AMRITSAR, INDIA — Christie® technologies have enabled pilgrims and visitors to better appreciate the history and ethos of Sikhism through a slew of spectacular projections and displays at the basement complex of the Golden Temple, which is the holiest shrine of Sikhism. Divided into four galleries, the basement complex has been drawing huge crowds since its opening and is a perfect example of how technology can be deployed to enliven the rich heritage and history of Sikhism.
More details from Christie (www.christiedigital.com):
Christie’s state-of-the-art projection, display and image processing solutions, comprising 10 Christie WU12K-M 3DLP® projectors, 18 Christie D12WU-H 1DLP® projectors, 72 Christie Ultra Series FHD552-X HD LCD panels and Christie Pandoras Box system, have been chosen to deliver the visuals due to their high-performance, outstanding image quality, and reliability.
The projectors are used for large screen projections, including a stunning 270-degree projection and holographic projection, while the LCD panels offer an immersive three-dimensional visual experience of exploring the Golden Temple. The sophisticated task of designing these experiential spaces was undertaken by Designhabit, a leading design house based in New Delhi, which is responsible for numerous acclaimed large-scale projects across India including Virasat-e-Khalsa in Anandpur Sahib, while Christie India’s partner Pan Intellecom Ltd was responsible for installing and commissioning the entire fleet of Christie solutions.
“The Golden Temple is the holiest and most important shrine for Sikhs from all over the world and we are of the view that theatrical storytelling works best in highlighting the history and ethos of Sikhism in a dynamic and thought-provoking manner,” said Amardeep Behl, managing director, Designhabit. “And through this process, visitors are able to appreciate the rich heritage of Sikhism and establish an emotional connection through the multimedia showcase in all four galleries. We have carefully integrated the various Christie solutions into each gallery and complemented them with meticulously designed animations, voiceover narrations and composed music to create an emotional impact and immersive experience.”
Harbir Singh, Managing Director, Pan Intellicom, commented, “We are honored to be involved in the installation and commissioning of the visual solutions in the Golden Temple basement complex, and I’m pleased to note that the results of the displays and projections are highly satisfactory. Feedback from visitors has also been very positive, with many of them highly impressed with the quality and performance of the Christie solutions used in all four galleries. The visuals have added emotional depth and dimension in telling the story of Sikhism and history of the Golden Temple. It is wonderful that visitors continue to be spellbound by the high-tech multimedia showcases that feature visual, sound and light effects.”
Rajesh Patkar, Deputy General Manager, Christie India, added, “The Golden Temple is an important place of worship and pilgrimage for members of the Sikh faith, and this high-tech basement plaza has become a ‘not-to-be-missed’ destination for both pilgrims and visitors alike. We’re honored that the Golden Temple has chosen our state-of-the-art M Series and H Series projectors, Ultra Series LCD panels, and Pandoras Box system to be installed in the galleries to showcase the rich heritage of the Sikh community and history of this holy shrine. Designhabit has accomplished a marvelous job of designing the galleries infused with traditional history and heritage, which in turn inspires visitors with a renewed relevance of the message of the great Sikh gurus for the world today.”
Gallery 1: “Jyot mein Jyot” Pyramid Projection
The fascinating pyramid projection, titled ‘Jyot mein Jyot’, uses 10 Christie WU12K-M projectors positioned around the base of the 10-sided inverted glass pyramid while the Christie Pandoras Box driving the content. The multimedia showcase portrays the preface to Sikhism by highlighting the 10 Sikh gurus and their teachings.
Gallery 2: “The History of Golden Temple” 270-degree Projection
This spectacular and immersive 270-degree projection is made possible by 10 Christie D12WU-H projectors installed overhead around the gallery, and Christie Pandoras Box. The 15-minute presentation relates how the holiest shrine came into being through the use of animated video contents, archival video footages and an engaging voiceover narration.
Gallery 3: “A Day at Darbar Sahib” Showcase
A total of 72 Christie Ultra Series FHD552-X LCD Panels and four Christie D12WU-H projectors are used here to deliver an immersive presentation to describe to pilgrims about the ongoing routine activities underway in the Golden Temple. Be enthralled by bright and rich visuals displayed on the LCD panels and lifelike projections on the Golden Temple model in the center of this gallery.
Gallery 4: “Bani Guru-Guru hai Baani” Holographic Projection
An eye-catching holographic projection using 4 Christie D12WU-H projectors is used to highlight the importance and teachings of Guru Granth Sahib in this meticulously designed gallery. Similar to the previously mentioned galleries, the Christie Pandoras Box drives all content.
Located in the city of Amritsar in the state of Punjab, the Sri Harmandir Sahib, or more widely known as the Golden Temple, is the holiest site of Sikhism. It is intended to be a place of worship for men and women from all walks of life and all religions to worship God equally. The Golden Temple is accessible by four entrances (representing the four directions) and this symbolizes the openness of the Sikhs towards all people and religions. Over 100,000 people visit the holy shrine daily for worship.
