Home > Mind , Body & Soul > Sikhism > The second golden temple Guru Gobind Singh's Legacy: Another 'golden' templeThe Gurudwara Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib at Nanded is one of Sikhism's holiest shrines.

The Gurudwara is built on the spot where the tenth Sikh guru and 'warrior saint', Guru Gobind Singh was assassinated in 1708 while camping in what was then the wilderness.

The Gurudwara already has a large gold dome and four golden doors that lead to the sanctum sanctorum. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Punjab emperor, built these in the early 1830-s. He also had gold carvings done on the ceilings. In 1997, the name of the Gurudwara was written in solid gold blocks. Now the 'Guru Nanak Nishkam Sevak Jatha', funded by NRIs has started the task of giving the Gurudwara a golden hue. The initial cost of this is estimated at Rs. 65 crore. The entire Gurudwara building is to be covered with over a thousand kilograms of gold worth Rs. 45 crore and is expected to be completed by the year 2003.

The president of the Gurudwara Board contends that the shrine, being the place where Guru Gobind Singh executed the holy decree Guru Manyo Granth (Granth Sahib is now the guru) and breathed his last, is of historical significance and deserves a golden hue. Even the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC), after some debate has given the 'go ahead' for the second Golden Temple.

The 300th death anniversary celebrations

The city of Nanded is, meanwhile, preparing for a bigger event. The year 2008 is the 300th death anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh and over fifty lakh devotees from all over the world are expected to visit the shrine.

Pressure Cookers and Church Bells

Earlier this year, weapons dating back to the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh were discovered in some old rooms of the Gurudwara that had remained locked for over a century and a half. Some interesting artefacts too were found in the attics. They include a 150 to 200 year old pressure cooker (believed to be of English make), church bells depicting the crucifix and exquisite oil lamp chandeliers. These will be polished and displayed in the in-house museum of the Gurudwara, giving tourists and pilgrims all the more reason to visit the Gurudwara.