The 125-year-old Wadda Gurdwara Sahib in Penang, Malaysia, reopened on Saturday after conservation and restoration work that has preserved the building’s original heritage appearance.
A special function was later organised jointly by the gurdwara management committee and the Penang state government in the gurdwara courtyard to mark its formal reopening. The function was attended by Malaysian federal minister Steven Sim, Penang deputy chief Minister-II Jagdeep Singh Deo, Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh Deo, Punjab Legislative Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh, High Commissioner of India to Malaysia Somnath Ghosh and members of the gurdwara management and restoration committees, among others. Established in 1901, Wadda Gurdwara Sahib reflects the history of the Sikh community’s presence in Malaysia for more than a century.
Speaking at the function, Giani Gargaj said preserving the gurdwara in its original form was a matter of satisfaction and stressed the need to preserve Sikh heritage sites wherever they existed under the supervision of experts. Giani Gargaj said those who travelled to different parts of the world remained connected with Guru Granth Sahib and established institutions wherever they settled. He also highlighted the contribution of Sikhs to Malaysia’s independence and said the names of those who sacrificed their lives for the country’s freedom were inscribed on Malaysia’s National Monument in Kuala Lumpur.
