Kar sewa for washing, cleaning of gold plating at Golden Temple begins

The kar sewa (voluntary service) of gold washing and cleaning of the Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib (sanctum sanctorum) of the Golden Temple with herbal material commenced today morning after the ‘ardas’.

The gold plates are being washed with water and lemon juice by boiling the ‘reetha’. This is a natural method and no chemicals are used in it.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has entrusted the kar sewa to Bhai Mohinder Singh, head of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha Birmingham.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, additional Head Granthi of the Golden Temple Giani Amarjit Singh and head of Nishkam Sewak Jatha, Bhai Mohinder Singh, along with several prominent personalities were present.

Dhami said that keeping in mind the cleanliness and maintenance of the gold installed at the Golden Temple, its washing is done from time to time, which is annually performed by the volunteers of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewa Jatha Birmingham. He said that every year the Nishkam Sewak Jatha does this service voluntarily. They will also clean the gold plates covering the domes of Akal Takht, Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai and Ghanta Ghar Deori.

The SGPC president thanked the volunteers of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha and expressed hope that they would continue to serve the Guru Ghar in the same manner in future.

Bhai Mohinder Singh said that due to the blessings of the Guru Sahib, the Jatha carries out the work of gold washing every year with the support of the SGPC. The Sangat has come specially for the service of gold washing and it will continue for about 10-12 days.