From the story of Akbar seeking Guru Amar Das’ blessing for a son, to the legendary Sikh generals’ capturing Delhi’s Red Fort in 1781, well known historical events come alive in the Capital’s Baghel Singh Museum through unique portraits chronicling Sikh history. The works of eminent artists on display, named after one of the generals who captured the Red Fort, in Gurdwara Bangla Sahib portray the life of Sikh Gurus and the role of the community in India’s freedom struggle and the earlier wars they fought against the Mughals.

"As our religious traditions only permit the portrayal of Gurus through paintings, the works depict Sikh history and the teachings of the Guru Granth Sahib," says curator Surinder Singh. The paintings depict the lives of all Sikh Gurus, their wars against the Mughals, the capture of the Red Fort by Baghel Singh, young Bhagat Singh in Lahore jail, and Udham Singh who avenged the Jalianwalla Bagh massacre and was hanged in 1940. The Red Fort was captured in 1781 but the Sikhs later accepted Begum Samru’s plea and agreed to leave Delhi, though they retained the right to build gurdwaras. Baghel Singh later supervised the construction of most of the gurdwaras.

One rare painting depicts the Sikh chiefs holding durbar after their victory. Other rare paintings depict Sri Lanka dancers who were sent by their king, Shiv Nabh, to entice Guru Nanak, but who instead became his followers. The construction of the tank of nectar at Amritsar, the martyrdom of Guru Arjun Dev and the eighth Guru Harkrishan in Delhi helping those stricken by small pox epidemic also feature.

Around 60 paintings depicting the entire history of the faith were first put up at Gurdwara Sis Ganj in Delhi. But due to lack of space, these were later shifted to Bangla Sahib. The museum was conceived as part of the efforts the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. "Eminent artists like Sohan Singh, Gurdit Singh, Bodhraj and Amolak Singh were commissioned in the early 1970’s and given various subjects relating to Sikh history," says Surinder Singh.

Efforts are also on to collect historical Sikh artefacts from private collections to keep them in all in one place. "They are of great importance to us and I have even asked the SGPC to pay for them if the collectors so demand," he says. The transparecies and blow-ups of historical painting of the Akal Takht, which were destroyed during Operation Bluestar, will soon be on display. "The same is the case with frescos at Baba Atal. I have a personal collection of transparencies, which would be shown here," says the curator who is also a surgeon, painter and photographer.