Darbar Sahib: Painting Being Restored, Wall Clock by Lord Curzon Reinstalled

Balbinder Kumar, a PhD in Pahari miniature painting, from Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra has been working on the restoration of the tenth Sikh Sovereign Guru Gobind Singh’s fresco since August 2025 at the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple). An Assistant Professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at the Indian Institute of Himalayan Studies, Himachal Pradesh University, Kumar has decided to keep unshorn hair as per the Sikh code for the duration of his work. He says, ‘I decided not to cut my hair after I was assigned the sewa (service). Nobody asked me, there was no condition. It was my own decision, as the Guru guided me.’ He adds that he is using the same painting techniques and natural pigments for restoration that were used in the original works. He says, ‘The fresco secco masterpiece created during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s era has weathered centuries, its natural pigments flaking due to natural reactions’. Kumar was first contacted for the restoration of old paintings of the ninth Sikh Sovereign Guru Teghbahadar, at the historical Baba Bakala Gurdwara in 2021. He attributes his unique interest in Kangra style of painting to the Kangra King Maharaja Sansar Chandra, who is credited with patronizing the Kangra painting style. It is believed that after winning Kangra, Maharaja Ranjit Singh had found the only ‘realist’ painting depicting the tenth Sikh Guru in Chandra’s collection. However, Chandra refused to part with the painting. Upon which Maharaja Ranjit Singh hired an artist from the same family to paint a replica for the Darbar Sahib. Additionally, a wall clock offered by Lord Curzon to the Darbar Sahib 123 years ago was reinstalled at the same place after it was successfully repaired by its parent company Elkington & Co. The restoration work and transit took two years. Curzon, who was the then Viceroy and Governor General of India, first officially visited Darbar Sahib on 9 Apr 1900. The official presentation of the clock to the Darbar Sahib authorities by the Viceroy’s representative took place on 31 Oct 1902. The Sikh diaspora members have paid around USD 100K restoration cost. Elkington & Co also produces the Wimbledon trophies.