AMRITSAR SAHIB, Punjab—The Supreme Sikh body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhik Committee has begun efforts to get back land of Gurdwara Sri Baoli Sahib (Puri) acquired by Orissa government to give it to the Jagannath Mandir there.
SGPC President Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar has appointed a three member committee to sort out this issue at the earliest. SGPC executive members Gurcharan Singh Grewal, Surjit Singh Bhittewind and SGPC additional secretary Harbhajan Singh have been taken into this committee.
Speaking with Sikh24 on April 5, SGPC President Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar informed that the appointed committee has sought time for meeting from the Jagannath Temple authorities and the SGPC will try its best to get back the Gurdwara land.
Prof. Badungar told Sikh24 that the site is in very bad condition and needs assistance of Sikh leaders. “If we don’t act now, the pious site will be gone forever.”
“The historical well has been turned into a garbage site, this is why we have decided to take the land back and work on restoring a Gurdwara there,” he added.
Gurdwara Baoli Sahib – Puri, commonly called Jagannath Puri after the famous Hindu Temple of Jagannath, was visited by Guru Nanak Dev in 1509 during his eastern travels. He preached against idolatry and exhorted the people to sing praises of the One God, who is Formless and yet all forms are His. Gurdwara Baoli Sahib and Mangu Math served by Udasi priests commemorate the Guru’s visit. These were first established by Bhai Almast, the notable Udasi preacher, during the middle of the seventeenth century.
