Depicting Sikh history through floral motifs at Gurdwara Baba Bakala Sahib

Known for its rich Sikh heritage and association with Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, the historic town of Baba Bakala also preserves a remarkable legacy of traditional Sikh art.

The interiors of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib and Gurdwara Bhora Sahib are adorned with intricate frescoes, decorative carvings and mural paintings that depict Sikh history in a style rarely found in modern gurdwaras.

Ditching the white marble architecture, at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, devotees are greeted with colourful floral motifs, gold embellishments and natural pigment-based fresco work. The walls and ceilings feature detailed paintings portraying significant events from the life of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, while several other murals illustrate important episodes from the rich Sikh history.

Many artworks have been carefully restored over the years by skilled artists to preserve their original character.

The ceilings and walls of the shrine also display large murals depicting the Akali movements and other landmark events.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has engaged trained conservation artists from Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan to undertake the restoration work. According to Dr Balbinder Kumar, an art conservation expert from Shimla university who has worked on the walls of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the ongoing project marks the third major restoration of these paintings.

He said the original artwork was inspired by the Pahari style commissioned during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Later, local artists reproduced the paintings on the walls of several historic gurdwaras, giving rise to a distinct Sikh artistic style.

Also read: Baba Bakala Sahib: Amritsar’s revered town that has kept Sikh heritage alive