Know Sikh history, ethos through 3D imagery soon

When technology meets history and traditions, the results are mesmerising. That is what visitors will experience in the basement of spruced-up Golden Temple Plaza where hi-tech 3D technology and synchronisations will take them through the Sikh history and ethos. The first phase of the project was inaugurated by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal recently.
The plaza will be open to the public by December.
Designer and supervisor of the project Amardeep Behl said, “For me the storytelling spaces have to be theatrical, they just can’t be a dry exhibition or a non-vocal museum that fails to narrate a story and connect with people. Three years back, I designed this whole idea of coming up with a space where pilgrims, especially the youth, can actually understand what this shrine and Sikhism stand for.”
He said lakhs of pilgrims inspired by the rich culture and heritage visit the Golden Temple but majority return without knowing much about Sikhism, religious ethos, significance of the shrine and importance of Guru Granth Sahib in the religion. “A task was assigned by the state government to make this possible and my team worked day and night to come up with the best technological solution to strike an emotional and spiritual chord with the visitors,” he said.
Behl said audio-visual projections will run with the help of operators in control rooms. The project is about 85% complete and around 30,000 pilgrims are expected to witness it daily in groups through token system. Lawrence Ryan is working on a master software to integrate the project.
There are four galleries at the plaza, the first — ‘Jot mei Jot’— will describe the ten Gurus and their teachings through a 10-sided glassed inverted pyramid using fibre optics and a laser show. The second gallery has ‘270-degree’ projection technology and third will use 3D technology to let the visitors explore the Golden Temple precincts on 72 screens, said Harbir Singh, in-charge of the audio-visual installation. The fourth gallery will make use of ‘holographic projection’ to describe importance and teachings of Guru Granth Sahib.