Abohar exhibition seeks to preserve Punjab's historical perspectives

Abohar, Nov.8 : Punjab's rich rural heritage is generally feared to be fading due to the impact of modern science and technology. Recently, in Abohar, an attempt was made to preserve the glorious past of Punjab through a special exhibition.

Over 150 students from different colleges participated in an exhibition, which was an attempt to help in "Exploring Historical Perspectives on Pluralistic Society and Polity in Punjab".

The exhibition was held at the DAV College in Abohar.

Most of the items on display were over a century-old. The items included I.E Coins, Radio, Knife, Trunks, coins, utensils or farming devices, metal jug, glasses, swords, iron and stitching machine. arendar Pal, a student and exhibitor, said: "In this modern age, the young generation is forgetting its heritage. The aim of this exhibition is to educate them about the various things used by our ancestors. These items are rare." "These days you find machine made items. But the things created manually by our forefathers are very difficult to trace. We will make sincere efforts to present this exhibition further in other cities as well," he added. Also, on display, was a 100-year-old Hamam' or traditional water heater as well as the sword of Baba Alla Singh of Patiala. Other antiques included a 17th century sewing machine and a make-up box of 1858. The organizers were surprised that individuals had preserved many of the antiques. Rekha Sood, Head of the History Department in D.A.V College, Abohar, said: "When we planned this exhibition we were expecting the antiques dating back to five to six decades. Surprisingly, some of the items brought in the exhibition for display are as old as 250-300-years-old." The DAV College, Abohar is now planning to set up a heritage museum within its premises. It will invite people to bring their valuable possessions and preserve them at the museum.

With rapid development and urbanization, Punjab is headed for a transformation. But, it is also trying to protect its culture and heritage so that the future generations can explore Punjab's rural history. By Avtar Singh

ANI