After receiving flak from various art and literary groups across the world, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has finally restored the murals displayed at the Gurdwara Baba Attal Rai, the 18th century tower on the Golden Temple premises.
There are a series of murals illustrating the life of Guru Nanak Dev based on Janamsakhi tradition. A major portion of the murals was damaged during kar sewa (restoration work) conducted by the SGPC in the ’90s. The bathroom tiles and plaster were installed on the ground floor of the tower.
Murals on the walls
Satpal Danish, eminent photographer, who published a book Janam Sakhi on the murals of Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai, claimed that originally the work has been done by several ‘Nakaashs’ in the Sikh raj. Names of a few Nakaashs including Matab Singh and Gian Singh are written there. However, several names of donors are also written on the walls, which reveals that the mural work on the first floor was conducted in 1902-03. It has been learnt that Gurmukhi text written on some of the murals is “Larivaar” (without space) while others are elaborated with modern Punjabi. The restoration of these painting might have been conducted in the 1902-03.
Janamsakhi of Guru
The interior walls of the first floor of the Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai have more than 40 panels of murals depicting the Janam Sakhi’s of Guru Nanak Dev. The series of Janam Sakhi is the biographical account of the life of the Guru and it has been painted beautifully on the walls.
Martyrs of 18th century
There are two series of paintings, one representing Guru Nanak and other depicting Sikh martyrs of the 18th Century. The portraits of 18th Century martyrs Baba Deep Singh, Baba Naudh Singh, Baba Hanuman Singh and others are displayed in the inner galleries.
Damage of heritage
A number of murals at the ground floor have been considerably damaged. Several murals can be seen damaged at the deorhi or the first entrance to the shrine. Large panels illustrate scenes from the life of Baba Atal and Guru Nanak and various stages of the battle of Muktsar were damaged by the kar sewa (restoration work) conducted in the ’90s.
Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai
Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai, a nine-storeyed octagonal tower, standing 40-metre high, was built during Maharaja Ranjit Singh in memory of Baba Atal Rai, son of Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh master. It is situated to the south of the Golden Temple near Guru Ramdas library. It is one of the tallest buildings in Amritsar.
Initially, it was a small samadhi, (cenotaph), where the remains of Atal Rai were kept in 1620. Later, it transformed into a gurdwara. During Khalsa Raj, its nine-storey building was constructed to commemorate the nine years of Rai’s short life.
Guru’s childhood
Birth of Guru Nanak
Guru’s teachings
His body
Hindu and Muslim conflict
Education
Udasis
II. Before leaving Talwandi, Guru Nanak met Rai Bhular Bhatti along with his father and uncle Lalu. He gave a message that everything was in the order of God. Rai Bhular bowed in front of the Guru.
III. During Udasi, Guru met Bhai Lalo, a poor carpenter. Malik Bhago, the landlord of the area, asked Nanak to stay at his home. The Guru took dry chapatti of Lalo in his right hand and Malik Bhago’s fried puri in his left hand. When he squeezed the right hand, people present there saw drops of milk dripping from it and when he pressed the left hand, people saw blood dripping from Malik Bhago’s puri.
IV. Karoria, a revenue collector met Guru outside the village and offered that he will construct a palace for him. The Guru asked to build Kartarpur on the name of Kartar (creator).
Marriage
Guru in Mecca
Guru at Gorakhmata
Guru’s throne to Angad Dev at Kartarpur
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