The Patron of the Arts
The truthfulness is the perfect hallmark of the Maharaja’s art. Although Maharaja had certain artists from the Pahari courts, the large quantity of portraiture explain how roughly everybody, The Maharaja included, was seeking an identity which was different to the one they felt in the plain villages of the state of Punjab.
The museum does not seek to revoke the grandeur of the past and bygone era but instead but instead is established to assert how the greater will of mankind has enabled a way of life that is sustaining and grand. This museum hence stands as an inspiration for men and women in this era to seek that glory.
Having said that, it would only be fair to assert that every period in the long history of this great country has seen its share of bloodshed, hatred and factious rites. But having said that, this soil has also given birth to its patrons who have genuinely taken on themselves to serve the great land without any factious hatred or betrayal.
Amongst several legendary people who have walked and served this country stands the glorious name of the Maharaja of Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who took over the region in his early teens, yet consolidated the entire region and erased whatever factions that existed in this land. Hence having a unified land that was proudly called undivided Punjab.
Although a wing of the Maharaja was always indulged into the rigors of warfare, the Maharaja also devoted his time into nobility where he championed the cause of a civic order and secularism. The Maharaja also promoted and acted as the patron to several creative advances under his rule. The creative artists found their incubation in his rule and hence came up with brilliant artwork including verse prose, buildings and paintings.
There is complete honesty in asserting that the Maharaja was a man of warfare and hence naturally bore a tough mental character. But it should also be mentioned that despite this fact, The Maharaja took on himself the actual unification of the people and the land of Punjab. He also indulged personally into arts and often enjoyed a good meal with a dose of music and dances which perhaps explains how the artists found patronage under his rule. So high was his admiration of the art that he was often compared and at times equaled to the patronage given to the artists by the erstwhile Mughals.
Maharaja was often indulged personally into the maintenance of administration, upkeep of the army and the continuity of civic order in the rule that he was mentally tired and exhausted which made him retire to such art forms where he seeked peace, faith and a sense of belief in his own self.
He in his truest sense followed the principle laid down by Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji himself as he took on himself the conquer of a man’s heart with love and devotion as greater that the capture of any land.