Faith over politics: Sikh volunteers rebuild temple wall in Nangal

For the past three days, volunteers from both Sikh and Hindu faith have been toiling tirelessly laying stones and rebuilding the damaged retaining wall of the Laxmi Narayan temple in Nangal. The wall had collapsed recently due to strong water flow from the dam, posing a serious risk to the sanctity and structure of the revered temple.

While the spotlight has largely been hijacked by political wrangling between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, the quiet presence of Sikh and Hindu volunteers has offered a moving counter-narrative one that speaks to Punjab’s deep-rooted tradition of communal harmony and shared faith.

“The wall may belong to a temple, but protecting a place of worship is everyone’s duty,” said Satnam Singh, a volunteer.

Dozens of volunteers young and old from nearby villages joined hands, some bringing materials, others mixing cement and still others offering meals and water to the workers.

The repair effort took shape shortly after the collapse of the wall triggered a political tussle.

Congress leader KP Rana, former Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, had swiftly visited the site and announced Rs 1.21 crore for the reconstruction through the Congress-controlled Nangal Municipal Council. But just as the Congress sought to take the credit, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, the AAP MLA from Anandpur Sahib, launched a symbolic Kar Seva on September 5, asserting that volunteers would begin immediate repairs, bypassing red tape.

While talking to The Tribune on the site of construction, Bains said besides the volunteers, technical labour was hired and government sanctioned Rs 25 lakh from disaster management funds for hiring them to save the temple. The technical labour was required as landslide was adjoining Nangal lake and it was technical job to bridge the breach.

While political leaders sought to position themselves as champions of public faith, it was the humble Sikh volunteers with no political banners or cameras who showed up early, stayed late and did the heavy lifting.

Many locals were visibly moved. “It’s heartening to see such seva. People from a different faith working to save our temple that the Punjab I know,” said Rajesh Sharma, a shopkeeper in Nangal.