Puri: A team of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) on Wednesday visited Puri and reviewed the ongoing work for the redevelopment of Mangu Mutt, which has special significance for Sikh community, in the pilgrim town of Odisha.
The NCM team, led by the Commission’s Chairperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura, held a meeting with senior officials of the district administration regarding progress in the work. Representatives of the Gurudwara Committee also took part in the deliberations.
The team members also went around the Mutt site in the seaside pilgrim town where redevelopment work is in progress as part of the Jagannath Temple Heritage Corridor Project.
After visiting the area and taking stock of the work progress, the NCM Chairperson expressed his happiness over the redevelopment project involving renovation of different mutts.
It may be noted here that the Odisha government had carried out demolition of a part of Mangu Mutt, which has a historic significance for the Sikh community.
The then Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh had also requested the state government to spare Mangu Mutt, which was visited by Guru Nanak Dev to spread his message of the oneness of God.
Arrangements were made for the safety of the mutt’s deities and its sanctum sanctorum, while only the portion used for commercial activities was demolished.
Mangu Mutt is located in front of the main entrance of the 12th-century Jagannath temple and is within the 75-metre perimetre of the temple’s boundary wall.
The Mutt was built in 1615 by Bhai Almast, a Sikh preacher and head of Dhuari of th e Udasi sect. The verses used by Guru Nanak while praying and conducting aarti of Lord Jagannath are recited in the Mutt. The eldest son of Guru Hargobind, Baba Gurditta, had also chosen Bhai Almast to disseminate Guru Nanak’s message.
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