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Sikh Arts & Heritage Lecture Series in Leicester

The Education Service worked closely with the Leicester Museum Service to organised SIKH ARTS & HERITAGE LECTURE SERIES in Leicester. It was presented by the UK Punjab Heritage Association in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum and was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Sikh Heritage Exhibition 2003

The Sikh Heritage Exhibition was held during the period of 22 October 2003 – 29 November 2003 and attracted thousands of visitors. Inter active activities such as trying Punjabi clothes, Turban Tying, making Chapaties, playing musical instruments and Panjabi Language workshops were arranged for the school children which were acknowledged by the visitors as a long lasting learning experience.

500^th birthday of the second guru of Sikhs, Guru Angad Dev JiIn order to target new audiences from the Sikh community and specially the youngsters, the Education Service held a lecture  and exhibition on 7^th April 2004 to celebrate the 500^th birthday of the second guru of Sikhs, Guru Angad Dev Ji. The guru popularised the Gurmukhi script in which the holy scriptures of the Sikhs, Guru Granth Sahib is written. A painting was commissioned from a well known artist Mr. Devender Singh in India. The painting was unveiled on the day and a well known scholar (Bhai Mohan Singh) from Birmingham gave a lecture on the subject, ‘Is it essential for a Sikh to get baptised?’.

525^th Birthday of Guru Amar Das Ji , the third Guru of Sikhs

On 19 May 2004 to celebrate the 525^th Birthday of Guru Amar Das Ji, the third Guru of Sikhs a special painting commission for the day relating to the event was unveiled. An exhibition on the life and the teaching of the guru was also held. The third Guru conferred equal status on men and women and disapproved gender discrimination. He forbade the practice of ‘Sati’ – burning of wife at the pyre of husband as it was considered as an insult to human dignity. A lecture was given by Devinder Singh Panesor on ‘Equality in Sikh Religion’. The event successfully offered the audience an opportunity to get answers for their questions.

‘Castle Park Festival‘ 2004
The service organised an open day during ‘Castle Park Festival‘ in association of Leicester City Council Museum Services. The service entertained visitors from different age groups and backgrounds especially families on 28 August 2004 who participated in workshops such as ‘chapatti’ making and trying Panjabi Traditional dress including turban. A special slide show was shown to visitors throughout the day to illustrate the basic information about Sikh Community.

400^th First compilation of the Sikh Holy Scriptures,
Guru Granth Sahib
On 1 September 2004 a special painting on the  first Parkash (installation) of Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Sikh Holy Scriptures and a lecture on ‘Shabad Guru ‘ (Word Guru) was organised. On 5 September 2004 hand written copies including those of stone printing and one printed copy of the Sikh Scriptures of size one cubic inch was displayed ceremoniously.These two events were organised to celebrate the 400^th of the first compilation of the Sikh Holy Scriptures and were well attended by visitors from the Sikh Community and the other communities. The events were targeted to attract audiences from Sikh community and specially the youngsters.

Sikh Heritage Exhibition 2004
The Education Service organised the annual Sikh Heritage Exhibition 2004 from 1 November 2004 – 3 December 2004. The exhibition attracted visitors from different communities, cultures, faiths and ages. The Exhibition was supported by Leicester City Council, Heritage Lottery Fund, Leicester & Me Friends of Leicester and Leicestershire Museums and Community Chest Fund & Voluntary Action Leicester.

Castle Park Festival 2005
The Education Service participated in the ‘Castle Park Festival’ 2005 which attracted over 130 visitors during the open day on 27 August 2005. The visitors participated in the workshops held for the day namely Panjabi Foods and Panjabi Dress.
An oil painting on the life of the 7th Sikh Guru, Guru Har Rai Ji was unveiled by the Right Worshipful, Lord Mayor of Leicester Councillor Mary Draycott. The painting depicts the Sikh Guru bandaging a wounded person and the royal visitors waiting for the audience. The Sikh history states that Dara, the elder son of Indian Mogul Emperor Shah Jehan (1627-1658 AD), was once cured from a serious illness with herbs only available from the Guru.

Outreach Exhibition in Bedford
The Education Service supported the Bedford Sikh Community to organise a Sikh Awareness Exhibition at Bedford Museum from 15 October 2005 to 12 January 2006.

Visit by prominent Sikh Leaders from Panjab (India)
Jathedar Sri Akal Takhat Sahib Singh Sahib, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti and Jathedar Sri Kesgarh Sahib (Anandpur Sahib), Singh Sahib Giani Tirlochan Singh Ji visited the Guru Nanak Sikh Museum Leicester on Sunday 4 September 2005. Both these prominent leaders head the seats of authority in Sikh Nation, however the Akal Takhat situated in front of the Golden Temple is the supreme seat of authority and literally means "timeless or everlasting throne" or throne of the Timeless One, i.e. God."

The 6th Sikh Guru Har Gobind Sahib established the Akal Takhat in 1606 as the place from which the spiritual and temporal concerns of the Sikh community could be acted upon.
Singh Sahibs viewed the paintings, manuscripts, models, coins and other artefacts with keen interest. This visit was a historic event in the history of the Sikh Museum and the Jathedars of the highest seats of authority have paid their visits during their tour of United Kingdom as recognition to the hard work of Sikhs in Leicester to preserve the Sikh heritage.

‘Sikh and Panjabi Heritage Exhibition’ to celebrate Diwali and the advent of the first Guru Nanak Dev Ji was opened on 31 October 2005 on the eve of the Diwali festival.The opening ceremony of the exhibition performed by CPO Charlie Brunel, Assistant Director of Diversity Action Team (Royal Navy), was attended by more than hundred people from all ages and backgrounds from the community including prominent Sikh leaders, local councillors and the Leader of Leicester City Council, Councillor Roger Blackmore.

Apart from the permanent displays and workshops on Traditional Panjabi Costumes, Panjabi Foods and Indian Sangeet, the exhibition included the special displays on the Life and times of Guru Nanak Dev JiPanjabi heritage was depicted in the form of displays, which include spinning wheel (Charka), working model of Water Turbine or irrigation well used in the past Punjab  (Khooh) milk churner (Madhani) and grain grinder known as Chakki. The working models of Khooh and Trianjan scene attracted the attention of young and old alike.The visitors viewed with interest and devotion, a set of paintings about the life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The Exhibition was on display until 9 December 2005