Gaganmai Thaal International Mini Museum at Jandiala Guru, about 16 km from Amritsar, has become the Mecca for the heritage lovers of this holy city.

What various universities and institutions could not do, it has been done by an individual of a small town by establishing a museum to preserve all handwritten documents along with the photographs of various Gurus, eminent writers and freedom fighters, collected till date.

Mr Abinashi Singh, conferred upon with Punjab Rattan award by former President of India Late Giani Zail Singh, has set up a museum in the lobby of his small house displaying photographs of 144 writers, including six Sikh Gurus whose verses are in Guru Granth Sahib.

Mr Singh said he was inspired by the rich cultural history of Punjab, where the Rig-Veda was compiled and which was considered as the cradle of most advanced civilization of the world having a rich religious, literary and cultured heritage. He felt its his duty to preserve the handwritten manuscripts along with the photographs of various gurus, writers and freedom fighters. So in the absence of any other alternative, he converted a portion of his house into the museum.

On his efforts to spread the glory of the state across the world, Mr Singh said that he had organised about 150 exhibitions across the country and the world including many European and Asian nations. He said his first exhibition was held in Mumbai in April 1992 on the advice of Mr Tarlok Singh Komal, a renowned artiste.

Recalling an incident, Mr Singh said that Mr B. Satyanand Reddy, the then Governor of Uttar Pradesh, specially came to his exhibition. After going through his works, Mr Reddy asked him to arrange more exhibitions in various cities of UP.

The Punjab Rattan awardee said that he had been able to display only 10 per cent of his collections and rest of the works lie packed in other three rooms of his house due to lack of adequate space.