AMRITSAR, March 18 -- To maintain the sheen of gold plating of the Golden Temple, UK-based Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha has begun the 'sewa' of cleaning these. The sewa has entered its 25th year.

Volunteers of the Jatha travelled from the UK and other countries to India to do 'sewa' which started on March 17. "The 'sewa' continues with approximately 60 volunteers cleaning the gold plating," said Bhai Mohinder Singh, who heads the jatha headquartered at Birmingham. The sewa, which completes in 10 days, starts daily at 9 am to 6.30 pm. They don't use any chemical and clean it with natural method.

Bhai Inderjit Singh, one of the volunteers, said they use "reetha" (soap nuts) powder mixed with lemon juice. "We boil the reetha powder in wa...