The temple management committee of Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib has built a guest house for devotees during Prakash Parv (birth anniversary celebration) of Guru Gobind Singh in 2017.

The management has ensured that the guest houses at the second most revered shrine in the country for Sikhs are equipped with air-conditioners, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, geysers and other facilities. Apart from the new guest house, the old guest houses are also being renovated.

R.S. Jeet, senior vice-president of the temple management committee of Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib, said: 'Lakhs of devotees would turn up for Prakash Parv. We have built a new 48-room guest house called Mata Gujri Niwas. We have also laid a foundation stone of a 100-room guest house christened Kediya House on Sunday. The existing guest house, Jauhri Niwas, has also been modernised and now it is equipped with air-conditioners, CCTVs, heaters, geysers and other amenities. Mata Gujri Niwas also boasts of similar facilities. We would install LED screens in the guest house. Kediya House is being developed for VIP guests and we plan to use marble for the floors. Besides, a lift would also be installed.'

Jeet said the temple management committee had decided to create at least 1,000 rooms to accommodate the devotees.

'We are looking for land near the shrine wherein we can create more guest house. We are holding talks with the state government to help us,' Jeet said.

According to the temple management members, gold work on the wall in the durbar hall of the shrine is on the verge of completion.

The intricate golden work carved on the walls of the Golden Temple - Manobat - is also being replicated at the Patna City shrine.

Rajasthan-based artists have been hired to execute the work, as they are masters in this art form. The process of carving out intricate golden work on the walls is not an easy task.

The work on an underground parking facility is also in progress. 'The underground parking facility for 80 vehicles is ready. Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib is now among very few gurdwaras in the country, which have parking facility,' said Jeet.

Anchit Kaur (42), a resident of Patna City, hailed the gurdwara committee's plans for making such big arrangements for the Prakash Parv.

'I am waiting for Prakash Parv. The temple management committee of Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib has taken a lot of initiatives for the programme such as building guest houses and underground parking facility, which is commendable,' said Kaur.