilled low-paid manual labourer and his wife Narain Kaur. He was their youngest, with a two-year difference between him and his elder brother, Sadhu. When they were around age three and five respectively, their mother died. The two boys subsequently stayed close to their father while he worked in
381-614: A UNESCO World Heritage Site , and its application is pending on the tentative list of UNESCO . The Harmandir Sahib (Gurmukhi: ਹਰਿਮੰਦਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ) is also spelled as Harimandar or Harimandir Sahib. It is also called the Durbār Sahib (ਦਰਬਾਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ), which means "sacred audience", as well as the Golden Temple for its gold leaf-covered sanctum centre. The word "Harmandir" is composed of two words: " Hari ", which scholars translate as "God ", and " mandir ", which means "house". " Sahib "
508-479: A 42-day hunger strike , before finally being force fed . On 4 June 1940, his trial commenced at the Central Criminal Court , Old Bailey, before Justice Cyril Atkinson , with V.K. Krishna Menon and St John Hutchinson representing him. G. B. McClure was the prosecuting barrister. When asked about his motivation, Singh explained: I did it because I had a grudge against him. He deserved it. He
635-517: A book, which had pages cut in the shape of a revolver. This revolver was purchased by him from a soldier in a pub. Then he entered the hall and found an empty seat. As the meeting concluded, Singh shot O'Dwyer twice as he moved towards the speaking platform. One of these bullets passed through O'Dwyer's heart and right lung, killing him almost instantly. Others wounded in the shooting were Sir Louis Dane ; Lawrence Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland ; and Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington . Singh
762-506: A central pylon. It is white and shaped like a flame. Engraved are faces of 'martyrs' and below are given their names. The Martyr's gallery contains a number of paintings including some of political leaders and a painting of the inside of Jallianwala Bagh, showing a number of people dead on the ground. The addition to the painting of the Gurkha's was painted in at a later date. The names of those killed are not included. A portrait of Udham Singh
889-521: A centre of conflict between the Indian government and a radical movement led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale . In 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sent in the Indian Army as part of Operation Blue Star , leading to the deaths of thousands of soldiers, militants and civilians, as well as causing significant damage to the gurdwara and the destruction of the nearby Akal Takht . The gurdwara complex
1016-527: A flame titled Amar Jyoti (Eternal Flame) is seen burning to the right under a domed meditation area. The 'Martyrs Well' is surrounded by the Martyr's memorial, a large structure with a sign giving a figure of "120" as the number of bodies that were recovered from the well. It was designed by American architect Benjamin Polk and inaugurated in 1961. A number of the bullet holes in the walls are preserved. One of
1143-738: A garden, which came to be known as Jalle Waliyan da Bagh or Jalleyan Bagh , with the name "Jallah" deriving from his estate, Jallah Jagir, in Ludhiana. His family became known in the Lahore Durbar as the Jallewalia Sardars. After the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on 13 April 1919, the site gained symbolic importance. A commemorative committee was formed and, in 1923, they purchased the Bagh for RS 565,000.. Jallianwala Bagh or
1270-545: A kind of stone or gypsum. Gach was transformed into a paste and used on the walls, similar in nature to lime-plaster. Once applied to the wall, it was decorated into shape with steel cutters and other tools. Sometimes the gach had coloured glass pieces placed on it, which is known as tukri . The Shish Mahal features a lot of examples of tukri work. On the other hand, jaratkari was an art form and method which involved placing inlaid and cut stones of varying colours and types into marble. Surviving exemplars of jaratkari art from
1397-403: A political gathering was to be held at Jallianwala Bagh. By the time Dyer arrived with 90 Sikh , Gurkha , Baloch , Rajput troops from 2 - 9th Gurkhas , the 54th Sikhs and the 59th Sind Rifles , there was a crowd of 20,000; a mix of speakers, listeners, picnic-makers, men, women and children of all ages, including Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims and Christians. Dyer then ordered his troops to fire at
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#17327906019101524-416: A primary Sikh pilgrimage destination. He wrote a voluminous amount of Sikh scripture including the popular Sukhmani Sahib . Guru Ram Das acquired the land for the site. Two versions of stories exist on how he acquired this land. In one, based on a Gazetteer record, the land was purchased with Sikh donations of 700 rupees from the people and owners of the village of Tung . In another version, Emperor Akbar
1651-486: A protesting crowd, precipitating a riot which saw numerous European-owned banks attacked and several Europeans attacked in the streets. On 13 April, over twenty thousand unarmed people were assembled in Jallianwala Bagh , Amritsar to celebrate the important Sikh festival of Baisakhi , and to peacefully protest the arrests. Singh and his friends from the orphanage were serving water to the crowd. Troops under
1778-479: A single entrance to the sanctum of the temple through a causeway. The art of the Golden Temple has rarely been analysed or studied in a serious manner. Within the Shish Mahal on the second-story of the building, there are mirror-work art designs which consist of small pieces of mirror which are inlaid into the walls and ceilings, highlighed with decorations of floral designs. The celings, walls and arches of
1905-445: A sip of the water from the holy temple tank. The water used for the daily ritual cleaning of the temple premises is also sourced from this section. The water is mixed with milk to dilute the milk content, with the combined solution used to clean the temple's surfaces on a daily basis. The sanctum has two floors. The Sikh Scripture Guru Granth Sahib is seated on the lower square floor for about 20 hours every day, and for 4 hours it
2032-582: A slightly later date of 1776 is given for the construction of the temple tank (sarovar), the temple edifice proper, the causeway, and the entry gateway or archway ( Darshani Deori ). The Golden Temple was the centre of historic events in Sikh history: Ranjit Singh founded the nucleus of the Sikh Empire at the age of 36 with help of Sukerchakia Misl forces he inherited and those of his mother-in-law Rani Sada Kaur. In 1802, at age 22, he took Amritsar from
2159-480: A threat including Udham Singh. He started the speech with a denunciation of British Imperialism : At this point he was interrupted by the judge, but after some discussion he continued: At this point, the judge refused to hear any more, but Singh continued: He then thrust his glasses back into his pocket, and exclaimed three words in Hindustani and then shouted: He turned to leave the dock, spitting across
2286-698: A very few. A traditional Sikh artist who had worked at the Golden Temple, named Hari Singh, had prepared a list of all the names of the artists, painters ( naqqashis ), and craftsmen he could recount that had also worked at some point in time at the Golden Temple, the names are as follows: Kishan Singh, Bishan Singh, Kapur Singh, Kehar Singh, Mahant Ishar Singh, Sardul Singh, Jawahar Singh, Mehtab Singh, Mistri Jaimal Singh, Harnam Singh, Ishar Singh (not to be confused with Mahant Ishar Singh), Gian Singh, Lal Singh Tarn Taran, Mangal Singh, Mistri Narain Singh, Mistri Jit Singh, Atma Singh, Darja Mal, and Vir Singh. Most of
2413-695: A wall. The place derives its name from the Jallianwalia family. In 1919, in response to excluding Mahatma Gandhi from visiting Punjab, the secret deportation of Saifuddin Kitchlew and Satyapal on 10 April and the reactions to the Rowlatt Act , Punjab had witnessed attempts of Indians to gather and protest. On the morning of Baisakhi , 13 April 1919, to the sound of military drums by the cities town criers , 1919 Punjab Brigadier General R.E.H. Dyer 's new rules. He had placed restrictions on leaving
2540-465: Is a "decorative device involving knotted grapples between animals". The gharwanjh designs of the Golden Temple features cobras, lions, and elephants holding one another or carrying floral vases which feature fruit and fairies as decoration. The decorative border of the dehin is known as Patta , usually utilising creepers for its design. Furthermore, some dehin feature designs incorporating aquatic creatures. The only mural depicting human figures within
2667-547: Is a small Gurdwara underneath the tree. The Ath Sath Tirath , or the spot equivalent to 68 pilgrimages, is in the shade underneath the Dukh Bhanjani Ber tree. Sikh devotees, states Charles Townsend, believe that bathing in the pool near this spot delivers the same fruits as a visit to 68 pilgrimage places in India. The main ghanta ghari deori north entrance has a Sikh history museum on the first floor, according to
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#17327906019102794-411: Is called Laachi Ber , believed to the one under which Guru Arjan rested while the temple was being built. The third one is called Dukh Bhanjani Ber , located on the other side of the sanctum, across the pool. It is believed in the Sikh tradition that this tree was the location where a Sikh was cured of his leprosy after taking a dip in the pool, giving the tree the epithet of "suffering remover". There
2921-603: Is excellent. India is an important partner and a close friend of this country." In its 18 March 1940 issue, Amrita Bazar Patrika wrote, "O'Dwyer's name is connected with Punjab incidents which India will never forget". The Punjab section of Congress in the Punjab Assembly led by Dewan Chaman Lal refused to vote for the Premier's motion to condemn the assassination. In April 1940, at the Annual Session of
3048-580: Is further appended to the shrine's name, the term often used within Sikh tradition to denote respect for places of religious significance. The Sikh tradition has several Gurdwaras named "Harmandir Sahib", such as those in Kiratpur and Patna . Of these, the one in Amritsar is most revered. According to the Sikh historical records, the land that became Amritsar and houses the Harimandir Sahib
3175-696: Is managed by the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust, and was renovated between 2019 and 2021. The 7-acre (28,000 m) site is located in the vicinity of the Golden Temple complex. The Bagh was founded by Sardar Himmat Singh Bains, Jagirdar of Alawalpur , Dhogri and other villages in the area, as well as additional villages in Gurdaspur, Multan, Kohat, and Peshawar amounting to an annual income of RS 3,00,000. He also held Jallah, valued at RS 20,000 annually, in district Ludhiana while also serving as an ambassador to
3302-506: Is named after the Sikh warrior and Ramgarhia misl chief Jassa Singh Ramgarhia . It was constructed as the temple watchtowers for sentinels to watch for any military raid approaching the temple and the surrounding area, help rapidly gather a defence to protect the Golden Temple complex. According to Fenech and McLeod, during the 18th century, Sikh misl chiefs and rich communities built over 70 such Bungas of different shapes and forms around
3429-485: Is not known if he had children with her too. On 1 April 1940, Singh was formally charged with the murder of Michael O'Dwyer, and remanded in custody at Brixton Prison . Initially asked to explain his motivations, Singh stated: "I did it because I had a grudge against him. He deserved it. I don't belong to society or anything else. I don't care. I don't mind dying. What is the use of waiting until you get old? ... Is Zetland dead? He ought to be. I put two into him. I bought
3556-595: Is on display in the gallery. One of the seven urns containing his ashes are kept in the museum. Using newspaper clippings and letters from Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and others, 45 panels depicting the Amritsar massacre are displayed. The site is managed by the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust formed under the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Act, 1951 passed by the Parliament of India . The initial trustees of
3683-482: Is partly ahistorical such as a headless body continuing to fight, but a significant artwork and reflects the general trend in Sikhism of presenting their history to be one of persecution, martyrdoms and bravery in wars. Udham Singh Udham Singh (born Sher Singh ; 26 December 1899 – 31 July 1940) was an Indian revolutionary belonging to Ghadar Party and HSRA , best known for assassinating Michael O'Dwyer ,
3810-557: Is short form of sarovar and means pool). The pool is 5.1 metres deep and is surrounded by a 3.7 metre wide circumambulatory marble passage that is circled clockwise. The sanctum is connected to the platform by a causeway and the gateway into the causeway is called the Darshani Ḍeorhi (from Darshana Dvara ). For those who wish to take a dip in the pool, the Temple provides a half hexagonal shelter and holy steps to Har ki Pauri. Bathing in
3937-533: Is stated to have donated the land to the wife of Guru Ram Das. In 1581, Guru Arjan initiated the construction of the Gurdwara. During the construction the pool was kept empty and dry. It took 8 years to complete the first version of the Harmandir Sahib. Guru Arjan planned a gurdwara at a level lower than the city to emphasise humility and the need to efface one's ego before entering the premises to meet
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4064-514: Is taken to its bedroom inside Akal Takht with elaborate ceremonies in a palki, for sukhasana and Prakash . The floor with the seated scripture is raised a few steps above the entrance causeway level. The upper floor in the sanctum is a gallery and connected by stairs. The ground floor is lined with white marble, as is the path surrounding the sanctum. The sanctum's exterior has gilded copper plates. The doors are gold leaf-covered copper sheets with nature motifs such as birds and flowers. The ceiling of
4191-518: The Associated Press 's South Asia correspondent, was the only foreign reporter who managed to stay on in Amritsar despite the media blackout. His dispatches, filed by telex , provided the first non-governmental news reports on the bloody operation in Amritsar. His first dispatch, front-paged by The New York Times , The Times of London and The Guardian , reported a death toll about twice of what authorities had admitted. According to
4318-496: The Central Khalsa Orphanage , where according to the orphanage register, they were initiated on 28 October. Rebaptised, Sadhu became “Mukta”, meaning “one who has escaped re-incarnation”, and Sher Singh was renamed “Udham Singh”, Udham meaning “the upheaval”. At the orphanage he was affectionately referred to as "Ude". In 1917, Mukta died of an unknown sudden illness. Shortly thereafter, despite being below
4445-662: The Darbār Sāhib , ( lit. ' 'exalted court' ' , [d̪əɾᵊbaːɾᵊ saːɦ(ɪ)bᵊ] ) is a gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar , Punjab, India . It is the pre-eminent spiritual site of Sikhism . It is one of the holiest sites in Sikhism, alongside the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Kartarpur , and Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib . The man-made pool on
4572-537: The Indian government . Five months after the operation, on 31 October 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated in an act of revenge by her two Sikh bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh . Public outcry over Gandhi's death led to the killings of more than 3,000 Sikhs in Delhi alone, in the ensuing 1984 anti-Sikh riots . A few months after the government operation of 1984, major kar seva renovations were undertaken at
4699-405: The Indian subcontinent , as various iterations of temple were rebuilt and restored. The first structure of the Harmandir Sahib constructed under the purview of Guru Arjan combined the concepts of dharamsaals and the holy water tanks ( sarovar ). Rather than copying the traditional method of Hindu temple construction by building the shrine on a high plinth, Guru Arjan rather decided to build
4826-634: The Leader of Opposition in Loksabha (lower house of Parliament) or in absence of Leader of Opposition, the leader of the single largest opposition party in the Loksabha. It also amended that a nominated trustee may be removed by the Central Government before the end of five years term. Since the massacre, Jallianwala Bagh has been the site of a number of official and publicized visits. One of
4953-598: The Sikh Empire , rebuilt it in marble and copper in 1809, and overlaid the sanctum with gold leaf in 1830. This has led to the name the Golden Temple. The Golden Temple is spiritually the most significant shrine in Sikhism. It became a centre of the Singh Sabha Movement between 1883 and the 1920s, and the Punjabi Suba movement between 1947 and 1966. In the early 1980s, the gurdwara became
5080-567: The rococo-styled art . The Temple is described by Ian Kerr, and other scholars, as a mixture of the Indo-Islamic Mughal and the Hindu Rajput architecture. The sanctum is a 12.25 x 12.25 metre square with two storeys and a gold leaf dome. This sanctum has a marble platform that is a 19.7 x 19.7 metre square. It sits inside an almost square (154.5 x 148.5 m ) pool called amritsar or amritsarovar ( amrit means nectar, sar
5207-654: The All India Congress Committee held in commemoration of 21st anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, the youth wing of the Indian National Congress Party displayed revolutionary slogans in support of Singh, applauding his action as patriotic and heroic. Singh had some support from the international press. The Times of London called him a "fighter for freedom", his actions "an expression of
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5334-464: The Bhangi Sikh misl , paid homage at the Golden Temple and announced that he would renovate and rebuild it with marble and gold. The Sikh ruler donated the gilded copper panels for the roof, which was worth 500,000 rupees in the erstwhile currency. He entrusted Mistri Yar Muhammad Khan to carry-out the roofing work, who himself was supervised by Bhai Sand Singh. The first gilded copper panel
5461-764: The Giani Samparda, they had built all the Bungas around the Golden Temple and helped in construction work including overlaying the temple with Gold and Marble. One of the main Bungas that was destroyed in 1988 was the Burj Gianian . The other family were the Kapurs, who were made as the Head Granthis, this included the ancestors of Bhai Jawahir Singh Kapur who also did try to become the Head Granthi in
5588-542: The Golden Temple over the centuries. The Clock Tower did not exist in the original version of the temple. In its location was a building, now called the "lost palace". The officials of the British India wanted to demolish the building after the Second Anglo-Sikh war and once they had annexed the Sikh Empire. The Sikhs opposed the demolition, but this opposition was ignored. In its place, the clock tower
5715-422: The Golden Temple's walls in a work published in 1875, Kanwarjit Singh Kang finds this to be a spurious account which is likely false because there is no corroborative accounts to support this. The various artists and craftsmen who worked on creating the mural artwork and other accessory art of the temple are mostly unknown and it is nearly impossible to link any particular art piece with a specific name, aside from
5842-573: The Guru. He also demanded that the gurdwara compound be open on all sides to emphasise that it was open to all. The sanctum inside the pool where his Guru seat was, had only one bridge to emphasise that the end goal was one, states Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair. In 1589, the gurdwara made with bricks was complete. Guru Arjan is believed by some later sources to have invited the Sufi saint Mian Mir of Lahore to lay its foundation stone, signalling pluralism and that
5969-616: The Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) complex in Amritsar , Punjab . The decision to launch the attack rested with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi . In July 1982, Harchand Singh Longowal , the President of the Sikh political party Akali Dal , had invited Bhindranwale to take up residence in the Golden Temple Complex to evade arrest. The government claimed Bhindranwale later made the sacred temple complex an armoury and headquarters. On 1 June 1984, after negotiations with
6096-471: The Langar-kitchen and Assembly Hall. This office coordinates and oversees the operations of major Sikh temples. The Ramgarhia Bunga – the two high towers visible from the parikrama (circumambulation) walkway around the tank, is named after a Sikh subgroup. The red sandstone minaret-style Bunga (buêgā) towers were built in the 18th century, a period of Afghan attacks and temple demolitions. It
6223-530: The Riyasat of Nabha . His father, Chaudhary Gulab Rai Bains, was a grand Zamindar of Mahilpur and Jagirdar of Achharwal and villages near Adampur in the 1760s. In 1812, the Maharaja of Nabha introduced Sardar Himmat Singh to Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh , who was impressed by Himmat Singh's abilities and appointed him as his personal advisor and Vakil-i-Multaq . In 1812 Sardar Himmat Singh Founded
6350-630: The Shaheed Udham Singh Trust and working with the Indian Workers Association (GB) , ran a campaign to have the court record of his statement published along with other material. This proved successful in 1996, when his speech was published along with three further files covering the trial, and the Ghadar Directory , a document compiled by British intelligence in 1934 detailing 792 people regarded as
6477-491: The Sikh tradition welcomed all. This belief is however unsubstantiated. According to Sikh traditional sources such as Sri Gur Suraj Parkash Granth it was laid by Guru Arjan himself. After the inauguration, the pool was filled with water. On 16 August 1604, Guru Arjan completed expanding and compiling the first version of the Sikh scripture and placed a copy of the Adi Granth in the gurdwara. He appointed Baba Buddha as
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#17327906019106604-416: The Sikh tradition. The display shows various paintings, of gurus and martyrs, many narrating the persecution of Sikhs over their history, as well as historical items such as swords, kartar , comb, chakkars . A new underground museum near the clock tower, but outside the temple courtyard also shows Sikh history. According to Louis E. Fenech, the display does not present the parallel traditions of Sikhism and
6731-791: The Trust were named as Jawaharlal Nehru , Saifuddin Kitchlew , Maulana Abul Kalam Azad , the President of the Indian National Congress , the Governor of Punjab , the Chief Minister of Punjab and three people nominated by the Central Government . In November 2019, the act was amended thus removing the President of the Indian National Congress as a trustee and replacing that position with
6858-501: The area grew into the temple complex). The construction activity between 1574 and 1604 is described in Mahima Prakash Vartak , a semi-historical Sikh hagiography text likely composed in 1741, and the earliest known document dealing with the lives of all the ten Gurus. Guru Arjan installed the scripture of Sikhism inside the new gurdwara in 1604. Continuing the efforts of Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan established Amritsar as
6985-420: The army and was despatched to Basra and then Baghdad , where he carried out carpentry and general maintenance of machinery and vehicles, returning after a year to the orphanage in Amritsar in early 1919. On 10 April 1919, a number of local leaders allied to the Indian National Congress , including Satyapal and Saifuddin Kitchlew , were arrested under the terms of the Rowlatt Act . A military picket fired on
7112-416: The army gained control of the temple complex. Casualty figures for the army were 83 dead and 249 injured. According to the official estimates, 1,592 militants were apprehended and there were 493 combined militant and civilian casualties. According to the government claims, high civilian casualties were attributed to militants using pilgrims trapped inside the temple as human shields . Brahma Chellaney ,
7239-566: The art technique from the Mughal one is that the Sikh jaratkari art form also depicts human and animal figuratives with it, something that is not found in Mughal jaratkari art. Inlaid ivory work can be witnessed on the doors of the Darshani Deori structure of the complex. The structure of the Darshani Deori was made out of shisham wood, the front of the edifice is overlaid with silverwork, including ornamated silver panels. The back of
7366-424: The artwork lost over the years, throughout the various changes and renovations to the temple, were murals. Murals started being lost in the temple around the last years of the 19th century, when devotees were allowed to start donating inlaid marble panels to affix to the walls of the shrine. The walls that were covered by these marble panels usually were painted with murals and thus the murals were either hidden under
7493-417: The city without a permit, banned all "processions of any kind" and any congregation of more than four people, and announced around the city that "any person found in the streets after 8 pm will be shot". The announcements came at a time of noise and unusual heat, and missed key locations around the city, so that they were not widely disseminated. Dyer was subsequently informed at 12.40 pm that day that
7620-687: The command of Colonel Reginald Dyer opened fire on the crowd, killing several hundred; this became known variously as the Amritsar Massacre or the Jallianwala Bagh massacre . Singh became involved in revolutionary politics and was deeply influenced by Bhagat Singh and his revolutionary group. In 1924, Singh became involved with the Ghadar Party , organising Indians overseas towards overthrowing colonial rule. In 1927, he returned to India on orders from Bhagat Singh, bringing 25 associates as well as revolvers and ammunition. Soon after, he
7747-521: The commemoration of the centenary of the massacre. In 1920 a Trust was formed with the aim of creating a memorial at the massacre site. The memorial was closed to the public in February 2019 for the renovation work, and reopened in August 2021. The renovation was criticized by various historians, political leaders and some of the kin of the martyrs; many said that the renovations were improper and had erased
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#17327906019107874-428: The crowds. Approximately 1,650 rounds were fired and the number, killing and injuring many; the numbers are disputed. During the troubles of 1947 several surrounding buildings had been destroyed. In 1951, the government of India established the site as a 'memorial of national importance'. The site was renovated between 2019 and 2021. The central government had earmarked ₹ 20 crore (US$ 2.4 million) in 2019 for
8001-422: The dispatch, about 780 militants and civilians and 400 troops had perished in fierce gun-battles. Chellaney reported that about "eight to ten" men suspected Sikh militants had been shot with their hands tied. In that dispatch, Chellaney interviewed a doctor who said he had been picked up by the army and forced to conduct postmortems despite the fact he had never done any postmortem examination before. In reaction to
8128-517: The dispatch, the Indian government charged Chellaney with violating Punjab press censorship, two counts of fanning sectarian hatred and trouble, and later with sedition, calling his report baseless and disputing his casualty figures. The military action in the temple complex was criticised by Sikhs worldwide, who interpreted it as an assault on the Sikh religion. Many Sikh soldiers in the army deserted their units; several Sikhs resigned from civil administrative office and returned awards received from
8255-562: The earliest was during the public enquiry by the Indian Congress, when Jawaharlal Nehru visited the site in the immediate aftermath of the massacre. His investigation revealed 64 bullets in one part of the wall. The site was visited by the Queen Elizabeth II in 1961, 1983 and 1997, and British Prime Minister David Cameron visited in 2013. During Prince William and Kate's official visit to India, Jallianwala Bagh
8382-446: The first Granthi . Ath Sath Tirath , which means "shrine of 68 pilgrimages", is a raised canopy on the parkarma (circumambulation marble path around the pool). The name, as stated by W. Owen Cole and other scholars, reflects the belief that visiting this temple is equivalent to 68 Hindu pilgrimage sites in the Indian subcontinent, or that a Tirath to the Golden Temple has the efficacy of all 68 Tiraths combined. The completion of
8509-451: The first version of the Golden Temple was a major milestone for Sikhism, states Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair, because it provided a central pilgrimage place and a rallying point for the Sikh community, set within a hub of trade and activity. The growing influence and success of Guru Arjan drew the attention of the Mughal Empire . Guru Arjan was arrested under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir and asked to convert to Islam. He refused,
8636-408: The former lieutenant governor of the Punjab in India , on 13 March 1940. The assassination was done in revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919, for which O'Dwyer was responsible and of which Singh himself was a survivor. Singh was subsequently tried and convicted of murder and hanged in July 1940. While in custody, he used the name 'Ram Mohammad Singh Azad', which represents
8763-417: The garden of the Jallah-man, with its well, implies that it was once green and flowering. Over the years it had become popular as a recreation ground and an area of rest for those visiting the nearby Golden temple. In 1919, it was a dried-out plot, surrounded by tightly packed multi-occupancy buildings divided by some narrow streets, and having only one entrance and exit route. It was unoccupied and surrounded by
8890-405: The garden, one of which reads: This site is saturated with the blood of thousands of Indian patriots who were martyred in a nonviolent struggle to free India from British domination. General Dyer of the British army opened fire here on unarmed people. Jallianwala Bagh is thus an everlasting symbol of non-violent & peaceful struggle for the freedom of India The Flame of Liberty is represented by
9017-417: The governor of Punjab V.P. Singh Badnore and other officials when they visited the site in April 2019 to attend a commemoration ceremony organised by the Ministry of Culture . Other visitors in 2019 included Rahul Gandhi . Harmandir Sahib Harmandir Sāhib ( lit. ' House of God ' , Punjabi pronunciation: [ɦəɾᵊmən̪d̪əɾᵊ saːɦ(ɪ)bᵊ] )(also known as the Golden Temple , or
9144-504: The headquarters of the main political party of the Indian state of Punjab, Shiromani Akali Dal (Supreme Akali Party). The Akal Takht issues edicts or writs ( hukam ) on matters related to Sikhism and the solidarity of the Sikh community. The Teja Singh Samundri Hall is the office of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (Supreme Committee of Temple Management). It is located in a building near
9271-473: The late 1800s, but was not allowed (his father Bhai Atma Singh, grandfather Bhai Mohar Singh and their ancestors were also Head Granthis). The destruction of the temple complex occurred during the Operation Blue Star . It was the codename of an Indian military action carried out between 1 and 8 June 1984 to remove militant Sikh Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers from the buildings of
9398-421: The marble panels of the walls around the sanctum are Arabesque . The arches include verses from the Sikh scripture in gold letters. The frescoes follow the Indian tradition and include animal, bird and nature motifs rather than being purely geometrical. The stair walls have murals of Sikh Gurus such as the falcon carrying Guru Gobind Singh riding a horse. The Darshani Deorhi is a two-storey structure that houses
9525-543: The marble panels or destroyed. The Golden Temple used to have many traditional buildings, known as bungas , surrounding it. These bungas were a great source and collection of murals and thus their artwork was lost when the vast majority of the bungas were demolished over the years under the guise of modernising the religious site and expanding its parikrama . When the Darshani Deori was covered with marble panels, many wall paintings that had been executed by Mahant Ishar Singh were covered up and lost due to them. In front of
9652-405: The militants failed, Indira Gandhi ordered the army to launch Operation Blue Star, simultaneously attacking scores of Sikh temples across Punjab. A variety of army units and paramilitary forces surrounded the Golden Temple complex on 3 June 1984. The fighting started on 5 June with skirmishes and the battle went on for three days, ending on 8 June. A clean-up operation codenamed Operation Woodrose
9779-566: The official age of enrolment, Udham Singh persuaded authorities to allow him to serve in the British Indian Army during the First World War . He was subsequently attached to the lowest ranking labour unit with the 32nd Sikh Pioneers to work on restoration on the field railway from the coast up to Basra . His young age and conflicts with authority led him to return to Punjab in less than six months. In 1918, he rejoined
9906-416: The original, Guru-constructed structure was mostly comparable and similar to the present-day structure said to have been constructed in 1764. James Fergusson considered the Golden Temple as a specimen of one of the forms that the architecture of Hindu temples developed into in the 19th century. When a list of structures of interest was prepared and published by the colonial government of Punjab in 1875, it
10033-500: The pent-up fury of the downtrodden Indian people." Bergeret from Rome praised Singh's action as courageous. In March 1940, Indian National Congress leader Jawaharlal Nehru , condemned the action of Singh as senseless, however, in 1962, Nehru reversed his stance and applauded Singh with the following published statement: "I salute Shaheed-i-Azam Udham Singh with reverence who had kissed the noose so that we may be free." In 1974, Singh's remains were exhumed and repatriated to India at
10160-428: The police and escape to Germany. In 1934, he reached London, where he found employment. Privately, he formed plans to assassinate Michael O'Dwyer. In Singh's diaries for 1939 and 1940, he occasionally misspells O'Dwyer's surname as "O'Dyer", leaving a possibility he may have confused O'Dwyer with General Dyer . However, General Dyer had died in 1927, even before Udham Singh had planned the revenge. In England, Singh
10287-512: The pool is believed by many Sikhs to have restorative powers, purifying one's karma . Some carry bottles of the pool water home particularly for sick friends and relatives. The pool is maintained by volunteers who perform kar seva (community service) by draining and desilting it periodically. There is a section of the shrine known as the Har-Ki-Pauri , located on the backside of the temple proper, where pilgrims and worshippers can take
10414-468: The pool with the help of Baba Buddha (not to be confused with the Buddha of Buddhism). Guru Ram Das built his new official centre and home next to it. He invited merchants and artisans from other parts of India to settle in the new town with him. Ramdaspur town expanded during the time of Guru Arjan financed by donations and constructed by voluntary work. The town grew to become the city of Amritsar, and
10541-462: The renovation work back then, it is difficult to account for when certain parts of the temple were constructed or decorated and by whom (aside from instances where the work has a date inscribed to it) and a chronological record of how the temple evolved over time (in-regards to its murals, decorations, and other aspects) is near-impossible to complete. The Temple was renovated in marble and copper in 1809, and in 1830 Ranjit Singh donated gold to overlay
10668-581: The request of MLA Sadhu Singh Thind and cremated in his home village of Sunam. The casket was received by Indira Gandhi , Shankar Dayal Sharma and Zail Singh . On 2 August 1974 his ashes were divided into seven urns and distributed; one each to Haridwar , Kiratpur Sahib , Rauza Sharif , Sunam and the museum at Jallianwala Bagh, and two urns to the library of the Shaheed Udham Singh Arts College in Sunam. In 1999, during
10795-435: The revolver from a soldier in a public house. My parents died when I was three or four. Only one dead? I thought I could get more." While in custody, he called himself Ram Mohammad Singh Azad : the first three words of the name reflect the three major religious communities of Punjab (Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh); the last word azad (literally "free") reflects his anti-colonial sentiment. While awaiting his trial, Singh went on
10922-531: The sanctum and the causeway is the Akal Takht building. It is the chief Takht , a centre of authority in Sikhism. Its name Akal Takht means "throne of the Timeless (God)". The institution was established by Guru Hargobind after the martyrdom of his father Guru Arjan, as a place to conduct ceremonial, spiritual and secular affairs, issuing binding writs on Sikh Gurdwaras far from his own location. A building
11049-504: The sanctum and the pool. One of these is Akal Takht , the chief centre of religious authority of Sikhism . Additional buildings include a clock tower, the offices of the Gurdwara Committee, a Museum and a langar – a free Sikh community-run kitchen that offers a vegetarian meal to all visitors without discrimination. Over 150,000 people visit the holy shrine everyday for worship. The gurdwara complex has been nominated as
11176-527: The sanctum with gold leaf. There is an inscription on embossed metal located at the entrance to the temple proper which commemorates the renovations of the temple undertaken by Ranjit Singh and done through Giani Sant Singh, of the Giani Samparda . "The Great Guru in His wisdom looked upon Maharaja Ranjit Singh as his chief servitor and Sikh and, in his benevolence, bestowed on him the privilege of serving
11303-458: The shrine complex, including a complete draining and then cleaning of the temple tank ( sarovar ) by volunteers. Following the operation the central government demolished hundreds of houses and created a corridor around the compound called "Galliara" (also spelled Galiara or Galyara) for security reasons. This was made into a public park and opened in June 1988. In December 2021, a young man
11430-432: The shrine lower than the surroundings so that devotees would have to walk downwards to reach it. The four entrances represented that the Sikh faith was equally open to all four of the traditional Indian caste classifications ( varnas ). No surviving account, depiction, or record is extant or known of the proto-type, pre-1764 Harmandir Sahib that was built by the Sikh gurus themselves. However, Kanwarjit Singh Kang believes
11557-552: The site of the temple was completed by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das , in 1577. In 1604, Guru Arjan , the fifth Sikh Guru, placed a copy of the Adi Granth in the Golden Temple and was a prominent figure in its development. The gurdwara was repeatedly rebuilt by the Sikhs after it became a target of persecution and was destroyed several times by the Mughal and invading Afghan armies. Maharaja Ranjit Singh , after founding
11684-723: The solicitor's table. When this material was published, it was reported in both British and Asian press, the statement was translated into Gurmukhi script and distributed at the Sikh Vaisaki Festival in Birmingham, April 1997. John Major , the British prime minister at that time, remarked: "The Amritsar Massacre was an unhappy episode in Indo-British relations which was controversial in both countries. Today [8 October 1996] I am glad to say, our relationship
11811-416: The structure are embellished by intricate mural artwork. The pietra dura (inlaid stone design) artwork of the shrine, which features avian and other animalistic designs using semi-precious stones, was mostly inspired by the Mughal tradition. The temple premises is also decorated with embossed copper, gach , tukri , jaratkari , and ivory inlay artwork. The external portions of the upper story's walls of
11938-411: The structure is decorated with panels consisting of floral and geometric designs but also animal figuratives, such as deer, tigers, lions, and birds. Portions of the inlaid ivory had been coloured red or green, an aspect of the artwork that was praised by H.H. Cole for its harmoniousness. The oldest extant murals in the complex date back to the 1830s. Most of the vast array of murals that once coated
12065-462: The temple as being a synthesis of Islamic and Hindu architectural styles, but also observed that the structure has its own unique characteristics and inventions. Hermann Goetz believed that the temple's architecture was a " Kangra transformation of Oudh architecture" that the Sikhs adopted for their own constructions, which he praises, however he also critiqued the temple for having "gaudy" elements commonly found in Indian gurdwaras, an example being
12192-465: The temple can be found on the bottom-section of the exterior walls which are encased with marble panels featuring jaratkari artwork. The jaratkari marble panels in this lower exterior section is classified as pietra dura and semi-precious stones, like lapis lazuli and onyx, were utilised. While the Mughals also decorated their edifices using jaratkari and pietra dura art, what sets apart the Sikh form of
12319-536: The temple have been affixed with beaten copper plates that feature raised designs depicting usually florals and abstracts but there are some depictions of human figures as well. An example of embossed metal designs depicting humans are two raised copper panels located on the front-side of the temple prior, the first which depicts Guru Nanak surrounded by his companions, Bhai Mardana and Bhai Bala , on each side. The second embossed panel features an equestrian portrayal of Guru Gobind Singh . Gach can be described as
12446-478: The temple management offices and treasury. At the exit of the path leading away from the sanctum is the Prasada facility, where volunteers serve a flour-based sweet offering called Karah prasad . Typically, the pilgrims to the Golden Temple enter and make a clockwise circumambulation around the pool before entering the sanctum. There are four entrances to the gurdwara complex signifying the openness to all sides, but
12573-601: The temple proper is located on the wall behind the northern narrow staircase leading to the top of the shrine, and it is a depiction of Guru Gobind Singh on horseback alongside his retinue leaving the fort of Anandpur, ultimately a mural adaptation of what was originally a Kangra miniature painting. When H.H. Cole wrote about the murals of the Golden Temple, he witnessed many murals depicting Indic mythological scenes but these murals have since been seemingly lost to time and are no longer extant. While W. Wakefield had recorded that he observed murals depicting erotic scenes painted on
12700-487: The temple proper, known as the Darshani Deori , the prime personality who helped assist with this work was Raja Sangat Singh of Jind State . Due to the central and paramount importance of the shrine in Sikhism, essentially every Sikh sardar of the era had contributed or donated in some manner to assist with the architectural and artistic renovations of the shrine. Owing to the large number of people helping with
12827-468: The temple to watch the area, house soldiers and defend the temple. These served defensive purposes, provided accommodation for Sikh pilgrims and served as centres of learning in the 19th century. Most of the Bungas were demolished during the British colonial era. The Ramgarhia Bunga remains a symbol of the Ramgarhia Sikh community's identity, their historic sacrifices and contribution to defending
12954-430: The temple." After learning of the Gurdwara through Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad " Mir Osman Ali Khan " started giving yearly grants towards it. The management and operation of Durbar Sahib – a term that refers to the entire Golden Temple complex of buildings, was taken over by Ranjit Singh. He appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia (1768–1832) to manage it and made land grants whose collected revenue
13081-525: The three major religions in India and his anti-colonial sentiment. Singh was a well-known figure of the Indian independence movement . He is also referred to as Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh (the expression "Shaheed-i-Azam" means "the great martyr"). A district ( Udham Singh Nagar ) was named after him as a homage by the Mayawati government in October 1995. Udham Singh was born ‘Sher Singh’ into
13208-419: The tragedy of the massacre. The entrance to Jallianwala Bagh is via a narrow passage, the same passage that was the only entry and exit point at the time of the massacre and the same route that General Dyer and his troops took to reach the grounds. At the entrance is a statue of Udham Singh . Once entered, some old trees can be seen in the garden with some buildings at the back. With the words ' Vande Mataram ',
13335-458: The upper floor is gilded, embossed and decorated with jewels. The sanctum dome is semi-spherical with a pinnacle ornament. The sides are embellished with arched copings and small solid domes, the corners adorning cupolas, all of which are covered with gold leaf-covered gilded copper. There is a pavilion located on the second-floor called the Shish Mahal (mirror room). The floral designs on
13462-409: The village of Nilowal carrying mud from a newly constructed canal, part of Punjab Canal Colonies . After being laid off he found work as a railway crossing watchman in the village of Upali. In October 1907, whilst taking his sons by foot to Amritsar, their father collapsed and died at Ram Bagh Hospital. The two brothers were subsequently handed to an uncle who being unable to keep them, gave them to
13589-457: The walls of the complex were destroyed in subsequent renovation works conducted under the guise of kar seva , such as by being covered by marble slabs affixed to the walls. A prominent artist who painted many of the murals in the complex was Gian Singh Naqqash . The mural artwork of the temple consists primarily of floral designs with scattered examples of animal designs and themes. There are over 300 different design patterns dispersed all over
13716-408: The walls of the edifice. These wall paintings were created by Naqqashi artists, who had developed their own lingo to differentiate their various themes and designs. The most prominent design category was referred to as Dehin, which is described as "a medium of expression of the imaginative study of the artist's own creation of idealized forms". The base of dehin is known as Gharwanjh . Gharwanjh
13843-490: The walls with bullet holes has a plaque reading: The wall has its own historic significance as it has thirty-six bullet marks which can be easily seen at present and these were fired into the crowd by the order of General Dyer. Moreover, no warning was given to disperse before Dyer opened fire which was gathered here against the Rowlatt Act. One Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Rounds were fired Other plaques are seen inside
13970-507: Was added. The clock tower was designed by John Gordon in a Gothic cathedral style with red bricks. The clock tower construction started in 1862 and was completed in 1874. The tower was demolished by the Sikh community about 70 years later. In its place, a new entrance was constructed with a design more harmonious with the Temple. This entrance on the north side has a clock, houses a museum on its upper floor, and it continues to be called ghanta ghar deori . The Golden Temple complex originally
14097-667: Was affiliated to the Indian Workers' Association in Coventry and attended their meetings. On 13 March 1940, Michael O'Dwyer was scheduled to speak at a joint meeting of the East India Association and the Central Asian Society (now Royal Society for Asian Affairs ) at Caxton Hall , London . Singh had entered the event with a ticket in his wife's name. Singh concealed a revolver inside
14224-665: Was allegedly beaten to death after disrupting the Rehras Sahib (evening prayer) at the sanctum of the temple. He reportedly jumped over a railing and picked up the sword lying before the temple's copy of the Guru Granth Sahib , before attempting to touch the Guru Granth Sahib itself. He was subsequently overpowered by the sangat and received fatal injuries to the head. The Golden Temple's architecture reflects different architectural practices prevalent in
14351-400: Was also initiated throughout Punjab. The army had underestimated the firepower possessed by the militants, whose armament included Chinese-made rocket-propelled grenade launchers with armour piercing capabilities. Tanks and heavy artillery were used to attack the militants, who responded with anti-tank and machine-gun fire from the heavily fortified Akal Takht. After a 24-hour firefight,
14478-471: Was arrested for possession of unlicensed arms. Revolvers, ammunition, and copies of a prohibited Ghadar Party paper called "Ghadr-di-Gunj" ("Voice of Revolt") were confiscated. He was prosecuted and sentenced to five years in prison . Upon his release from prison in 1931, Singh's movements were under constant surveillance by the Punjab Police . He made his way to Kashmir , where he was able to evade
14605-754: Was arrested immediately after the shooting and the pistol (now in the Crime Museum ) seized as evidence. Singh married a Mexican woman, Lupe Hernandez, in the 1920s, by whom he fathered two sons. In 1927 he left the United States, leaving Hernandez and their two sons behind. Many other Indian men in the States took Hispanic wives due to the Johnson-Reed (Immigration) Act of 1924 , as they would otherwise have been expelled. According to some of his relatives, Singh later took an English wife as well. It
14732-406: Was assigned to pay for the Temple's maintenance and operation. Ranjit Singh also made the position of Temple officials hereditary. The Giani family was the only family allowed to do Katha in the Golden Temple, they served the Sikh community till 1921, when the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee came into power, they were the only family allowed to do Katha since 1788 and were also he heads of
14859-441: Was chosen by Guru Amar Das , the third Guru of the Sikh tradition. It was then called Guru Da Chakk , after he had asked his disciple Ram Das to find land to start a new town with a man-made pool as its central point. After Guru Ram Das succeeded Guru Amar Das in 1574, and in the face of hostile opposition from the sons of Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das founded the town that came to be known as "Ramdaspur". He started by completing
14986-468: Was claimed that the architectural design of the Golden Temple, in the form it was constructed as by Ranjit Singh, was based ultimately on the shrine of the Sufi saint Mian Mir . Louis Rousselet stated in 1882 that the shrine was a "handsome style of Jat architecture." Major Henry Hardy Cole described the architecture of the edifice as being primarily drawn from Islamic sources with a significant input from Hindu styles . Percy Brown also classified
15113-452: Was hanged at Pentonville Prison by Albert Pierrepoint . His remains are preserved at the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar , Punjab . On every 31 July, marches are held in Sunam (Singh's hometown) by various organisations and every statue of Singh in the city is paid tribute with flower garlands. Following his conviction, he made a speech which the judge directed should not be released to the press. However, political activists who had set up
15240-508: Was later constructed over the Takht founded by Guru Hargobind, and this came to be known as Akal Bunga. The Akal Takht is also known as Takht Sri Akal Bunga. The Sikh tradition has five Takhts, all of which are major pilgrimage sites in Sikhism. These are in Anandpur, Patna, Nanded, Talwandi Sabo and Amritsar. The Akal Takht in the Golden Temple complex is the primary seat and chief. It is also
15367-601: Was not on their itinerary. Others from Britain include Sadiq Khan , the Mayor of London in 2017, and Dominic Asquith and the Archbishop of Canterbury , Justin Welby in 2019. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the grounds in 2015 and politician Kiren Rijiju visited in 2016 as part of an India-Pakistan border visit. Proposed renovations to Jallianwala Bagh were presented to India’s vice president Venkaiah Naidu ,
15494-493: Was open and had numerous trees around the pool. It is now a walled, two-storey courtyard with four entrances, that preserve three Ber trees ( jujube ). One of them is to the right of the main ghanta ghar deori entrance with the clock, and it is called the Ber Baba Buddha . It is believed in the Sikh tradition to be the tree where Baba Buddha sat to supervise the construction of the pool and first temple. A second tree
15621-405: Was placed on the shrine in 1803. Various personalities helped decorate and embellish the ceiling of the first floor, with names of some contributors to the cause being Tara Singh Gheba, Partap Singh, Jodh Singh, and Ganda Singh Peshawari. Ganda Singh Peshawari sent his donation in the year 1823. For the decoration and gilding with copper of the main entryway and archway to the causeway leading to
15748-427: Was rebuilt again after the 1984 attack on it. The Golden Temple is an open house of worship for all people, from all walks of life and faiths. It has a square plan with four entrances, and a circumambulation path around the pool. The four entrances to the gurudwara symbolises the Sikh belief in equality and the Sikh view that all people are welcome into their holy place. The complex is a collection of buildings around
15875-425: Was the real culprit. He wanted to crush the spirit of my people, so I have crushed him. For full 21 years, I have been trying to seek vengeance. I am happy that I have done the job. I am not scared of death. I am dying for my country. I have seen my people starving in India under the British rule. I have protested against this, it was my duty. Singh was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On 31 July 1940, Singh
16002-506: Was tortured and executed in 1606. Guru Arjan's son and successor Guru Hargobind fought a Battle at Amritsar and later left Amritsar and its surrounding areas in 1635 for Kiratpur . For about a century after the Golden Temple was occupied by the Minas . In the 18th century, Guru Gobind Singh after creating the Khalsa sent Bhai Mani Singh to take back the temple. The Golden Temple
16129-472: Was viewed by the Mughal rulers and Afghan Sultans as the centre of Sikh faith and it remained the main target of persecution. After the original temple was destroyed by hostile forces, the shrine was reconstructed in 1764 (a date which H.H. Cole affirms in his monograph on the temple), however most of the elaborate decorations and additions were added to the shrine in the early 19th century. However, according to Giani Gian Singh 's Tawarikh Sri Amritsar (1889),
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