Light, sound show at Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s palace needs efforts to sustain

Amritsar, April 29

Calling for the promotion of initiatives taken by the Tourism Department to bring heritage structures in and around the holy city into mainstream tourist map, the Voice of Amritsar, an NGO, hosted a special light and sound show at the renovated Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The show, attended by locals, also had AAP MLA from Amritsar North, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, in attendance.

The 20-minute laser light and sound show was introduced by the district administration to mark the first ever Rangla Punjab Mela in February this year. The show, held in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and Culture, aimed at promoting the state’s rich heritage. While the show highlights the history of Sikh Gurus, warriors and the significant events that shaped the socio-cultural landscape of the state, it failed to attract the desired footfall, especially locals, due to lack of promotion by the authorities concerned.

Additional Director, Tourism, Rakesh Popli had then said that the show would be a permanent feature at the Summer Palace but for the last one and half months, the footfall has remained dismal due to lack of proper seating arrangements and maintenance of the landscaped area, which now has wild outgrowths. The Tourism Department has spent a substantial sum to create the show that celebrates the bravery, courage and rich heritage of the warriors of Punjab.

President, VOA, Indu Aurora, said that through the specially curated experience, the VOA has attempted to promote the show that is also a lesson in city’s history and heritage. “The show is an immersive experience that has been curated for the locals, tourists and everyone. It is pertinent that the younger generation in Amritsar learns about the history of Punjab and Amritsar, in context to the present and for future. We hope that more people come out to support such activities.”

Earlier, former Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi had inaugurated a light and sound show detailing the life sketch of legendary Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh at the musical fountain inside the Rambagh Gardens, which currently lies defunct due to lack of funds and continued apathy by the authorities concerned.