The Story of a Sikh Museum: Heritage, Politics, Popular Culture

What is a Sikh museum? Why is it worthwhile to study Sikh museums? This lecture is based on Kanika Singh's monograph: The Story of a Sikh Museum: Heritage, Politics, Popular Culture (2025, Cambridge University Press). The book is a case study of Bhai Mati Das Museum at Gurdwara Sisganj, Delhi. It examines the process of creation of Sikh heritage through history paintings and museum, unearths the networks which finance these and analyses the ways in which specific versions of the Sikh past are used to make present-day claims. It is a commentary on the importance of Sikh museums and their relationship with Sikh history, popular art and politics. The Story of a Sikh Museum is an entry point into the larger landscape of heritage and its popular and politics uses. The lecture focuses on the unique elements of Sikh museums and highlights their importance in understanding museums and heritage in contemporary India.