Khalsa museum — Experts to give proposals in a fortnight

CHANDIGARH, JULY 13: The meeting convened by the Punjab government with the scholars, historians, artists and other eminent persons of th...

CHANDIGARH, JULY 13: The meeting convened by the Punjab government with the scholars, historians, artists and other eminent persons of the region to discuss the concept design of the Khalsa Heritage Memorial Museum (KHMM) prepared by its exhibit designer Saroj Ghose took off on a positive note.

Chaired by the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, who is also heading the Implementation Committee, the meeting at Punjab Bhawan this morning ended up with the decision that the group would submit their proposals within 15 days. According to Ghose, the meeting was one of the most constructive ever held on the project. “I got very good suggestions and there were some alterations suggested. There were some additions for subsequent chapters like the freedom struggle, on which we are still working. We will meet next month after incorporating the suggestions in the draft.”

It was an impressive gathering of intellectuals: there were the three Chandigarh academy chairmen, G.S. Channi, Maj Gen Himmat Singh Gill and Shiv Singh; historians J.S. Grewal and Kirpal Singh; B.S. Rattan, vice principal, Khalsa College and Rama Rattan, Dalip Kumar Tiwana, Harnam Singh Shan, Mohinder Singh from the Bhai Vir Singh Sadan, Delhi, were among the 40 invitees. Besides Ghose, the team from National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, was also present. “This is an open forum and the FM has invited more intellectuals to join in the discussions, so that we can come out with a final draft that is acceptable to the people,” Vini Mahajan, the Chief Executive Officer of the Anandpur Sahib Foundation, said. The main objections pertained to the omission of Namdharis in the draft and on the application of the philosophy of the French Revolution, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity on Sikhism.

Work on the Museum seems to be finally getting on. “We will soon start the selection process of the construction agency. And Moshe Safdie has expressed his desire to be present at the prequalification procedure and intends to begin the work on the bridge (that connects the two complexes of the Museum) soon,” Vini Mahajan noted.