It was nearly 160 years ago that the “kalgi”, which is one of the most revered relics of the last Sikh guru, was taken to England after the English annexation of Punjab and defeat of its valorous ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh sometime after 1850.
The relic, which was reportedly taken away by Lord Dalhousie to England, ended up at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. There was a scare among the Sikh community when the Museum authorities reportedly told the Indian authorities in 1999 that the relic had been lost by the Museum way back in 1976. However, concerted efforts by a Ludhiana-based scholar Kamaljit Singh Boparai resulted in the Museum authorities finally reporting its tracing out and bowing to the wishes of the community to facilitate its return.
The plume made of gold and silver and lined with fine feathers and hair of animals, is believed to have been worn by the Guru, who is often referred to as “kalgidhar (wearer of the plume), during his discourses to Sikh devotees and during his meetings with prominent personalities.
The head of the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs at the Golden Temple and Avtar Singh Makkar who is president of the SGPC, the premier shrines management body, who received the plume at the airport, said a suitable place would be created within the Temple complex for the display of plume for the benefit of devotees.