Virasat - e - Khalsa was conceived as a museum in Anandpur Sahib, Punjab to preserve the rich heritage of the Sikh community and the history of the Punjab region. It tells the story of the founding of Sikhism by Guru Nanak Dev in the 15th century, the establishment of the Khalsa order by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699, and inspires visitors with the continued relevance of the Gurus' teachings today. The museum complex draws from Sikh and regional architecture and reflects the history and culture of the Punjab through its galleries.

3. Virasat - e - Khalsa was conceived as a repository of
the rich heritage of the Khalsa community and the
history and culture of the Punjab, while also inspiring
visitors with a renewed relevance of the message of
the great Gurus for the world today.
Towards the end of the fifteenth century, in the Punjab region of Northern India,
Guru Nanak Dev founded a faith rooted in the core values of universalism,
liberalism, and humanism. The nine Gurus who followed Him built upon and
consolidated His teachings, thereby establishing Sikhism not only as a belief
system but also as a way of life.
Two hundred years later, in 1699, on the occasion of Baisakhi, the Tenth
Guru Gobind Singh formally instituted the Khalsa Panth at Anandpur Sahib,
establishing a social order committed to peace, equality and justice for all.
Today, on the same site, stands the majestic Gurdwara Takht Sri Keshgarh
Sahib.
The year 1999 marked the Tercentenary of the Birth of the Khalsa. To
commemorate this event, the Government of Punjab envisioned the Virasat - e
- Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib.

4. The Museum Complex is inspired by the
rich natural and built heritage of Anandpur
Sahib, while also drawing heavily from Sikh
and regional architecture. Counter to the
tradition of domes which crown sacred Sikh
sites, the roofs of the Museum are concave-
shaped receptors facing the sky. Sheathed
in stainless steel, they reflect the sun’s light
towards the Gurdwara and the Fort.

6. Punjab, the fertile land of the five doabas,
drawsitsnameandidentityfromthemighty
rivers that flow down from the Himalayas to
its north. Through its long and tumultuous
history, the people who have inhabited
GALLERY 1
PANJPANI

7. GALLERY 2
Fifteenth
Century
Punjab
In the fifteenth century, Punjab was
under the rule of the Lodhi dynasty.
Caste-ism and discrimination was
rampant in society. People turned to
rituals and superstition for shelter
and spiritual solace.

8. He is the One,
the Truth,
the Creator
No caste, no creed,
no country dividing;
In his sight all are equal.
The only creator of all things
GALLERY 3
SIKHISM:
A WAY OF LIFE

9. A mystique from an early age, Guru
Nanak proclaimed the doctrine: the
love of the creator and of creation
are the only religion. He travelled far
and wide, delivering the message of
God’s love, and of freedom from false
worship and blind faith.
GALLERY 4
GURU NANAK
EARLY YEARS

10. GALLERY 5
Guru Nanak
at Kartarpur
Guru Nanak finally settled at Kartarpur,
where a new brotherhood of devotees was
formed. It is here that Nanak bestowed
upon Bhai Lehna the Guruship, and gave
him the name of Guru Angad.

11. GALLERY 6
Guru Angad and
Guru Amardas
GuruAngadestablishedthesecondSikhcentreatKhadurSahib,
where he refined the Gurmukhi script and spread the Gurbani.
The next Guru, Guru Amardas dedicated his services to uplift
the status of women in society. He denounced superstition and
the caste system.

12. The fourth Guru, Guru Ramdas
ordained the site for the Amrit Sarovar,
which also led to the rise of the city of
Amritsar. Guru Ramdas established
the tradition of singing the Gurbani
in ragas and made it the central
expression of devotion.
GALLERY 7
GURU
RAMDAS

13. GALLERY 8 & 9
Guru Arjan Dev
GuruArjanDevbegantheconstructionofthe
Darbar Sahib. He compiled compositions of
all four previous Gurus and other Sufis and
Hindu devotional poets into the Adi Granth,
placed in the Darbar Sahib. The message
of the Adi Granth, a state of harmony and
righteousness, was termed as the ‘Halemi
Raj’, the triumph of benevolence.

14. Guru Hargobind initiated the process
of militarization of Sikh believers to
enable to fight injustice and tyranny.
The next two Gurus, Guru Har Rai
and Har Krishan, dedicated their
lives to introducing social reform and
motivating humanitarian services.
GALLERY 10 & 11
New
Directions
In Sikhism

16. Guru Tegh Bahadur offered the
Supreme Sacrifice to protect the faith
of the Kashmiri Pandits from the
atrocities of the Mughals. His son, Guru
Gobind Singh held high the mantle of
the Guruship as a saint, a warrior and a
poet. He bravely defeated the chiefs of
the hill kingdoms in successive battles,
and also fortified Anantpur Sahib to
secure it from Mughal invasions.
GALLERY 12
Martyrdom
of GURU Tegh
Bahadur and
the Guruship
of Gobind

18. In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh formed
the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib. Amidst
the congregation of believers, he
chose his Panj Pyaras, Five Beloveds.
The Guru wanted all Sikhs to proclaim
themselves as equals by universally
embracing the Five Symbols of the
faith – the kaccha (drawers), the kada
(bracelet), the kirpan (dagger), the
kesh (hair) and the kanga (comb).
GALLERY 13
BIRTH
OF KHALSA

20. After the formation of the Khalsa,
yearsofstrugglefollowedduringwhich
the Guru lost his family and his army.
It was in refuge that he completed the
Guru Granth Sahib. Before becoming
one with the Almighty, Guru Gobind
Singh declared that henceforth the
Guru Granth Sahib would be the only
Guru of all Sikhs.
GALLERY 14
THE
ETERNAL
GURU