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{{Short description|Gurdwara in Punjab, India}}
{{Orphan|date=September 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox religious building
| building_name = Burj Gianian
| religious_affiliation = [[Sikhism]]
| image = Gianian Bunga, detail from a photograph of the square in-front of the Akal Takht in Amritsar, circa 1924 (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Burj Gianian on the left of the [[Akal Takht]]
| map_type =
| map_size =
| map_caption =
| location = [[Golden Temple]]
| geo = {{coord|31.6200|75.1850|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| deity =
| rite =
| sect = [[Giani Samparda]]
| district = [[Amritsar district|Amritsar]]
| state = [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]
| country = {{flag|India}}
| consecration_year =
| heritage_designation =
| website =
| architect = [[Giani Soorat Singh]]
| architecture_type = [[Gurdwara]]
| architecture_style = [[Sikh architecture]]
| founded_by = [[Giani Soorat Singh]]
| groundbreaking =
| construction_cost = 4,500 rupees
| capacity = 50 rooms
| length =
| width =
| materials =
| nrhp =
| designated =
| added =
| refnum =
| infobox_width =
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| latitude =
| longitude =
| architecture = yes
| specifications =
}}

The '''Gianian Bunga''', also known as the '''Burj Gianian''' (lit. ''Tower of the Knowledgeable'') was a structure next to the [[Akal Takht]] built by Giani Soorat Singh, a priest in the [[Sikh Empire|Sikh Raj]] who was the head of the Giani Samparda.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Nama |first=Khalsa |date=2024-03-08 |title=The Origins of the Giani Samprada: Giani Surat Singh |url=https://khalsachronicle.substack.com/p/the-origins-of-the-giani-samprada |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=The Khalsa Chronicle}}</ref><ref>Sembi, Jvala Singh (2024). ''The splendor of several suns : the Gurpratāp Sūraj Granth and the Sikh intellectual tradition in the early 19th century''. Chapter 2: Origins, Orientations, and Positionality of the Suraj Prakas - The Giania Bunga. Pages: 50–61. Department of Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of British Columbia. DOI 10.14288/1.0443950.</ref> It was built in 1778 and served as the headquarters of the Giani Samparda until the end of the Giani Samparda in 1921. In 1988, it was demolished by the [[Government of Punjab, India|Punjab Government]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Burj Gianian 1 |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/excavation-around-golden-temple-underground-building-a-gift-from-maharja-ranjit-to-our-ancestor-claims-amritsar-family-101626633983516.html}}</ref> It remained the main site for [[Sikhs|Sikh]] spiritual belief and power till the [[Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee]] and [[Damdami Taksal|Damdami Taksal's]] arrival.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Commons |first=Great Britain Parliament House of |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=679DAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA253 |title=Parliamentary Papers: 1850-1908 |date=1908 |publisher=H.M. Stationery Office |language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Portrait_of_Bhai_Sant_Singh_Giani_of_the_Gianian_Bunga.jpg|thumb|Portrait of Bhai Sant Singh Giani of the Burj Gianian.]]
During the Post-Gurudom period the Giani Samparda was possibly the most influential Samparda to exist, and this hold over [[Sikhism]] and Sikhs continued till the torture and subsequent death of [[Giani Gurmukh Singh]] at the hand of [[Hira Singh Dogra]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Burj Gianian 2 |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/features/heritage-unearthed-near-harmandir-sahib-why-bungas-are-prized-motifs-287969/}}</ref>

The ownership of the various Bungas, Burjs, or Sarais, was personal or community-based, this one was private property.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Burj Gianian |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/asi-team-for-preserving-structure-found-underneath-golden-temple-101627587298269.html}}</ref> They were centers of learning, places for religious and socio-political discourse, and also provided residential accommodation for pilgrims.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Burj Gianian 4 |url=https://maninblue1947.wordpress.com/tag/gianian-da-bunga-that-was-constructed-during-sikh-misal-period/}}</ref> Bunga Shahbadian of Karam Singh Nirmala was among the earliest structures built.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2021-07-28 |title=July {{!}} 2021 {{!}} Sanjha Morcha website designed to facilitate veterans to read defence related print media news, reproduced from various National/Regional /International Newspapers and Magazines and Videos related to welfare of defence personnel. |url=https://www.sanjhamorcha.com/2021/07/ |access-date=2024-09-18}}</ref> This was the place where Giani Soorat Singh first arrived and stayed to serve as the head Granthi and manager of the Golden Temple.<ref name=":1" /> During the Misl era, Giani Soorat Singh commanded the moral authority of all Misls and all twelve Misls respected him and presented him with gifts and some Jagirs when needing spiritual support, the main Jagir was presented at [[Kalowal India|Kalowal]].<ref name=":0" /> Giani Soorat Singh was known for being the first in the lineage to be from the [[Giani family]], who ruled over the Giani Samparda.<ref name=":0" /> [[Ranjit Singh|Maharaja Ranjit Singh]] was a student of his, and so was his father, [[Maha Singh]]. Most Misl rulers sent their first-in-line to the throne to the Burj Gianian for religious studies, even three successive [[Jathedar of the Akal Takht|Jathedars of the Akal Takht]], [[Akali Phula Singh|Phula Singh]], [[Akali Hanuman Singh|Hanuman Singh]] and [[Akali Prahlad Singh|Prehlad Singh]], had been sent to the Burj Gianian.<ref name=":0" />

The site was built in 1778 by Giani Soorat Singh, it was two storied with a large embroidered rooftop and had a 50-roomed accommodation of 1,200 square yards with an underground path to the [[Katha-Wala Bunga]] and the [[Jhanda Bunga]], the underground tunnels were known as ‘Sarad Khana’, as the Gianis had to make a speech each day at the Katha-Wala Bunga 45 minutes after midday; only the head Giani was allowed to make a speech.<ref name=":0" /> It also had a well next to it which was blessed by [[Guru Amar Das]], along with underground rooms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Burj Gianian 5 |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/excavation-around-golden-temple-underground-building-a-gift-from-maharja-ranjit-to-our-ancestor-claims-amritsar-family-101626633983516.html}}</ref>
[[File:Bhai_Gurmukh_Singh._Watercolour_by_a_Company_artist,_Punjab,_ca.1865.jpg|left|thumb|Giani Gurmukh Singh, watercolor by a Company artist, Punjab.]]
The Sikh Raj had been declared in 1799, and three years later in 1802 Maharaja Ranjit Singh had made the Giani of the Giani Samparda a hereditary title, hence the next to priestship was an Afghan war veteran and scion of the Gianis, Giani Sant Singh.<ref name=":2">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EjwVVzzUKA&t=1s |title=Damdami Taksal History |date=2024-03-08 |first=Khalsa|last=Nama |access-date=2024-09-18 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Like his father, Giani Sant Singh also constructed various Bungas across the Golden Temple, but his most famous work was plating the Golden Temple in gold and Jaipuri marble.<ref name=":2" /> The Burj Gianian became even more prominent during this time as the works of [[Kavi Santokh Singh|Mahakavi Santokh Singh]] was produced here- the Gurpratap Suraj Prakash Granth.<ref name=":0" />

Giani Gurmukh Singh continued this tradition and became a Court Granthi of the Sikh Raj, but when the Dogras started gaining more power he had tried to wrestle with the traitors including Bhai Ram Singh, [[Dhian Singh|Dhian Singh Dogra]], Pandit Jalla and Hira Singh Dogra.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Griffin |first=Sir Lepel Henry |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OVUoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA51 |title=The Panjab Chiefs: Historical and Biographical Notices of the Principal Families in the Lahore and Rawalpindi Divisions of the Panjab |date=1890 |publisher=Civil and Military Gazette Press |language=en}}</ref> He had assassinated Dhian Singh Dogra for treachery against the Khalsa and was supported by his father's student, Bhai Bir Singh Naurangabad.<ref name=":3" /> Giani Gurmukh Singh also built the Baradari Gurmukh Singh near the Burj Gianian, as a personal residence, Bunga Giani Sant Singh on the curve to the right of the Akal Takht and Bunga Giani Ram Singh to the left side of the [[Ramgarhia Bunga]], from the Akal Takht.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reddit - Dive into anything |url=https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://preview.redd.it/harmandir-sahib-and-list-of-bungas-v0-ljp042k0tyxb1.jpg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d6ce32a3b5bccc7ce43ab56032c9162b102c01c1&rdt=33569 |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=www.reddit.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Due to his involvement against the Dogras, Hira Singh Dogra caught him from the Burj Gianian and gave him to [[Muslims]] to torture him to death.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dilagīra |first=Harajindara Siṅgha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0hFDAAAAYAAJ |title=The Akal Takht |date=1980 |publisher=Punjabi Book Company |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Photograph of the Akal Bunga or Akal Takht, taken by Annemarie Schwarzenbach, ca.1939–40.jpg|thumb|Photograph of the Akal Takht by [[Annemarie Schwarzenbach]] (1939) with the Burj Gianian on the left-hand side.]]
[[Giani Pardoman Singh]], the next in line, was put under house arrest in the Burj Gianian, but later escaped to [[Ludhiana]] with his three brothers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-29 |title=PTC Exclusive! ASI orders preservation of tunnel-like structure at Golden Temple |url=https://www.ptcnews.tv/asi-orders-preservation-of-tunnel-like-structure-at-golden-temple |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=PTC News |language=en}}</ref> He returned after some time and won against the Dogras in court over the right to the Burj, though he was not able to recover the other three Bungas/Baradari around the complex due to the [[First Anglo-Sikh war|Anglo-Sikh Wars]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Joginder |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UwVuAAAAMAAJ |title=Sikh Leadership: Early 20th Century |date=1999 |publisher=Guru Nanak Dev University |language=en}}</ref> The influence of the Giani Samparda decreased during this time, as did the influence of Sikhism.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Griffin Sir Lepel H. |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.206744 |title=The Punjab Chiefs Vol-i |date=1890}}</ref> Giani Pardoman Singh and his brother [[Giani Lehna Singh]] had founded the Gurmukhi Akhbar, a newspaper, from the Burj Gianian.<ref name=":4" /> After the death of Giani Pardoman Singh his son [[Giani Gurbaksh Singh|Giani Gurbaksh Singh, Barrister]] became the head, he was a proponent of Sikh education and worked on it during his period of heading the Samparda, till the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee disbanded the Giani Samparda in 1921.<ref name=":4" /> Unofficially there still is a continuing titular lineage of Gianis, the next one was [[Harinder Singh Roop|Giani Harinder Singh Roop]], a famous Punjabi poet, and currently it is Giani Yadwinder Singh.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Burj Gianian 6 |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/excavation-around-golden-temple-underground-building-a-gift-from-maharja-ranjit-to-our-ancestor-claims-amritsar-family-101626633983516.html}}</ref> In 1988 there were four families of descendants of the Gianis who lived in the large Burj Gianian, but the Punjab Government had broken it down to build a Galliara (open walled space) around the Golden Temple for more control over it in the aftermath of [[Operation Black Thunder]].<ref name=":5" /> The historical site was not reconstructed, though an underground tunnel caused controversy when being unearthed, there have been protests over the historical nature and need to rebuild the Bungas, Baradaris and Burjs around the complex.<ref name=":5" />

== See also ==

* [[Sultanpur Lodhi]]
* [[Gurdwara Baba Bakala Sahib]]

== References ==
<references responsive="1"></references>
{{Sikhism}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Amritsar]]
[[Category:Sikh places]]
[[Category:Demolished buildings and structures in India]]

Gianian Bunga - Revision history

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