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 


 


© James Pringle


A chandelier adds to the grandeur of each dome


“We segregated people, keeping workers and public in different


areas,” explains Biring. “If there was a service taking place and there was too much noise, we stopped work.” Except for a grand arch front entrance gate, the spectacular tem-


ple is now virtually complete. The lecture theatre is being fitted out and there will be a moat-like water feature surrounding the building in a style familiar from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. An official opening ceremony was held in April and there is


a steady flow of visitors to the temple every day of the week: not only Sikhs attending for worship and community activi- ties, but others curious to see the opulent interior of this extraordinary place. Harpal Singh, a member of the congregation, told Civic &


Public Building Projects: “This is a wonderful place of worship and it’s full of references to the history of our religion. What’s refreshing is that, unlike so many buildings, this one is future- proof: it will be able to accommodate an expanding population – and there’s space on the site for further construction.” What has been the reaction of other members of the Sikh


community? “Over the moon,” says Biring. “There is no other building like it. When new people come to see the temple they


can’t believe that something like this has been achieved in this day and age. “It was a long-term commitment. If the community had


wanted a building within a couple of years, we couldn’t have given them what we gave them, because we didn’t have the money to do it and the community didn’t have the funds. So by doing it the way we’ve done it, the community was gradually raising the funds and we were working at the speed the funds were coming in. “Managing without a main contractor in the normal way was


the difficult part, and you had to find helpers – often working without pay – where you could get them, as well as subcontrac- tors,” says Biring. “You have to manage a lot of things. But it worked and we got there, and we hope the building will last for thousands of years.”


         


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