Muslim Poet in Central Sikh Museum, Sikh Emperor in The Wallace Collection

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on 9 Apr installed the portrait of Allah Yaar Khan Jogi, a poet, at the Central Sikh Museum on the premises of Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple), Amritsar. Jogi wrote the marsiya (elegy) for the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh. Three more portraits were installed at the museum including Baba Hazara Singh, former Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Harcharan Singh Mahlon, and Professor Kartar Singh. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghubir Singh unveiled the portraits. He said, ‘Allah Yaar Khan Yogi has expressed the sacrifices of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, in poetic form which is an inspiration for the Sikh Sangat.’ Jogi wrote two compositions. Shahidan-e-Wafa describes the sacrifice of younger sons Sahibzada Jorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fathe Singh at Sarhind. Ganj-e-Shahidan depicts the valor of the elder sons Sahibzada Ajit Singh and Sahibzada Jujhar Singh in the battle of Chamkaur. Meanwhile in London, The Wallace Collection is hosting artifacts of the Sikh warrior king, Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), Lion of the Panjab. The collection includes a watered steel sword with walrus ivory handle, a helmet with chain mail, a cuirass, and an enormous almost six foot long musket from the Royal Armories. Ranjit Singh’s warrior record is center stage in this engaging exhibition. Part of Ranjit Singh’s genius was in attracting foreign soldiers to his entourage including French Napoleonic officers and Britons. Ranjit Singh allowed the foreigners to keep their Christian faith; they just had to have beards and marry Panjabi women.