Photographs
During Operation Blue Star Indian army photographers took photographs of the military operation and it's immediate aftermath. Thousands of photographs were taken but have never been released to the public. All independent and foreign journalists were also expelled from Punjab. One high ranking Indian Army officer made the fateful decision to get a roll of film with Blue Star photographs that he had taken developed by a local camera shop. Realizing what they were looking at, the shop owners made a secret copy of those prints. Second and third generation copies of those copies were then smuggled out of India and form the only existing photographs of the military operation and conditions in the Darbar Sahib complex during and immediately after the initial combat phase of Operation Blue Star.
As the state of digital imaging technology has advanced over the years and working with a set of early generation images some of the clearest high resolution images from that one roll of film can now be seen online. These photographs have been combined with rare images of the Akal Takht before it's destruction, including seldom seen images of the original Akal Takht interior and rare artwork now lost. To provide a better contextual frame of reference when viewing the army photographs, contemporary photographs of the same buildings from relatively similar vantage points are also included.
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Image 1 of 43 Arial view of Darbar Sahib Complex and major buildings and holy shrines.
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Image 2 of 43 Akal Takht and courtyard 1860, painted by William Simpson.
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Image 3 of 43 Akal Takht and courtyard 1907.
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Image 4 of 43 Original Akal Takht early 1980's prior to its destruction.
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Image 5 of 43 Interior view of original Akal Takht prior to its destruction.
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Image 6 of 43 Interior view of original Akal Takht prior to its destruction.
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Image 7 of 43 Priceless ancient wall painting of the Sikh Gurus inside the original Akal Takht, now lost forever.
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Image 8 of 43 Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in conversation with pilgrims at the Darbar Sahib Complex.
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Image 9 of 43 "I have one appeal to make to you too. The police are making preparations to come here. If you get word [of such a thing happening] don't just stay asleep in the villages. Don't be the first to attack anyone but don't let any attack go unresponded. When you hear that the police have entered here, just assume your responsibility wherever you are. Chhalli Rams (Hindus) are only twenty to each one of you. Stay upbeat. Some even say that they (the police) will pick me up and take me away. May God have mercy. They will know only when they make that attempt. We shall take care of a hundred thousand of them at the first assault. By then you will wake up too. I do not mean that after doing away with a hundred thousand we shall go to sleep, it is only that first count that I have given you.." (Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, April 1, 1984)
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Image 10 of 43 Original Akal Takht, Darshani Deori and surrounding area prior to Operation Blue Star.
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Image 11 of 43 The Darshani Deori, the main gateway and treasury containing the priceless treasures donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh was gutted by fire after being hit by tank shells. The smoke blackened white marble on the left hand side of the building facing the causeway leading to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib caused by the fire is clearly visible. The majority of intricate patterned marble of the parkarma in front of the Akal Takht was destroyed by the treads of heavy tanks easily crushing the marble parkarma under their weight.
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Image 12 of 43 The raging fire in the Darshani Deori that damaged many of the priceless treasures stored within can be seen on the extreme left side of the image.
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Image 13 of 43 The extensive shelling damage that caused the collapse of large parts of the Akal Takht is visible in this photograph taken after the fires and smoke had subsided.
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Image 14 of 43 Close up details of the front of the Akal Takht.
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Image 15 of 43 Remnants of the Akalt Takht consumed by fire. Notice the flames on the second floor (left hand side) as well as on the first floor visible through the large opening amidst the rubble. Large bullet holes are visible on the building on the right hand side by the Nishan Sahib flagposts.
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Image 16 of 43 Undamaged close up view of front of original Akal Takht.
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Image 17 of 43 Another view of the remnants of the Akalt Takht consumed by fire.
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Image 18 of 43 Upper view of the remnants of the Akalt Takht consumed by fire. A gaping hole in the gold dome of the Akal Takht damaged by artillery fire is visible. At one stage a 3.7 inch Howitzer gun was mounted on the roof of a building behind the Gurdwara and fired a number of times at the beautiful dome.
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Image 19 of 43 The intricate marble work with inlaid pattern work of the Akal Takht completely reduced to rubble in this close-up of the ground floor. The intricate decorative marble inlay, plaster and mirror work, filigree partitions and wall paintings all destroyed.
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Image 20 of 43 Huge clouds of smoke visible from an explosion behind the Manji Sahib Diwan Hall. In the aftermath of the attack over 300 bullet holes were found in the gold panels and marble of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib itself, despite Indian Army claims that they never fired any shots in that direction.
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Image 21 of 43 Pools of blood as well as tire tracks on the marble parkarma in the foreground. Likely an area where bodies of dead Sikhs were piled up before being loaded into trucks. Eyewitness reports indicate that bodies were taken away in municipal garbage trucks for mass cremation by the Army for two continuous days, indicating a very large death toll.
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Image 22 of 43 Darshani Deori today.
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Image 23 of 43 The smoke blackened marble on the right hand side is evidence of the fire which engulfed the Darshani Deori which housed priceless artifacts of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Bullet marks on the white marble facade are also clearly visible. Blood trails on the left side wall are likely evidence of the executions of captured Sikhs who were shot at point blank range by Indian Army soldiers with their hands tied behind their backs with their turbans as reported by multiple eyewitnesses.
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Image 24 of 43 A soldier poses on the narrow bridge between the Darshani Deori and Darbar Sahib. Notice the large amount of battle debris and the gaping hole on the left side of the Darshani Deori caused by artillery shelling.
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Image 25 of 43 The covered marble parkarma that surrounds Darbar Sahib on all sides.
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Image 26 of 43 Dead Sikh bodies and large pools of blood on the once beautiful covered marble parkarma.
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Image 27 of 43 Main North Entrance to the Complex and Central Sikh Museum.
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Image 28 of 43 Main North Entrance and Central Sikh Museum. Damage from large caliber gunfire clearly visible across the front facade. 103 badly damaged paintings with bullet holes taken away by the Army, 40 photo albums missing, Coral rosary belonging to Maharaja Duleep Singh missing, Sikh coin collection missing, Manuscripts – miniature Koran, Gutka and Janamsakhi missing, Hukamnamas of the Gurus missing, Farmans (Edicts) of Maharaja Ranjit Singh missing.
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Image 29 of 43 South Entrance with Sikh Reference Library and Darbar Sahib.
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Image 30 of 43 Clouds of smoke from a large fire blacken the facade of the Sikh Reference Library as well as an explosion with flying debris is visible on the right hand side. The reference library was reported intact on June 6th and was in flames well after the military action had ceased. Taken away in trucks by the Indian Army as reported by eyewitnesses and lost forever: 400 rare manuscripts – Guru Granth Sahib, Dasam Granth, Janamsakhi's, Hukamnamas of the Gurus, 500 typed manuscripts of precious old books, 1,200 files of newspapers over last 60 years, 18 albums of historic paintings, Albums of original photographs.
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Image 31 of 43 The building to the side of the Akal Takht that supports the two massive flagposts of Miri and Piri.
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Image 32 of 43 Numerous bullet holes cover almost every square meter of the building to the side of the Akal Takht that supports the Miri and Piri flagposts.
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Image 33 of 43 Indian Army soldiers pose with the body of Major General Subeg Singh who masterminded the dissidents defense. Two of the soldiers are wearing gas masks.
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Image 34 of 43 Body of Major General Subeg Singh. His scalp has been removed, perhaps as a war trophy, tight wires are visible digging into his arms and a steel rod protrudes from his rib cage. Indications of torture prior to death or desecration of the body by Indian Army troops after death.
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Image 35 of 43 The body of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale sits on blocks of ice to prevent it's deterioration in the extreme heat. It was reported that the body had 72 bullet wounds and the right part of the face was missing. Fingerprints were taken and positive identification obtained through police, government intelligence and army personnel as well as by captured Sikh prisoners in the Army's custody prior to it's cremation by the Army.
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Image 36 of 43 Sikh prisoners, sitting on the hot pavement in 34C to 40C temperatures on the right hand side while heavy armored Vijayanta tanks are visible in the background. At the height of the battle over 18 of these 38 ton tanks with their large 105mm main guns and high explosive squash-head shells were used on the Akal Takht and surrounding area.
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Image 37 of 43 Captured prisoners including women and old men sit with their hands tied behind their backs. In the sweltering 35C to 40C heat some prisoners were denied water and died according to eyewitness accounts.
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Image 38 of 43 Streaks of blood from dragged dead bodies, debris and bodies of dead Sikhs litter the parkarma. Notice the shocking way in which the dead Sikh in the background is being dragged face first across the parkarma by one foot.
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Image 39 of 43 Among the soldiers in the foreground, the one on the left is carrying an ancient Lee Enfield rifle used by one of the Sikh dissidents. Their colleagues in the background admire the rubble and ruins of the Akal Takht.
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Image 40 of 43 Senior Indian Army officials tour Darbar Sahib after the battle. Notice the large amount of almost knee-high debris littering the marble parkarma.
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Image 41 of 43 A soldier poses besides the burnt our and gutted Darshani Deori. Army vehicles on the parkarma are visible on his right.
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Image 42 of 43 Two Indian Army soldiers proudly pose in front of the destroyed Akal Takht.
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Image 43 of 43 Aftermath - human remains in the rubble of the destroyed Akal Takht.
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