Exhibition on Sikh Empire turns big draw at Craft Mela

An exhibition titled “The Sikh Empire (1710–1849): Perspectives of International Artists and Authors” has been turning heads at the ongoing Punjab Sakhi Shakti Craft Mela at Sheesh Mahal. Set up by the Punjab Digital Library in collaboration with the Punjab State Archives Department, it displays important documents of the Khalsa Durbar, including Maharaja Duleep Singh’s letter expressing his desire to reconvert to Sikhism, the Punjab Gazette of 1857, and other precious archival materials.

This is the 14th exhibition organized by the Punjab Digital Library, set up at Banasar Ghar in Sheesh Mahal. Meanwhile, the Punjab State Archives Department has put up such an exhibition after nearly two decades.

While inaugurating the exhibition, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab government has taken an important initiative to acquaint the younger generation with the state’s rich heritage and history. He expressed hope that the exhibition would prove extremely beneficial for scholars, students, historians, artists and the general public.

Praising Patiala Deputy Commissioner Varjeet Walia and ADC Damanjeet Singh Mann, he wished for the success of the fair. Officials from the Punjab State Archives Department, Chandigarh and Patiala stated that such an exhibition has been organized after almost 20 years, showcasing the department’s valuable documents.

They shared that the archives have displayed materials such as Khalsa Durbar records from 1839–1840 and 1841–1846, Toshakhana (treasury) records, the Punjab Gazette of 1857, the royal court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Tawarikh-e-Raj Khalsa, a map of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s kingdom, the royal genealogy, military records of the Khalsa Darbar, and the first book written about Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1840.

Punjab Digital Library’s Outreach Director Dalbir Singh and Outreach Coordinator Geetanjali said that this exhibition presents the perspectives of foreign artists and authors who visited Punjab during the Sikh Empire and documented or portrayed what they saw.