‘Golden’ boat adds to spiritual aura of Harmandir Sahib’s sarovar

A ‘golden’ boat in the holy sarovar (pool of nectar) at the Golden Temple has become a new attraction, enhancing the vibrant spiritual atmosphere of the sacred shrine.

As part of the daily routine, the sewadars row the boat into the sarovar to clear dust and debris that settle on its surface, using a special net and stick. However, the idea of a ‘golden’ boat was conceived by Gurjeet Singh, a Canada-based devotee. After overcoming several technical challenges, the concept was brought to life after around 18 months by an Amritsar-based father-son duo of Gursikh craftsmen.

Brass sheets with a golden hue were selected to cover the wooden frame of the boat, giving it a fitting look while remaining practical for the task. Gurjeet, along with his brother Mandeep Singh and their mother Malkeet Kaur Khalsa, presented the boat to the Golden Temple authorities on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Baba Deep Singh.

Gurjeet shared, “Whenever I visited the Golden Temple with my family, I noticed that all the infrastructure, devices, and equipment, from wall clocks to railings, had a golden touch. However, the wooden boat used for cleaning the sarovar didn’t blend in. I thought a golden boat would complement the overall theme of the shrine. Now, when it is rowed into the sarovar, its golden reflection creates a mesmerising view that matches the ambience.”

Mandeep explained that creating a weather-resistant boat was a challenging task. “We had to carefully select the metal, ensuring its weight allowed the boat to float and maintain balance. After extensive research, we decided to use brass sheets of specific dimensions to cover the wooden frame. We used at least 200 kg of brass, and the boat was dismantled and reassembled several times to meet the required specifications. After numerous trial runs and experiments, the project was successfully completed.”

Bhagwant Singh Dhangera, General Manager of the Golden Temple, remarked, “Devotion knows no boundaries. It was a devotee who approached us with the idea of a golden boat, which is now in use.” He also highlighted the importance of the task, noting that, aside from dust particles, stray kites and strings often fall into the sarovar, requiring regular cleaning by the sewadars.