AMRITSAR: Golden Temple, the holiest pilgrimage centre for Sikhs, in Amritsar draws a large number of devotees from across the country and world. The shrine also houses a museum showcasing the origin and growth of Sikh religion through several artefacts.

Established on July 11, 1958, the Central Sikh Museum is housed in a big hall and a few adjoining rooms on the second floor of temple's entrance.

Maintained by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), governing body for Gurudwaras in Punjab, the museum takes one into the history that Sikh warriors were a part of. The museum contains a number of exhibits that include important religious documents, old coins, paintings, weapons used by great Sikh warriors and many other things bearing on the Sikh history.

It also showcases the paintings of Sikh Gurus, saints, Sikh warriors and other prominent Sikh leaders who contributed to the propagation of Sikhism and enhancement of Sikh religion.Be it Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhs or others, their presentation along with brief details provided in English, Hindi and Gurmukhi delights every visitor, especially, the history enthusiasts.

Yogesh Gupta, a devotee at the Golden Temple, said: "We are delighted that we have got a chance to know about the history of the Sikh community through these paintings at the museum."

The museum is visited every day by about 5,000 people.

The museum's painting gallery has many pictures from the 15th century, including that of those great people who took part in the struggle faced by the Sikh community time to time.

A selection of old hand-written manuscripts and weapons of various Sikh warriors could also be seen in the museum.Surjeet Singh, the Central Sikh Museum's in-charge, said that efforts were being made by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to bring artefacts related to Sikh Gurus from other countries.

Surjeet said that the main attraction of the museum is the paintings by Kirpal Singh, who have painted many historical facts taken from the Ardass.Mohan Singh, another official at the museum, said that the Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee has also organised exhibitions of many pictures, depicting Sikh history in many villages of Punjab to enable those who cannot visit the museum.