Foreword To The Book 'Sikh Heritage In Paintings' By K. S. Bains

Painting is perhaps the most expressive form of art to depict the emotions, spirit and events of an era. They constitute the signatures of the stage development of a society has achieved. Their real significance sometimes eludes us, may be because not many efforts have been made to organise paintings in a sequential form with a well defined purpose in view. The lives and times of the Sikh Gurus is an era which has influenced the society not only in the field of religion but has left an indelible imprint on the mankind as a whole.

To capture the ambience of those times, the Punjab & Sind Bank has been specially commissioning renowned artists for making paintings for its annual wall calendars. Over a period of more than two decades the Bank has collected nearly 200 such paintings. These paintings depict the teachings of the Gurus and their contemporary Saints and Sufis as also the state of society of those times. Through these calendars the Bank has been spreading the message of universal love, peace, unity and service to humanity.

The Bank has already taken steps to house these paintings in a proper Art Gallery. Whereas Art Galleries serve the purpose of preservation and proper display of paintings, not many are able to visit the same. To spread the message widely, Bank has decided to publish a book based on these paintings.

May this humble effort of the Bank bestow the blessings of the Gurus on its readers, help them to follow Their teachings and enable them to serve the society and the country better.

I congratulate the Public Relations Department of the Bank for their efforts and wish this endeavour of theirs all success.

                                                                                             (K. S. BAINS)

                                                                                            Chairman cum Managing Director

                                                                                            Punjab & Sind Bank 

New Delhi 18-5-95