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Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Now If SGPC Could Get Kar Seva Done Along These Lines in Punjab...

Seems that after the Bhuj earthquake in Gujarat the ASI and Gujarat governments had a damaged Gurdwara Sahib repaired in a manner that took conservation best practices into account and have been rewarded for their efforts with a UNESCO heritage award.
UNESCO has conferred its "Asia-Pacific Heritage Award" to a Sikh shrine in Gujarat's border district of Kutch.

The government of Gujarat undertook the conservation and reconstruction of the 200-year-old gurdwara at Lakhpat in Kutch district after it was damaged during the 2001 earthquake.

"Impressed by the efforts, UNESCO has conferred the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award to the Lakhpat gurdwara and thereby appreciated the state government," an official release said.

The cultural activities department had taken up reconstruction of the gurdwara through people's participation. The project received a grant from the Archaeological Survey of India and had the cooperation of the United Nations Volunteer Programme.

Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, had stayed for a night at Lakhpat, about 450 km from here. The gurdwara was built in his memory.

Conferring the award, UNESCO stated, "The restoration of this Sikh house of worship demonstrates a sophisticated holistic understanding of both the technical and social aspects of conservation.

"Careful attention to detail and sensitive repair work have ensured the retention of the building's historic character. The emphasis on involving and empowering the community ensures the long-term survival of the historic building and its associated cultural traditions."


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