GURDWAPA SAHIB POLICE, IPOH, PERAK
Balai Polls Central, Jalan Kelab, 30000 Ipoh, Perak
In the 1880’s, there were a few Sikh families in the Ipoh area who worked as dairy farmers and bullock cart drivers. Around 1890, Sardar Hari Singh took the lead in building a Gurdwara Sahib in Club Road to serve the Sikhs’ religious needs. This was the first Sikh Gurdwara Sahib to be established in Ipoh.
A few years later, the present Ipoh Police Station was built near the Gurdwara Sahib. Subsequently, the land around the Gurdwara Sahib came to be within the compound of the Ipoh Police Station. By 1902, there were about 60 Sikh police personnel serving in Ipoh. It was only a matter of time before the Gurdwara Sahib’s management was taken over by these Sikh police personnel. In 1910, the Sikh police issued orders to the effect that Sikhs who were not police personnel were not to be allowed to enter the Ipoh Police Station compound due to security reasons. The civilian Sikhs were allocated another location in Jalan Gurdwara, Ipoh to build their Gurdwara (Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Ipoh).
Since 1910, this Gurdwara Sahib has been under the management of the Sikh police. The old Gurdwara Sahib building was repaired and renovated on several occasions. This Police Gurdwara Sahib was finally demolished in 1967 to make way for a new building.
In 1967, a new single storey brick building was built to serve as a Gurdwara Sahib for the Sikh Police personnel in Ipoh. The land on which this Gurdwara Sahib is sited is a Police Reserve land and is 117 feet by 108 feet in size. The cost of this Police Gurdwara Sahib was Malayan $80,000.00. The Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of the State of Perak handed over a cheque for RM25,000.00 to Assistant Commissioner U. Santokh Singh on 23 August 1967 towards the cost of the new Gurdwara Sahib building.
There are three rooms available for Sikh visitors in this Gurdwara Sahib, which must be booked in advance through the President or Secretary. The Management Committee comprises of the President, Secretary, Treasurer, their assistants and eight committee members. Since 1976, Sub-Inspector (Rtd) Sardar Khazan Singh has been performing the duties of a Secretary.
Bhai Indar Singh served as a Granthi in this Gurdwara Sahib from 1920 to 1958. He was succeeded by Giani Gurcharan Singh Bhaur who served as a Granthi here from 1958 to 1996.
There are presently about 60 Sikh families of serving as well as retired police personnel who participate in the religious activities of this Gurdwara Sahib.
The weekly prayers are held on Sunday mornings from 8.30a.m. to 9.45a.m. The Isteri Satsang programme is held every Tuesday afternoon from 3.00p.m. to 5.00p.m. Other religious programmes are held as and when necessary at the request of the police Sikh Sangat.
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