Making forgotten heritage visible once again through dramatic illumination, Kolkata-based heritage conservationist Mudar Patherya has turned his attention to his latest muse: the historic Khalsa College in Amritsar.Here, an ambitious lighting project aims to transform the architecturally rich institution into a striking nocturnal spectacle. Patherya, widely known for his work as a civic activist and heritage conservation expert, has led several citizen-driven efforts to restore and illuminate historic buildings across Kolkata. The Khalsa College project is his largest undertaking so far.Using more than 2,500 specially installed lights — including spotlights, silhouette lights and grazing lights — the project seeks to accentuate the college’s distinctive red sandstone architecture. Rather than flooding the entire structure with brightness, the lighting has been designed to create a visual hierarchy, guiding the eye towards key architectural elements and ornamental details.“The project is being entirely funded by Khalsa College alumnus and entrepreneur Padam Prakash Gupta, who has been generous enough to invest in turning Khalsa College into an important landmark on the city’s cultural tourism map,” said Khalsa College Principal Atam Randhawa.He added that the college was approached by the Bengali conservationist’s team nearly a month ago with a proposal to extend their heritage illumination project to the college.“He has worked on several historic monuments, including the Victoria Memorial and other colonial-era structures across Kolkata. Since Khalsa College’s unique Indo-Saracenic architecture has long been documented and admired by heritage conservationists, we wanted to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the college through this association,” Randhawa said. The project is estimated to cost around Rs 30 lakh.Lights installed as part of the project.Patherya often describes his work as an attempt to rebuild civic pride and reconnect citizens with their architectural history. Many of his projects have been supported through crowdfunding, local sponsorships and volunteer participation. At Khalsa College, his team of engineers and artisans has been working for over a month to install the façade lighting system, with the project expected to be completed by the end of June. He describes the assignment as particularly challenging because of the college’s intricate geometrical design.For Patherya, the philosophy behind heritage illumination goes beyond aesthetics. His work seeks to infuse life and drama into historic buildings after sunset, ensuring that these do not live as dark, forgotten structures once night falls.Khalsa College Principal Atam Randhawa oversees installation work.Most heritage buildings in Amritsar do not lack aesthetic appeal but social value. Last Diwali, the Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh became the subject of controversy after it remained shrouded in darkness on the festival of lights.An artistic representation of the illumination project.The incident prompted activists and cultural organisations — as well as Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj — to light ‘diyas’ at the site in a symbolic effort to revive the city’s cultural memory, and restore landmarks to public consciousness. With the illumination of Khalsa College, the institution may emerge at the forefront of a broader movement to light up Punjab’s architectural heritage — reviving glorious chapters that one, otherwise, may refuse to read.