Central Khalsa Orphanage
The Central Khalsa Orphanage, also known as the Central Khalsa Yatimkhana, is an orphanage for boys in Amritsar, India, established in 1904 by the Chief Khalsa Diwan. It is located on a plot of land covering five acres and has a secondary school, sports facilities, a home for the blind, a guest house, a library and a gurdwara. There is also a re-creation of the room of Indian revolutionary Udham Singh who, during some of his childhood and teens, resided at the orphanage.
| Central Khalsa Orphanage | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
GT Road, Putlighar, Amritsar India | |
| Coordinates | 31°38′03″N 74°51′00″E |
| Information | |
| Other name | Central Khalsa Yatimkhana |
| Type | Orphanage |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Sikhism |
| Established | 11 April 1904 |
| School district | Punjab |
| Gender | Boys |
| Age range | 6 - 18 |
The orphanage has produced several Sikh musicians associated with the Golden Temple and other gurdwaras. It houses the first Guru Granth Sahib published in braille, transliterated by Bhai Gurmej Singh who was resident at the orphanage in the 1950s after he became blind from smallpox at the age of ten.
In 2012 the orphanage was noted to have 335 children, of which 27 were blind. In addition to general education up to matriculation, students are also taught Sikh history, classical Indian music and theology, and are eventually initiated.