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2 Bungas along the parikarma in this 19th–century photograph by Fred Bremne; also seen are the Darshani Deori and Akal Takht. Photo courtesy: Toor Collection
Gurmeet Sangha Rai & Amanpreet Singh Gill
The accidental unearthing of a basement of Burj Giania (Tower of Scholars) on the periphery of the Harmandir Sahib complex in the course of the ongoing construction activity has once again brought to the forefront the intrinsic link between tangible and intangible heritage of the Sikh community. The excavated basement is that of a building typology known as a bunga (fortified dwelling place) immortalised in the daily Sikh prayer (Jhande Bunge Jugo Jug Atal). These buildings have collective memories of the Sikh sacred space embedded in them and are rare to find. Giani Gian Singh listed 69 bungas which existed around Harmandir Sahib till the early 20th century, of which only Bunga Ramgarhia and Bunga Sher Singh survive.