By Asia Samachar | Malaysia |
If all goes well, the iconic Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang (WGSP) will be restored to its full glory in the next 18 months.
The gurdwara founded in 1902 is undergoing restoration work to get the building recognised as a national heritage building.
“There will not be any delay anymore in the Wadda Gurdwara restoration project. Not under my watch. We are looking at 15-18 months (upon approval of plans submitted),” said Penang state law maker Jagdeep Singh Deo.
The Penang state exco for local government, town and country planning today (June 7) contributed RM200,000 which came from his budget as an exco member.
“I am very happy to be here again today at the Wadda Gurdwara Sahib, an iconic Gurdwara of the whole of the country, at 122 years old, to ensure its restoration project continues without any further delay. Our target for its completion will be in 2024,” he said in a social media update today.
Aside from the restoration work at WGSP, he said the state was also working on restoring a small room at Fort Cornwallis used by Sikh soldiers for prayers during the British era.
“These are part of our Sikh restoration works… to ensure that our identity will always remain here in Penang,” he said.
At the same time, he added that the Penang state government would continue to assist all places of worship including non-Islamic such as Chinese temples, Indian kuils, gurdwaras and churches. Since 2008, 210 such projects for such non-Islamic places of worship have been implemented at a value of RM8.84 million, namely Chinese temples (103), Indian kuils (54), gurdwaras (10) and churches (43), he said in his social media entry.
The WGSP fund raising team has planned a heritage dinner on Oct 8 to raise RM2 million. At this juncture, they have raised RM1.5 million, with RM400,000 have already been spent on the restoration works so far. The entire project is estimated to cost RM5.9 million, after taking into account cost escalation due to recent economic developments.
Founded in 1901, it was first named Diamond Jubilee Sikh Temple to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria of Britain. Upon completion, it was the biggest gurdwara in Malaya as well as South East Asia.
Located at No 87, Jalan Gurdwara, formerly known as Brick Kiln Road, Penang, the gurdwara structure is a beautiful strikingmixture of Moorish and modern architectural design.
It was on 3rd June 1901 that Colonel Walker of the Malay States Guides laid the foundation of the Gurdwara, Penang. The Straits Settlement Government of Penang, in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria of Britain, granted the land on which it is built. The foundation stone can be seen in the corner of the building near the “Nishan Sahib” (flagpole).
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Sketch captures beauty of Penang’s oldest gurdwara (Asia Samachar, 12 Jan 2021)
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