Kudrati Chamatkar (Gurmukhi: ਕੁਦਰਤੀ ਚਮਤਕਾਰ, meaning "natural miracle") is a claimed miracle that occurred at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab during the colonial-period as per Sikh folk-legend. On 30 April 1877, it is claimed in a popular folk-legend that the shrine was planned to be auctioned by the British but the appearance of ball lightening within the precincts of the shrine complex during amritvela that was witnessed by 400 Sikhs ended the plan. This event is believed by Sikhs to be a miracle attributed to Guru Ram Das to preserve the shrine while the British thought the ball lightning's appearance was a good omen for the rule of Queen Victoria. The lore was published in John Campbell Oman's work Cults, Customs and Superstitions of India (1908). The legend was later recounted in the works of Giani Kirpal Singh and Sahib Singh.
Inscription
The story is inscribed in English and Punjabi (Gurmukhi) within the shrine complex, with the full inscription being as follows (recorded by John Campbell Oman):
References