The Akal Takhat, where the Shiromani types of outlet plugs Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), or Sikh Parliament, traditionally meets, was heavily damaged when it was stormed by the Indian army in 1984. The Indian government later repaired it; however, the Sikhs, appalled by the army s actions in the first place, pulled it down and rebuilt it themselves.
The Sikhs holiest site after the Golden Temple has several historical gurdwaras. An important pilgrimage site for more than 300 years, it was founded by ninth Sikh guru Tegh Bahadur in 1664, before the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb beheaded him for refusing to convert to Islam. His son, Guru Gobind Singh, founded the Khalsa (Sikh brotherhood) here in 1699, and Holla Mohalla (see p 200 ) celebrates its anniversary.
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