| Revisiting the past |
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| Written by Newly Paul, India Today | |
| Tuesday, 20 May 2008 | |
 Devotees at the Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Model Town, Jalandhar, one of the biggest gurdwaras in the Doaba region, got an invaluable gift in the 300th year of the Guru Gaddi Divas (the occasion of the Guru Granth Sahib being declared the Guru of the Sikhs)-the Guru Amardass Multimedia Sikh Museum.Located inside the gurdwara premises, the museum is a one-stop platform for those wanting to refresh their knowledge about Sikhism and re-learn its forgotten facts. This museum, the second of its kind in India after the Guru Angad Dev Multimedia Sikh Museum at Khadur Sahib in Tarn Taran, which was set up in April 2004, has been attracting a lot of visitors ever since it was inaugurated in February this year. Though the idea for this museum was floated two years back, work started in early 2007. Built on the pattern of the one in Khadur Sahib, the driving force behind the museum is Canada-based Sikh scholar Raghbir Singh Bains, who has to his credit a 5,000-page encyclopedia on Sikhism written with material compiled over 20 years. This museum is Bains' way of giving back to the city where he spent a major part of his life. Equipped with three made-to-order 22 inch touch-screen LCDs, a plasma TV and an overhead projector, the swish museum has nine paintings depicting different incidents from Sikh history. Says Surinderpal Singh Gwalior, secretary of the managing committee of the gurdwara: "We have about 200 visitors coming in daily, some from as far away as Chandigarh and Ludhiana. This multimedia project is a great way for children to know about their heritage." The computer set up, which has material to last up to 400 hours, includes information on Sikh gurus, ardas (prayers), religious films, a series on Sikh martyrs, Bains' encyclopedia and an introduction to Sikhism for children, among other sub-topics. The encyclopedia section includes a quiz, a glossary of terms scripted in the 'banis' and a Q&A session. There is also an English version of the Guru Granth Sahib. Bains says his project had two objectives: "One was to educate the youth about Sikhism and the other was to help them realise that visiting a museum can be fun." The next time you're in Jalandhar, do stop by at this treasure trove. The best part-entry is absolutely free. |
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