M A I N   N E W S

Kar seva ‘wipes out’ treasure of frescoes
Varinder Walia and Gurbax Puri

Tarn Taran, July 26
The majestic fort in which Baba Bir Singh gurdwara is located at Naurangabad village, 5 km from here, has a number of beautiful frescoes of freedom fighters, Sikh Gurus and Hindu deities which are a feast for the eyes. The gurdwara is situated on the old GT road which used to connect New Delhi with Lahore.

Unmindful of the significance of art, many murals in the name of kar seva are damaged. Beautiful buildings built with ‘Nanakshahi bricks’ have been plastered with cement. Haphazard electrical wiring also has damaged some of the significant frescoes.

Similar treatment has been meted out to invaluable frescoes in the adjoining gurdwara built in the memory of Baba Khuda Singh. Most of the art work was done in the “Mughal-Pahari” school of frescoes.

The art of frescoes which flourished during the regime of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, has been “forgotten” due to callous attitude of all concerned. While some of the wall paintings in the gurdwara — in good condition would be finished in the coming days. Mr Brij Bedi, and Dr Sheharyar both art lovers, with whose efforts most of the frescoes of Baba Atal were saved, have urged the state government and the SGPC to take immediate steps to save these (the frescoes) from getting decayed. They found many similarities in the frescoes of Bir Singh gurdwara and Baba Atal gurdwara. They said the entire project of preserving the frescoes could be handed over to INTACH, which could provide expertise in this regard.

The qila in which the gurdwara is situated was constructed in the second half of 19th century in the memory of Saint-Sepoy, Baba Bir Singh, who served in the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh for some time.

The frescoes which adorn the walls of Baba Bir Singh gurdwara and Baba Khuda Singh gurdwara include that of 10 Sikh Gurus, Dhanna Bhagat, Sukhdev, Krishanji, Bhai Saloji, Baba Bir Singh, Baba Khuda Singh and their followers.

Dr Sheharyar and Mr Brij Bedi said that a study of the exquisite frescoes of gurdwaras in Naurangabad had established that the artists of this school of frescoes enjoyed royal patronage at that time. It has also proved that Sikh history was replete with not only valour but art also.

To be concluded