Relics of an empire
Parbina Rashid
It seemed they got everything right except for the name — Sicques, Sicks, Seiks and Seeks — as artists and authors from the Western world tried to capture the essence of the Sikhs. The only exception was Frenchman Victor Jacquemont, who wrote in Journey of India — “I know not whether it is an optical illusion. But the Punjab and its inhabitants please me so much…the unsophisticated Sikhs of the country have a simplicity and open honesty of manner, which a European relishes…” The year was 1853.
Cut to 2024 and a group of young Indian-Americans — Ilahe Kaur, Bani Kaur, Gani Kaur, Jodha Singh, Rubbi Singh, Gurshaan Singh and Jagsher Singh — joined hands with Bilaval Kaur and Amitoj Singh from Punjab to search for their roots.
Their five-week internship with Punjab Digital Library has brought out a treasure trove of information, which dates back to 1710 and extends up to 1849. The findings were on display at the auditorium of Guru Gobind Singh College For Women, Sector 26, under the banner — The Sikh Empire: Perspectives by International Artists & Authors.
On display were some 80 plus prints of lithographs, maps and paintings, which were digitised by Panjab Digital Library, and a few priceless artefacts that included an intricately designed gunpowder-holder from the times of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. Or, should we say Maharaja Runjit Singh? Yes, there is a complete list of mispronounced names duly compiled for the benefits of the visitors — Umritsar, Amrutsir for Amritsar; Punjaub, Pendjab, Puujab and even Pandschab for Punjab!
This is how James Rennell describes the Sikhs in Memoir of a Map of Hindustan (1783) — “The Seiks, a new sect of religionists, appeared in arms in the Lahore province and ravaged the whole country from thence to the banks of the Jumnah river… they differ from most religionists.”
If the comments inspired awe, the visuals provided the right setting to conjure a round-up image of the era and the race. Several images of Lahore in all its spendour, Emily Edon’s 1838’s portrait of Runjeet Singh, George Richmond’s painting of Rani Jindan Singh give glimpses of those times. Each frame was a treasure trove of information. Like for instance, Interior of Darbar Sahib by W Capenter in 1858 captured the openness of the holy place as devotees do kirtan. A closer look at it and it revealed how kirtan was done to the tune of stringed instruments instead of the familiar harmonium. “The tabla was used even then, but the harmonium made its entry into gurdwaras after the British came to Punjab,” we were told.
“We sifted through thousands of documents to select these frames. What we kept in mind was to pick those panels and quotes that presented Punjab in its true essence. We made a conscious effort to stay away from hyper-regionalism,” said Bani, Gani, Ilahi and Jodha. Wise beyond age, their spirit is much in sync with the land they originally come from!
