Expert wants 'proper display' for replica of Guru's rabab

amritsar: chris moony singh, an australian by birth, who converted to sikhism in 1989, became so fascinated by rabab, a traditional string instrument of the sikhs, that he chose to dedicate his life to the cause of reviving it. during his visits to punjab, he saw that rabab and other string instruments, like tanti saj,were no longer played in gurdwaras, and this made him sad.so he decided to work towards the day when rabab would once again add music to the shabad kirtan sung in gurdwaras. to aid his cause, he started the bebe nanaki rabab scholarship programme and founded the rabab research and education foundation. some time ago, his quest to locate the tenth sikh guru guru gobind singh's rabab took him to mandi in himachal pradesh, where he found the instrument from a gurdwara. he even made a replica of that rabab, which, he regrets, has not got its ''rightful place'' in the central sikh museum. but, he says, he will not lose heart and patiently wait for the sgpc's nod, ''to have his work of art, which originated from his immense faith in sikhism, suitably displayed''. chris says that due to the change in sgpc leadership, the approval for placing the rabab in the museum has got delayed, but adds that he has received positive indications from the new office-bearers. ''i have not been able to take up the issue with sgpc president jagdev singh talwandi, though i have discussed the matter with the general secretary, kiranjot kaur, and she has shown considerable interest,'' he claims. an sgpc official, preferring anonymity, says that since the rabab made by chris is not a historical one, it cannot be displayed in the central sikh museum. however, appreciating the work done and hardship faced by chris in reviving this forgotten string instrument of the sikhs, he suggests that the rabab can, at the most, be displayed in a separate room, but certainly not in the museum. kiranjot kaur, on the contrary, feels that although the rabab is only a replica, being a rare musical instrument, it can be displayed in the museum.