Punjab's Virasat-e-Khalsa museum enters Asia Book of Records

Chandigarh: Virasat-e-Khalsa, a pioneer museum in the Sikh holy town of Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, has entered the Asia Book of Records for receiving a record visitors, state Cultural Affairs and Tourism Minister Charanjit Channi said.

He said the museum would feature in the next edition of Asia Book of Records for witnessing 20,569 visitors on March 20.

This is the third entry of Virasat-e-Khalsa into record books.

Earlier, the Limca Book of Records - February 2019 edition and the India Book of Records - 2020 edition raked it as the country's 'top-ranked museum' in terms of number of visitors.

He said the total footfall of visitors at Virasat-e-Khalsa, conceived to commemorate the 550 years of history and culture of Punjab and Sikhism, has crossed the 10-million mark in just 7.5 years, a matter of pride for the state.

It is located close to Takht Keshgarh Sahib, the second most important Sikh shrine (after the Golden Temple complex) in Anandpur Sahib where the Khalsa Panth - a kind of Praetorian Guard - was founded by Guru Gobind Singh on April 13, 1699.

Spread across 6,500-square metres, the Virasat-e-Khalsa museum narrates the story of Punjab and Sikhism using hand-crafted artefacts and the latest technology in an interactive manner.

The museum, which is considered visitor-friendly and interactive, is open six days a week (except Mondays) from 10am to 4:30pm.