Hidden Stories: How Pune’s Hollywood Gurdwara got its name

Turning back the pages of history, one comes to the British era when a thriving amusement park called Hollywood Club – not connected to the American film industry – in the area presented entertainment options, such as cabaret and music.

Every Thursday, a bhandara (free meal) from 7.30 pm to 9 pm attracts devotees from various communities.

“The Hollywood Club was meant for parties and amusement of English men in the evenings,” says Charan Singh Sahni, president, Guru Nanak Darbar Trust, Pune.

It is said that the rambunctious party-goers of the club not only destroyed the peace of the area in the evenings but also offended the local population. Eventually, the club was shut down and the Poona Camp Sikh Association Trust gained possession of the land.

A gurdwara is born

“In 1949, a couple of years after India’s independence, the Sikh Regiment arrived in Pune and it was essential to give them a gurdwara for worship. The Army cleaned up the club, built a small gurdwara and established a major barrack here,” says Charan Singh Sahni, president, Guru Nanak Darbar Trust, Pune.

Initially, the gurdwara comprised only a small prayer room.

Now, it is the music of the hymns and chants that fills the air. According to Sahapedia, which has carried out a cultural mapping project in the city, the Hollywood Gurdwara was built by Rai Saab DC Kohly from Bengaluru, who also constructed the famous Ulsoor Gurudwara.

Initially, the gurdwara comprised only a small prayer room. By the 1980s, however, it had expanded to include a main shrine with a charitable hospital, a school and a community kitchen and hall besides a worship hall for the main shrine.

Another major addition was a Sikh Museum that displays paintings of the 10 Sikh gurus and soldiers of the Indian Army, among others. A number of tourists come over to marvel not only at the architecture of the gurdwara but also understand the evolution and contribution of the Sikh community and sit before the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book that is at the heart of the shrine.

Not just prayers

Daily prayers at the gurdwara begin with the Hukamnama at 6.30 am, followed by hymns and discourse, and conclude by 9 am, with a similar evening prayer from 6.30 pm to 8 pm. Every Thursday, a bhandara (free meal) from 7.30 pm to 9 pm attracts devotees from various communities.

According to Sahapedia, which has carried out a cultural mapping project in the city, the Hollywood Gurdwara was built by Rai Saab DC Kohly from Bengaluru.

“We have been conducting blood donation camps for 30 years on each Guru Nanak Jayanti. We collect up to 1,000 bottles. Our charitable medical trust has facilities of CT scans, radiology and sonography that are offered at very low prices to underprivileged people. We have also launched an Eye Center for cataract surgery in collaboration with a social-service organisation. Langar, a community meal that is prepared by devotees, is provided to everybody from 9 am until midnight. We are also planning to build a lift towards the first floor of the gurdwara for the elderly and disabled devotees,” said Sahni.

This year’s Guru Nanak Jayanti was grand, as usual. The Akhand Path Sahib Samapt or reading of the entire Guru Granth Sahib was held, followed by Katha and Kirtan by the esteemed Ragi and Sangat Jatha – a group of a musicians who perform hymns in various ragas according to the Guru Granth Sahib – from the Golden Temple of Amritsar.