Sikhs donate palanquin for Guru Granth Sahib to Lahore Museum
LAHORE: The Pakistani Sikh community has donated to the Lahore Museum a metallic palanquin with a wooden base, brought specially from Amritsar, to hold the holy Guru Granth Sahib.
The Guru Granth Sahib kept at the Lahore Museum is from the times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the leader of the Sikh Empire, who ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century.
The 10 members of the Sikh sangat who donated the palanquin on Wednesday performed a ritual while placing the holy book on it (palanquin).
The Sikh community members lauded the efforts of the museum administration for properly preserving heritage of the Sikh community.
Lahore Museum additional director Naushaba Anjum said the museum contains a rare collection of artefacts which are also from the era of Ranjit Singh.
“These artefacts are only housed in the Lahore Museum,” she said, adding the palanquin has been placed in the ongoing exhibition of Sikh artefacts.
The exhibition featured paintings, weapons, intricate woodwork among a host of other items.
The museum features a rich collection of Sikh artefacts, including gold, silver and copper coins, as well as Ranjit Singh’s gold medals, miniatures including portraits of Sikh spiritual and political figures, clothing, furniture from the royal court, royal decrees and Sikh holy books.