sikhpride

Parwinder Singh is one of the few Sikh sculptures who have been propagating the Sikh history for the last many years through a Sikh Museum created by him at Balongi, which falls in Greater Mohali area of Punjab. He hails from Buterala Village of Sector 41, Chandigarh. He was born there on 8th November 1965 in the house of S. Labh Singh and Bibi Mahinder Kaur. His father was doing labour as a mason and looking him working, Parwinder also used to play with the construction material by making toys with clay, wood, iron etc. As he had no interest in study, he learnt the skill of a scooter mechanic and started his repair shop. His childhood interest of creating things out of clay, wood etc. persuaded him to create images of characters from Sikh history. Thus, he made a Sikh museum wherein he kept designed sculptures of Sikh martyrs. These sculptures, made form fiber glass were first established in 2005 in a museum on the SAS Nagar to Landra Road and then later on the same were shifted to the present location of Village Balongi, near cremation ground in Chandigarh. He had founded Sikh Heritage and Culture Society in 2003 of which he is the President and which aims at creating a big museum on the lines of vax museum in London. He admits that he was inspired the sculptures made by S. Tara Singh which are displayed outside Gurudwara Mehdiana Sahib, Jagraon, Distt. Ludhiana. These sculptures display important events of Sikh history and he wants to create and expend museum covering not only such events, but also the images of great Sikh personalities. However, he does not have sufficient funds. Earlier he received financial aid from several politicians and an SAS Nagarbased politician had provided the land. But now, he says, due to a lack of support from the government, he is running the museum independently with only the help of donations from visitors. He is also afraid that he may lose this land donated to him because of government’s plan to enlarge the cremation ground. A large number of sculpture pieces displayed by him including those of Bhai Bachitar Singh, S. Hari Singh Nalwa, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, Bhai Taru Singh, Bhai Mati Das Ji and Bhai Mani Singh Ji show that the artist creator has excellent skill and a desire to do his work. He has already displayed these items in various exhibitions also. Some of his creations have also been sent to other countries. For example, a massive gate made by wax sent to Australia as per the requirements of Gurudwara Management there. He is really a role-model in his work and need to be supported and encouraged. We pray and hope that he will be able to fulfill his desire to create one day a wonderful museum of Sikh religious history and personalities which will inspire the people to understand and appreciate our unique history and achievements.