A historic gurdwara in Lahore has been reopened to the Sikh community after remaining inaccessible for 77 years, enabling worshippers to conduct religious ceremonies at the site for the first time since the Partition of 1947.
Gurdwara Chhatti Patshahi, situated in the Chung Amarsidhu area, had been occupied by local residents since 1947. The Sikh Sewa Welfare Society Pakistan played a key role in recovering the property, working alongside local authorities, police, and the Evacuee Trust Property Board over a six-month period to restore the site to the Sikh community.
On July 5, members of the Sikh community gathered at the gurdwara to commemorate its 407th anniversary and hold prayers. Organizers noted that these were the first religious ceremonies conducted there since Pakistan’s creation.
Sikh tradition, the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib, visited the location in 1619. The gurdwara was originally constructed during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s reign and later expanded and renovated in 1922 under the guidance of philanthropist Sir Ganga Ram.
Dr. Gulab Singh, leader of the Sikh Sewa Welfare Society Pakistan, described the reopening as a historic and deeply emotional moment for the community. He expressed gratitude towards the Punjab government, district administration, police, the Evacuee Trust Property Board, and Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora for their support in facilitating the process.
In a significant development, Minister Arora announced that the Punjab government plans to fully restore and preserve the gurdwara to safeguard its religious and historical importance. He also revealed ongoing efforts to restore and reopen 50 other gurdwaras throughout Pakistan.
