December

Kedleston Hall, former home of Lord Curzon, is a stunning 18th-century mansion with Adam interiors set in spectacular grounds and parkland. It houses the Eastern Museum, which contains a diverse collection of objects from the Indian sub-continent, mainland Asia and Japan. These items were acquired by Lord Curzon, who developed a passionate interest in the East while travelling aboard, particularly during his time as a Viceroy of India from 1899-1905.

A large number of items relate to the 1903 Delhi Durbar, a huge and elaborate coronation ceremony that Curzon organized to commemorate the succession to the throne of Edward VII. Sikh objects in Kedleston Hall include a war quoit (chakram from the Punjab). The chakram is a weapon historically associated with the traditional Sikh warriors known commonly as Akalis or Nihangs.

It is made from steel with a geometric pattern inlaid in gold on either side. There is also a pair of steel arm guards believed to be from the Sikh armory in Lahore. An oval miniature of the “Harmandar”, the Golden Temple at Amritsar, also forms part of the collection.

This tablet depicts a view of this holy shrine from across the pool.

“Some of the most cherished days in all my religious experiences of the East have been spent among the Sikhs, dwelling among them in their homes, listening to their own religious songs and sharing life with them. I can say with conviction that these words, daily repeated by their lips, have sunk in their souls. It would be difficult to find a more generous or forgiving people, and a nation that bore less malice and hatred in its heart.”

Rev. Charles Freer Andrews, 1871-1940