In photos: Echoes of valour & faith resound at grand Sikh structure Ramgarhia Bunga

As visitors enter the holy complex of Sri Darbar Sahib in Amritsar, their eyes are drawn to two towers, standing 156 feet into the sky. These historic towers are part of the Ramgarhia Bunga, a grand Sikh structure whose restoration work has been completed after nearly 20 years. This restoration has brought to light the architectural brilliance and historical importance of the Bunga.

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The Ramgarhia Bunga was built in 1755 by Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, a famous Sikh leader and warrior during the time of the Sikh Misals. The purpose of the Bunga was both military and religious. It served as a defensive structure to protect the Golden Temple and also as a rest house for visiting pilgrims. While several Bungas were constructed around the holy Sarovar and Darbar Sahib, the Ramgarhia Bunga was the most magnificent and important one.

The Bunga had a special audience hall called the Diwan-e-Khas, supported by 84 beautifully carved red sandstone pillars. It also housed a marble throne that Jassa Singh Ramgarhia brought from Delhi’s Mughal Red Fort in 1783. This throne was once used by Mughal emperors like Aurangzeb.

The same marble slab, now kept on the first floor of the Bunga, is a symbol of Sikh victory and justice. It reminds visitors of the time when Sikh generals like Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, and Sardar Baghel Singh captured Delhi and removed the throne used to issue cruel edicts against Guru Tegh Bahadur and his followers.

The Bunga’s design is unique. Inside, it has a hall for generals, rooms for ministers and officials, and even a secret dungeon. A well was also built for water, along with proper ventilation. The towers were used to keep watch over the temple complex and the city. Over time, the building suffered damage, especially during the 1905 earthquake and the 1984 Operation Blue Star. In 1995–96, the domes of the minarets were repaired by the Jassa Singh Ramgarhia Federation with help from the SGPC.

To preserve this treasure of Sikh history, the SGPC started a conservation project with the help of experts from Guru Nanak Dev University and Heritage Conservation Management Services. Though the Kar Sewa began in 2008 and completed in recent years but the site still needs more attention for full preservation and proper presentation.