The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) sparked a huge row after a signboard on the Amritsar bypass in Punjab translated Golden Temple as ‘Sunehri Mandir’ in Gurmukhi.
A picture of the signboard went viral on Wednesday with people pointing out that the Golden Temple is written as Sri Harmandir Sahib or Sri Darbar Sahib in Gurmukhi. There were angry reactions by members of the Sikh community on the social media with people calling out the NHAI for literal Hindi translation of Sri Harmandir Sahib.
The SGPC stepped into the matter and raised an objection with the NHAI.
“The Punjabi translation of the Golden Temple totally negates the spirit of the place,” said SGPC member Kiranjot Kaur as quoted by India Today.
Following the complaint, the NHAI wrote to its engineers and asked them to change the signboard.
“This matter has been viewed very seriously by this office and you are directed to make corrections in the signboards with the consultation of the Golden Temple management committee on (an) urgent basis,” the NHAI wrote.
Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said that naming Harmandir Sahib as Sunehari Mandir has severely hurt the religious sentiments of Sikhs. Darbar Sahib is not a temple, but a most revered holy place of Sikhs.
He said the Sikh clergy had now directed the Sikhs to refer to their most revered place as Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib or Sri Darbar Sahib or Sri Amritsar.