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Ramgarhia Bunga is the three-storeyed red stonewatchtowers complex located near southeastern edge of theGolden Temple,Amritsar.[1] The two minaret-style Ramgarhia Bunga high towers are visible from theparikrama (circumambulation) walkway around the Harmandir Sahib Sarovar (water tank).[2] It is a pre-Ranjit Singh structure built bySikh warrior andRamgarhiamisl chiefJassa Singh Ramgarhia in late 18th-century,[3][4] after the 1762 destruction and desecration of the Sikh holy temple and site by the Afghan Muslim forces led by Ahmed Shah Abdali.[1] The Bunga watchtowers-related infrastructure was constructed to station sentinels to watch for any surprise attack, house soldiers to help fortify the area, and to protect the holy complex from desecration.[1][5]
The Ramgarhia Bunga houses the granite slab ofTakht-e-Taus[6] from theRed Fort on which, according to theoral tradition, all theMughal emperors were crowned inDelhi. This slab was seized by Sikhs from Delhi, during an attack against the Mughal armies, and brought back toAmritsar as a symbol that the Mughal Empire will end with the removal of their coronation stone.[1]
During the reign of the MuslimMughal Emperors, The Golden Temple was damaged many times, but each time it was rebuilt by theSikhs. Sardars of the 12SikhMisls decided that some of theKhalsa leaders must be housed inside it for its protection against their enemies. According to Fenech and McLeod, during the 18th century, Sikh misl chiefs and rich communities built over 70 suchBungas of different shapes and forms around the Golden Temple to watch the area, house soldiers and defend the temple.[5] SuchBungas were also built near major Sikh shrines elsewhere on theIndian subcontinent in the 18th-century.[5] The Ramgarhia Bunga was originally constructed in 1755 by Jassa Singh Ramgarhia.[7]
Ramgarhiamisl chiefJassa Singh Ramgarhia had conquered territory as far afield asDelhi, where he removed the slab from theTakht-e-Taus on which the Mughal coronation ceremonies were held. He brought the slab toAmritsar and placed it in the Ramgarhia Bunga where it still lies.
In the 19th century, these served defensive purposes, provided accommodation for Sikh pilgrims and some served as centers of learning.[5] Most of the Bungas were demolished during and after the British colonial era, often to improve the facilities for growing number of pilgrims in the 20th-century. The Ramgarhia Bunga is single surviving example of the Bunga-related historic infrastructure inAmritsar,[1] along withAkal Takht which originally was built as the Akal Bunga on the other side of holy tank.[5] The1905 Kangra earthquake caused extensive damage to the complex, particularly by destroying the top domes of its two burj watchtowers, which were left unrepaired until 2010–11.[7][8] The complex experienced heavy damage due toOperation Blue Star in 1984.[7][8] In 2025, a twenty-year-old restoration project was completed.[7]
Ramgarhia Bunga consists of three flat-roofed ranges, each of two principal storeys, arranged round three sides of a courtyard and is constructed almost of small burnt bricks (Nanakshahi) set in lime and mud mortar.[9] The colonnade and the triple arches are of red sandstone. The undersides of the vaults and all the walls were finished internally and externally with lime plaster and lime wash, much of it decorative with arches. Lower levels are approached by two flights of steps, one from outside and the other from within the courtyard.
The rebuilt top domes of the two burj watchtowers do not resemble the originals due to the differences in material uses, with the original domes consisting ofNanakshahi bricks.[8]
Ramgarhia misl chiefJassa Singh Ramgarhia was a brave Sikh leader. He had redesigned[10] a mud fortressRam Rauni in 1748 about a mile fromGolden Temple which was used to house and keep soldiers.[11] The place was named so in honour of fourthSikh GuruShri Guru Ram Das Ji, who have founded theAmritsar city. The place was later known asQuila Ramgarh due to its fortification byJassa Singh Ramgarhia. TheRamgarhia Misl derives its name from this place which literally meansCustodians of the Castle of God.[12] The Quila Ramgarh has already lost its very existence and its location is adjacent to Gurudwara Sri Ramsar Sahib and Guru Ramdas Khalsa Senior Secondary School on Ramsar Road,Amritsar.
Ramgarhia bunga remains a symbol of theRamgarhia Sikh community's identity, their historic sacrifices and contribution to defending the Golden Temple over the centuries.[13]
The original domes on theminarets were damaged and then removed in 1903 because of an earthquake. The minarets were again heavily damaged by Indian artillery fire duringOperation Blue Star in 1984,[14][15] but later renovated by theShiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee[16] and theRamgarhia Society Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia Federation.[9][17] Later, some Babas of Kar Sewawale had done colossal damage to the heritage site by converting a portion into their abode.[18] There are also plans to convert basement of bunga to Sikh museum.[19]
![Slab of Mughal throne placed in Bunga[20]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aHistoric_stone_slab_of_Mughal_throne.jpg)
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Over time, the building suffered damage, especially during the 1905 earthquake and the 1984 Operation Blue Star.
The old Nanakshahi bricks have been concealed with pink tiles on the outer walls of the two minarets of Ramgarhia Bunga. The top portion of the minarets was demolished after damage in earthquake in 1905. The structure thereafter remained flat on the top; but to give it back its original look the upper portion was rebuilt in 2001-02. It still does not resemble the original structure, particularly the stone used.
Media related toRamgarhia Bunga at Wikimedia Commons