A majestic makeover for Australia’s first gurdwara

Woolgoolga, Australia: Progress on the reconstruction of Australia’s first gurdwara sped up this week as builders prepare for the arrival of decorative domes from India.

Over the Christmas break, fibre glasser Harwinder Saggu travelled from Punjab to Woolgoolga, a town in the Australian province of New South Wales, to take measurements for ornate domes to be placed on top of the structure. Woolgoolga Gurdwara Sahib was built in 1968.

Local engineering company Arc Attack has since created a plan for how the domes would be installed and will erect a scaffolding this week.

“Things have been moving a bit slowly lately. But it’s about to be really busy over the next few months,” builder Andrew Hundal said. “Now we have everything we need for the domes to go on it. Thing will all happen pretty quickly,” he said. “The grand entry will also be going up in the next couple of months so people will see a lot of progress.”

There will be three large domes and approximately 10 smaller ones situated on the corners of the building and patio roofs.

The fibreglass domes will be made in India then shipped to Woolgoolga in pieces. Saggu will fly over to put them together personally before they are craned onto the roof and bolted down. “It’s definitely going to be a busy year, we’re expecting to be at lock up stage by mid-year and then have it completed and ready for use by the end of the year.” The cost of construction is estimated at 2-million Australian dollars.

Source: HT