Sikh Heritage Museum in england

JALANDHAR: In an attempt to show case articles related to Sikh Heritage scattered in UK at various places, the Sikhs there are establishing National Sikh Heritage Centre and Holocaust Museum along Gurudwara Singh Sabha, Derby, UK.

The museum has already got 300 items, most of these weapons, and 3 canons of 18th century on lease by British Government, Chairman of the Museum Committee, Rajinder Singh Purewal, said adding that the proposed museum would be affiliated to the British National Museum and more such articles were expected to given by the later on lease.

Purewal accompanied by Sikh Sewak Society leaders Parminderpal Singh Khalsa and Pal Singh France, said that these weapons/items pertained to Sikh army of Punjab who had lost to the British forces in the late 1849 and then British took these to UK.

Purewal said that while the Museum would be launched on November 23 its grand opening would be done in the month of February next year and they were arranging that somebody from the Royal family of England would attend the occasion. These articles were lying at various places and people were not even aware about all the places and the display, he said while adding "now these would be available under one roof and the Museum would become a major place to showcase the Sikh heritage outside India."

The weapons which had already been procured by the Museum and were being displayed included guns, swords and other sharp edged weapons apart from canons. He said that they would keep on collecting other articles pertaining to Sikhs and rare manuscripts, documents, books which were of immense historical importance would also be brought to the Museum.

Meanwhile Purewal and other leaders held that SGPC and other Sikh organizations had not done much to preserve the heritage in India. "Sincere and consistent efforts were clearly lacking in getting back the material, including rare manuscripts, taken away by the army during Operation Blue Star," they added.

Source: Sikhnet.com