Patna, Dec. 6: Devotees going to take part in Prakash Utsav will get a glimpse of Amritsar's Golden Temple in a few parts of Takht Shri Harmandir Sahib, the main shrine that will host the mega celebrations.
Baba Mohinder Singh of England-based Sikh organisation Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha is funding intricate work of gold done on the walls of Takht Shri Harmandir Sahib.
"The golden work has been done in the part of the shrine, wherein the 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh was born apart from the doors and a few other select areas. Workers have been brought from Jaipur, Varanasi and Amritsar for the job," said Indrajeet Singh, the project director of the Guru Gobind Singh project.
He, however, did not reveal the quantity of gold being used. "We can't divulge that because of security reasons."
Sources said the England-based organisation had also funded the underground parking facility for 160 vehicles and paid for making the Harmandir Sahib building earthquake-resistant.
Indrajeet added that around 1,000 tonnes of steel had been used make the sacred structure strong enough to face an earthquake. B.B. Choudhary, who has to his credit the Delhi-based Akshardham temple, had been hired to implement the project.
The temple management committee of the shrine has also decided to offer prasad to devotees in plastic packets during Prakash Utsav. "Normally the devotees take prasad in hand but in Prakash Utsav, the devotees would be served in plastic packets on the lines of the Golden Temple. Devotees are now being given kadha (halwa) prasad but during Prakash Utsav, they would be given panjeeri Prasad made of wheat flour," said an official of the committee.
Talking about facilities created for devotees, Indrajeet said: "We have built a new 48-room guesthouse Mata Gujri Niwas. We have also laid the foundation stone of another 100-room guesthouse Kediya House for VIP guests. It has marble floor and a lift. The old guesthouse, Jauhri Niwas, has also been modernised with air-conditioners, CCTV cameras, heaters and geysers. Gujri Niwas too boasts of the same. We will install LED screens there soon."
