Historic Prayers Held at Lahore's Aitchison College Gurdwara After 80 Years
In a deeply emotional and historic event, prayers were conducted at the Aitchison College gurdwara in Lahore on Friday for the first time in nearly 80 years. This significant occasion marked the commencement of the institution's three-day 140th-anniversary celebrations, bringing a sense of renewal and spiritual connection to the Sikh community.
Emotional Moments for the Congregation
Tarunjit Singh Butalia, the honorary envoy at Aitchison College, described the event as profoundly moving. "These were emotional moments," he said. "We waited for such an occasion for a long time. When the doors finally opened for the sangat (congregation) and the cleanliness drive began, we were overwhelmed to enter this holy place after so many decades." The gurdwara had remained functionally closed since August 1947, primarily due to a lack of Sikh students following the Partition of India and Pakistan.
Background and Significance of the Gurdwara
While the doors had been opened occasionally for maintenance or visitors in the past, no formal religious ceremonies had been held since 1947. According to Butalia, similar worship services are also anticipated at the campus Hindu temple, highlighting the college's diverse religious heritage. The foundation stone of Aitchison College was laid on November 3, 1886, with the original purpose of educating the royals and families of undivided Punjab.
The campus is unique for housing three distinct places of worship:
- A mosque built in 1900 by the Nawab of Bahawalpur.
- A temple whose foundation was laid in 1910 by the Maharaja of Darbhanga.
- The gurdwara, designed by the renowned architect Ram Singh from the Mayo School of Arts.
The gurdwara's foundation stone was laid in 1910 by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, an alumnus of the college. Completed within two years, the building served as a daily spiritual hub for Sikh students until 1947.
Memories and Legacy of the Gurdwara
Butalia shared that in previous interviews, a total of 15 Sikh alumni living in India fondly recalled the gurdwara's striking features, including its black-and-white marble floors and castle-like architecture. He noted that his own family has deep ties to the institution, with his father, paternal grandfather, and paternal great-grandfather studying at Aitchison between 1906 and 1947.
This revival of prayers not only honors the college's rich history but also symbolizes a step towards preserving and celebrating its multicultural legacy. The event has sparked hope for more regular religious activities at the campus, fostering interfaith harmony and reconnecting with the past.
