In a major milestone for Sikh heritage conservation, Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib on Temple Road in Lahore, Pakistan, reopened on Jattvibeday after remaining closed and neglected for nearly 79 years following Partition.The historic shrine, associated with Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru, was formally inaugurated after extensive restoration and reconstruction work by Pakistan’s Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora and Evacuee Trust Property Board additional secretary (shrines) Nasir Mushtaq.The gurdwara is believed to stand at the site visited by Guru Hargobind (1595-1644), revered in Sikh history as the warrior-saint who strengthened the community’s ability to resist religious oppression. The shrine was among the Sikh religious sites left in Pakistan after Partition and was abandoned following the migration of the Sikh population from the region.Speaking to The Tribune, Arora, who is also the president of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, said members of the Sikh community offered prayers at the gurdwara for the first time following the completion of the restoration work.“On the auspicious occasion of Bandi Chhor Divas, dedicating this historic Sikh shrine was our way of spreading a message of love, freedom, brotherhood and religious harmony in Pakistan. It was a proud moment for the global Sikh and Punjabi community that we were able to preserve this sacred heritage,” he said.Arora said the structure had remained in a dilapidated condition for decades.“It was unfortunate that after Partition, this historic shrine could neither be properly maintained nor made operational,” he said.Arora said the restoration formed part of the Punjab government’s efforts to identify and preserve neglected Sikh shrines across Pakistan.“It is a step forward in preserving Sikh heritage under a special programme aimed at promoting religious tourism, as envisioned by Pakistan’s Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. We have identified 45 to 50 gurdwaras across Pakistan that have direct historical significance to Sikhism. These sites will be preserved as Sikh religious heritage and dedicated to the Sikh community,” he said.Nasir Mushtaq said the restoration had been a practical demonstration of respect for the religious sentiments of Sikhs and the initiative was aimed at preserving historical heritage while promoting interfaith harmony.It is believed that Guru Hargobind stayed for three days at the Lahore residence of a devotee, Bhai Jiwan, after accepting an invitation from the local Sikh congregation. Bhai Jiwan later converted his house into a gurdwara.The shrine is also associated with Bhai Bidhi Chand, the renowned Sikh preacher and military commander, who, it is said, had stayed there during visits to Lahore while recovering horses seized by the Mughals. The horses had been offered by devotees to Guru Hargobind.The original structure is believed to date back to the era of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had assumed administrative control of the shrine in 1927.Regular religious services at the gurdwara ceased after Partition in 1947, and the shrine remained closed for nearly eight decades before being restored and reopened to the Sikh community.