Virasat-e-Khalsa ‘most visited’
Tribune News Service
Anandpur Sahib, August 10
Virasat-e-Khalsa, the pioneer museum depicting Punjab culture and Sikh history, has scripted yet another chapter in its rising glory by becoming the most visited museum in the Asian sub-continent.
The museum had recorded a footfall of 20,569 visitors on March 20. Earlier, it was listed in the "Limca Book of Records-February 2019 Edition" and "India Book of Records-2020 Edition".
Punjab Cultural Affairs and Tourism Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said the "Asia Book of Records" had confirmed the record of "maximum footfall in a museum in a day" in the name of Virasat-e-Khalsa, which would feature in the next edition of the Asia Book of Records.
Channi said the total footfall of visitors at Virasat-e-Khalsa, conceived to commemorate the prideful 550 years' history and culture of Punjab and Sikhism, had crossed the 10 million mark in just 7.5 years, which was matter of pride for Punjab.
Till now, over 10 million visitors, including the Canadian PM, Mauritius President and ambassadors of various nations, have visited the museum since its first phase comprising 14 galleries opened on November 25, 2011. The second phase of the museum comprising 13 galleries was opened on November 25, 2016. While the first phase has Sikh history from Guru Nanak Dev's era to the installation of Guru Granth Sahib, the second phase showcases subsequent epochs, including times of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and Maharaja Ranjit Singh through 3D technology.
Channi said: "Virasat-e-Khalsa stands out in terms of popularity, footfall, architecture, grandeur and aesthetics. The ministry now aims at getting it featured in "Guinness Book of World Records".
