LAHORE: Lahore Museum has established a new gallery titled ‘Sikh Gallery’ to preserve and display rare artifacts, paintings, manuscripts, furniture etc. related to Sikhism and Sikh era.

Previously a small number of items were displayed in the museum’s general gallery, but now a separate gallery has been dedicated to exhibit antiques belonging to Sikh period and religion, the museum’s Director Ejaz Ahmed Minhas told Dawn.

He says the monotheistic Sikh religion gives the message of unity, truthfulness and brotherhood.

He says most of the Sikh collection in Lahore Museum is associated with Maharaja Ranjit Singh who established the Sikh empire in the sub-continent in 1799 when he captured Lahore and ruled till 1849. He was popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab (The lion of Punjab).

Sikh collection in Lahore Museum includes miniature paintings, manuscripts, handwritten Guru Granth Sahib, official documents of royal darbar, royal orders, dresses, weapons and exquisite furniture, including the magnificent chair of Moran Sarkar and a royal chair which has two lions statues on it, from the Mahraja’s court.

The director says that the oil paintings of Sikh royals are of great significance, adding that most of this collection is donated by the Faqeer Syed Jalal-ud-Din Trust of the Faqeer family.

Mr Minhas says the collection also includes the Maharaja’s personal belongings, including his prayer beads, a large axe and Maharani Jinda’s shawl. The orders of Maharaja are also of great interest as they show his administrative system that was based on justice, he adds. He says the information about the Sikh Gurus is of special interest for foreign tourists and researchers, adding that visiting Sikhs also perform their religious rituals in the gallery. He says the weaponry of Maharaja’s era is also on display in the Sikh Gallery, including rare swords with handles made of sold gold and kirpans etc.

Mr Minhas said some of the items which were lying in the museum’s store are being displayed for the first time in the new gallery, including ivory furniture, an old map of Lahore, a portrait of Mahraja Dulip Singh and a rare Golden Temple model. The director says that the new gallery is also a gesture to promote interfaith harmony, religious tourism and a soft image of Pakistan in the world.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2022