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Heritage An Online Visit To SikhMuseum.com

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spnadmin

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Jun 17, 2004
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An online visit to SikhMuseum.com

Very often, when looking for interesting content about Sikhi on the Internet, I discover something by accident. Something that is too wonderful and intriguing to ignore. Today was one of those days. I discovered the web site of The Sikh Museum.

At the museum you can find remarkable information from Sikh history, and a rich collection of historical photographs organized as online museum exhibits.

You can visit these exhibits, and see all the historical photos, by following the links below.

Dr. Brighton's Pavilion

During World War I a former Royal Palace in England was converted into a hospital for soldiers of the British Indian Army. This is the story of wounded turbaned warriors from the battlefields of France sent to the hospitals of Brighton.

http://www.sikhmuseum.com/brighton/

Artist August Schoefft's epic painting

http://www.sikhmuseum.com/schoefft/

Nishan Sahib A History of the Sacred Banner and its Symbols

http://www.sikhmuseum.com/nishan/

A Sikh Wedding through the lens of virtual photography

http://www.sikhmuseum.com/vrwedding/

Operation Blue Star:

A two-part exhibit consisting of a detailed chronology of events and a major photographic archive

In early June 1984 the Indian Army invaded one of the most historic of all Sikh Gurdwaras, the Darbar Sahib complex at Amritsar Punjab to flush out Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale a Sikh leader and his followers who had made the Gurdwara complex their refuge. The ensuing destruction and loss of life marked one of the darkest chapters of the later 20th century for Sikhs.

http://www.sikhmuseum.com/bluestar/

The Lost Palace of Amritsar
A majestic palace unlike any other once glimmered in the waters of the sacred pool of nectar at Amritsar. Learn about what was once one of the largest and most magnificent structures of its kind at the Darbar Sahib complex. Follow the history of the lost palace and the space it occupied from its origins in the Sikh Empire, to British Rule and eventually modern times.

http://www.sikhmuseum.com/lostpalace/

Please visit the Sikh Museum often at http://www.sikhmuseum.com

Order of images
Doctor Brighton's Pavilion
The Lost Palace of Amritsar
The Maharaja in the Guru's Darbar
A Sikh Wedding
Operation Blue Star
 
Sep 21, 2010
44
79
Looking at the picture of a young sikh boy carrying a Sikh Kesri Flag I was intrigued to see the modern 'Khanda' on it. As far as I am aware this 'Modern Khanda' symbol did not exist before the end of nineteenth century. All the paintings or other sources show three separate symbols on the Sikh Nishan Sahib, an unsheathed Kirpan, a Dhaal (sheild), and a Katar. This is seen on several paintings of the Nishan Sahib being carried by a Sikh leading tenth Guru ji riding a horse. Also a few etchings of Darbar Sahib Amritsar showing the same three symbols on the two Nishan Sahibs in front of Akal Takhat are available. Even a photograph of the first Shaheedi Jatha of Jaito Morcha shows the same three symbols on the Nishan Sahib carried by the Sikhs in it in 1920's.

The current so called sacred symbol first appeard on a badge of honour got fashioned by House of Patiala Royals known as "Nishan-e-Phul" commemorating Phul the ancestor of the Phoolkian Royals near the end of nineteenth century. It also was depicted on the pillers supporting the gates of Patiala House in New Delhi. The Sikhs of the Teja Singh Bhasaur' Panch Khalsa Diwan and Bhai Randhir Singh's Jatha hijacked this sign and began adoring their Dastars with it. The idea of this modern 'Khanda' insignia was borrowed by the London Jewllers while fashioning the 'Nishan-e-Phul' from the Rattaray's Sikhs regiment in the British Indian Army the soldiers of which had a badge on their turbans having a chakkar and a khanda the handle tip of which touched the chakkar on top of the chakkar . An example of which can be seen even on the Dastar of a Sikh in white dress shown in the last example in SPNAdmin's post in this very thread.

I would have thought that setting up an online museum to depict Sikh History one would be very serious to search and research the aunthenticity of the facts to be propagated in any historical museum.

Humbly
Serjinder Singh
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
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Jun 17, 2004
14,500
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I am always fascinated Serjinder ji, when astute forum members find discrepancies in material that has been assembled by collectors, just as you have noted for this museum collection. It would probably be of value to the museum or web site managers to contact them and share your understandings.

When I looked at the picture, it looked like a contemporary photograph. So, in all honesty, I am not sure I understand your criticism. It is a modern photograph, with a more recent version of the khanda.

There is a dilemma. The intent of the museum may be to display an artifact because it some merit; but the museum collectors who put the collection together may not agree there is an error. You may be saying, I am not sure if you are, that the online photograph should have been of a more historic khanda, instead of the more modern one. So a dicussion with them would be to their benefit. I am also thinking that in contacting the museum they would be motivated to add more examples of the Nishan Sahib that are drawn from the historic period.

Readers here certainly benefit from your input. I know I do.
 
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Sep 21, 2010
44
79
spnadmin ji

I have tried to post a link to the historic pictures of Nishan Sahibs. I am not sure if the thing would work. If it does we can see most of old depictions of Nishan Sahibs don't show the modern version of 'Khanda' but three icons namely, an unsheathed Kirpan, A shield (Dhaal) with four studs, and a Katar (a sharp triangular knife with a handle. If it does not work please the pictures can be seen at

http://www.sikhnet.com/inspiration/history-our-nishan-sahib

Humbly
Serjinder Singh
 
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spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
OK Then I did understand your point. Indeed you are saying that the Nishan Sahib in the museum collection s modern and not historic. Thanks for the links. There are quite a few images, therefore, the upload will not be immediate. Later, when time permits, I shall upload the pictures under a different thread title. You are very kind to provide these. One of the topics I really enjoy is Sikh heritage and history.

On January 12, 2013. I am withdrawing the offer to upload the pictures. The thread has recently taken a negative turn. To continue with the plan will only feed negativity. The thread has since been closed.
 
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kds1980

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Apr 3, 2005
4,502
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INDIA
Looking at the picture of a young sikh boy carrying a Sikh Kesri Flag I was intrigued to see the modern 'Khanda' on it. As far as I am aware this 'Modern Khanda' symbol did not exist before the end of nineteenth century. All the paintings or other sources show three separate symbols on the Sikh Nishan Sahib, an unsheathed Kirpan, a Dhaal (sheild), and a Katar. This is seen on several paintings of the Nishan Sahib being carried by a Sikh leading tenth Guru ji riding a horse. Also a few etchings of Darbar Sahib Amritsar showing the same three symbols on the two Nishan Sahibs in front of Akal Takhat are available. Even a photograph of the first Shaheedi Jatha of Jaito Morcha shows the same three symbols on the Nishan Sahib carried by the Sikhs in it in 1920's.

The current so called sacred symbol first appeard on a badge of honour got fashioned by House of Patiala Royals known as "Nishan-e-Phul" commemorating Phul the ancestor of the Phoolkian Royals near the end of nineteenth century. It also was depicted on the pillers supporting the gates of Patiala House in New Delhi. The Sikhs of the Teja Singh Bhasaur' Panch Khalsa Diwan and Bhai Randhir Singh's Jatha hijacked this sign and began adoring their Dastars with it. The idea of this modern 'Khanda' insignia was borrowed by the London Jewllers while fashioning the 'Nishan-e-Phul' from the Rattaray's Sikhs regiment in the British Indian Army the soldiers of which had a badge on their turbans having a chakkar and a khanda the handle tip of which touched the chakkar on top of the chakkar . An example of which can be seen even on the Dastar of a Sikh in white dress shown in the last example in SPNAdmin's post in this very thread.

I would have thought that setting up an online museum to depict Sikh History one would be very serious to search and research the aunthenticity of the facts to be propagated in any historical museum.

Humbly
Serjinder Singh

Serjinder singh j

The post like above make me think that whether we are following Sikhism of Guru's or just a cooked up version of Sikhism of late 19th century and early 20th century where everything is sold with trademark of Guru's when actually they were not even around at the times of Guru.
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
I have not found a picture yet of a Nishan Sahib that has the symbology yet described by Serjinder Singh. What I did find in reading the articles at the links he kindly supplied is description. The flags are "Battle Standards" and not referred to as Nishan Sahib.

They represent an honorable and moving era in history that is for sure.

Interestingly the Sikh Rehat Marydada, which requires the Nishan Sahib, is a creation of the 20th Century. Calls for the Nishan Sahib, it does. It does not refer to raising a Battle Standard.

Is the 20th Century maryada a "cooked up" version of Sikhi?

Amazing, isn't it? I feel I must apologize to the creators of SikhMuseum for posting at all ...It is sad to find unwillingness to at least appreciate some great pictures of the Brighton Palace and the informative pictures of 1984. Thread closed.
 
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