Golden Temple’s story comes alive at its plaza

AMRITSAR: A visit to the Golden Temple in Amritsar will now be an altogether different experience

Updated At : 07:05 AM Dec 22, 2016 IST

Special audio-video galleries depict history of Golden Temple and a view of Sikhism now open for public at the basement of Golden Temple plaza in Amritsar on Wednesday. photo:vishal kumar

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 21

A visit to the Golden Temple in Amritsar will now be an altogether different experience. After skipping many deadlines, the much-awaited second phase of the Golden Temple plaza basement is now open for pilgrims.

Based on the concept of multi-lingual interpretation and information centre, four magnificent galleries have been constructed by the PWD. While the Punjabi version is recited live, the narration in English and Hindi is through audio-guide mode.

Bhupinder Singh Chanana, executive engineer of Golden Temple Plaza, said the project costed around Rs 35 crore. “It offers a package of knowledge, information and convenience. The techno-galleries and interpretation provide an altogether different experience not only to the adults, but children also. Each gallery can accommodate 240 persons. The special switchable glass transmits special lighting affects through the technique of projection mapping,” he added.

Christened as “Jyot mein Jyot”, the first gallery portrays the preface to Sikhism. Here, 10 projectors are set up in pyramids with 10 faces that signify 10 Sikh Gurus.

The second arcade, known as “the history of Golden Temple”, is in 3D imagery mode.

Here, the ‘Dukhbhanjni Beri” that is the omni witness (still on the premises, believed to be 400-year old) narrates through video contents that how the holiest shrine came into being.

The third gallery named as “A day at Darbar Sahib”. Here, projection mapping technique is used to apprise the pilgrims about the ongoing routine activities underway in the Golden Temple. The fourth “Bani Guru-Guru hai Baani” portrays the core values of Sikhism and message and significance of Gurbani.