Rs.600 crore from NRIs, others for Guru Gobind Singh's birthplace

Hundreds of NRIs and businessmen from across India wiill contribute a whopping Rs.600 crore to develop the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th guru of the Sikhs, on the lines of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, ahead of the guru's 350th birth anniversary in 2017.

Officials of the Takht Harmandir Saheb said NRIs from across the world, including the US, Britain and Canada, and businessmen from Mumbai, Delhi, Ludhiana, Kolkata and other cities have come forward to contribute to develop Harmandir Saheb.

Around five million people, mainly Sikhs from across the world, are expected to congregate here on the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.

"Funds will not be a problem with NRIs and businessmen expected to contribute generously to develop it," Charanjeet Singh, general secretary of the Takht prabandhak committee, told IANS.

Work is already underway to develop and beautify Harmandir Saheb before the 350th birth anniversary, said R.S. Jeet, an official of Takht Harmandir Saheb.

More than 100 workers from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan are working day and night to complete the project.

The project includes a golden Guru Durbar on the lines of the Golden Temple.

Jeet said the main attraction would be the intricate gold inlay work being done on the ceiling of Harmandir Saheb.

"The entire project of gold work will cost Rs.50 crore," he said.

Britain-based Baba Mohinder Singh is funding the development of Guru Durbar, that also includes a facility for parking 100 vehicles.

The committee is also constructing 100 fully air-conditioned rooms for devotees, and planning an air-conditioned Diwan hall for congregations.

Mumbai-based businessmen Iqbal Singh and Surjeet Singh have been funding the construction of 100 rooms for gurdwara staff.

The committee has also sent a proposal to the central government for Rs.1,200 crore for all-round development of Patna Saheb and a request for holy city status.

Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said he was keen to develop the Sikh circuit in the state.

Manjhi recently visited Takht Harmandir Saheb and promised all possible help to the committee for completion of the project and making the 2017 event a grand success.

(Imran Khan can be contacted at imran.k@ians.in)