The Sri Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, Punjab was repeatedly invaded and destroyed by Afghan and other invaders over centuries, requiring great sacrifices by Sikhs to liberate and restore its sanctity each time. It went through periods of desecration under Mughal rule as well as under the British, leading to reform movements by Sikhs. Eventually the 1925 Sikh Gurdwara Act established the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to oversee its management as a representative body of Sikhs.

1. The History of Shri
Harmandir Sahib
12 Oct 09 Page 1 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

2. The Sri Harmandir Sahib was invaded
and destroyed many a times by the
Afghan and other invaders. Each and
every time the Sikhs had to sacrifice their
lives in order to liberate it and restore its
sanctity. After the martyrdom of Bhai Mani
Singh ji in 1737, Massa Ranghar, the
Kotwal of Amritsar took charge of Sri
Harmandir Sahib in 1740 and converted it
into a civil court and began to hold notch
parties. This act created great resentment
12 Oct 09 Page 2 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

3. among the Sikhs. Two warriors, Sukha
Singh and Mahtab Singh avenged the
insult by a dare devil act. They entered
the temple complex in guise of peasants,
severed the head of Massa Ranghar with
a single blow of kirpan and fled away with
decapitated head on one of the their
spears. After this incident the security
around the Sri Harmandir Sahib was
further tightened and the temple was
locked.
12 Oct 09 Page 3 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

4. Now, it was the turn of Lakhpat Rai, a
Hindu Diwan of Lahore Darbar as he
vowed to finish the entire Sikh Nation. In
order to avenge the death of his brother
Jaspat Rai, he befouled the Sarovar and
desecrated Sri Harmandir Sahib in 1746.
He even banned the name 'Guru'. The
Mughal forces marched against the Sikhs
under the command of Diwan Lakhpat
Rai and Yahiya Khan. A fierce battle was
12 Oct 09 Page 4 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

5. fought( the first Ghalughara in june 1746)
in which nearly seven thousand Sikhs
were martyred. Three thousand of them
were put to death publicly at Lahore, (the
site is now called Shaheedganj).
After this hollowcast, the Sikhs under the
efficient leadership of Sardar Jassa Singh
Ahluwalia retaliated back and recaptured
both the city and Sri Harmandir Sahib
killing Salabat Khan in March, 1748. They
12 Oct 09 Page 5 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

6. celebrated Vaiskhi with great enthusiasm
by clearing the holy Sarovar and
restoring the daily Maryada at Sri
Harmandir Sahib. They also held 'Sarbat
Khalsa'. The Dewali festival of 1748 was
also celebrated enthusiastically.
In 1757, Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded
India for the second time and attacked
Amritsar. He demolished Sri Harmandir
Sahib and filled the Sarovar (tank) with
12 Oct 09 Page 6 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

7. garbage. On hearing of the desecration,
Baba deep Singh ji Saheed, the head of
'Misl Shaheedan', started at once to
avenge the insult. A bloody encounter
took place at the village Gohalwar near
Amritsar. Baba Deep Singh was mortally
wounded. He gripped and supported his
severed head with his left hand and with
the right, he went on mowing down the
enemies. Thus fighting, this unique
warrior reached the holy precincts and
12 Oct 09 Page 7 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

8. laid down his life for the cause of
maintaining sanctity of Sri Harmandir
Sahib.
On 10th April, 1762, Ahmed Shah Abdali
again invaded Amritsar and Sri
Harmandir Sahib, after the horrible
carnage of the Sikhs at Kup Harira. On
this occasion thousands of armed and
unarmed Sikhs had gathered at the
temple for a holy bath. Countless Sikhs
12 Oct 09 Page 8 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

9. laid down their lives in defense of their
beloved shrine. Sri Harmandir Sahib was
again blown up with gun powder and the
holy tank was also desecrated. It is said
that while the building of the shrine was
being blown up, a flying brick bat struck
the Shah on the nose. This wound proved
fatal for him.
In December, 1764, Sri Harmandir Sahib
was again attacked by Ahmed Shah
12 Oct 09 Page 9 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

10. Abdali with the sole object of destroying
the entire Sikh Nation. But before his
arrival the Sikhs abandoned the city and
to his surprise he found only thirty Sikhs
in the vicinity of Sri Harmandir Sahib,
who under the command of Baba Gurbax
Singh ji gave him stiff resistance and all
were martyred. Abdali, again pulled down
the newly constructed structure of the
Shrine and leveled the holy tank.
12 Oct 09 Page 10 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

11. Before the final departure from India in
1767, Ahmed Shah Abdali again attacked
Amrtisar but he dared not enter Sri
Harmandir Sahib, and it remained under
the control of the Sikhs ever afterwards.
(In June, 1984 it was attacked by the
Indian Army, under operation Blue Star in
which several hundred innocent Sikh
pilgrims were killed).
After the Martydom of Bhai Mani Singh ji
12 Oct 09 Page 11 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

12. Sri Harmandir Sahib was collectively
managed by the Sikh misls and many
Bungas( Mansions) were constructed.
Whenever the Sikh leaders visit Amritsar,
they did not interfere in the affairs of the
temple. All the general gatherings were
held on Akal Takhat Sahib only in the
presence of Guru Granth Sahib. During
the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh the
administration of Sri Harmandir Sahib
went under the control of the State.
12 Oct 09 Page 12 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

13. Maharaja took keen interest in the
development and beautification of Sri
Harmandir Sahib.
During the British period, Sri Harmandir
Sahib passed under the control of one
man the 'Sarbrah' (Manager), a nominee
of Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar. The
Deputy commissioner of Amritsar also
made a committee of so-called sikh
Sardars and Raises. The Pujaries,
12 Oct 09 Page 13 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

14. Mahants, Ragis and other functionaries
began to receive their customary share of
offerings at the Temple. On the other
hand immoral acts were practiced by
them within the precincts of the temple
with the connivance of Sarbrah. Great
resentment prevailed among the Sikhs
and outcome of this was Sikh Gurdwara
Reform Movement. Now again the Sikhs
had to sacrifice their lives for the cause of
Sri Harmandir Sahib and other Shrines.
12 Oct 09 Page 14 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

15. The Shiromani Akali Dal became the
spear head of the struggle for the reform
of the places of worship.
The curtain was finally rung down upon
the Gurdwara Reform Movement, when
the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, vested the
control and management of Sri
Harmandir Sahib in the Shiromani
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, a
12 Oct 09 Page 15 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

16. representative body of the Sikhs elected
by adult franchise.
“Proud To Be A Sikh”
12 Oct 09 Page 16 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi

17. Thanks
virdi.simran@gmail.com
12 Oct 09 Page 17 of 17 Er. S.S.Virdi