Ah! The Splendor of Museums

KOMAL ANAND

RETD. IAS & DIRECTOR Urasvati Museum of Folklore

My story of involvement with Museums goes back to the days of graduation when I joined the Delhi College of Art to pursue my grand passion of painting. After five years ,I had to leave abruptly and say goodbye to my first love to join the Indian Administrative service.

However my sojourn with Art and Culture did not end and while working as Secretary to the Governor Haryana, I was called upon to set up the ‘Srikrishna Museum’ at Kurukshetra, the revered site where the great Mahabharata War took place .Dusty winds and degraded infrastructure sadly blew away any vestiges of its glorious past . The Kurushetra Development Board headed by the late Gulzarilal Nandaji and Haryana Government wanted to make this Museum focusing on Sri Krishna as the epic hero of the Mahabharata. Invaluable guidance provided by late Dr.B.N. Goswami resulted in a stunning collection focusing on the theme of the Museum. The inauguration of the Museum in 1990 by the President of India had a cascading effect on tourism and today it has over 300 visitors daily. This was a great success story which rejuvenated Kurukshetra as a place of great interest and reverence.

Another opportunity came my way when the INTACH Chapter of Haryana in collaboration with ASI and the state Government collaborated to set up a historical war museum to commemorate the three major historical battles of India. Archaeological Survey of India donated copies of ancient maps and battle formations , Firmans, etc. Officiating as DG ASI , I involved professionals from ASI to design the display of the collectives, which had photographs and letters from the Victoria and Albert Museum London, the National Museum and the British Library.

The Museum is a tribute to the brave heroes of India who lost their lives in protection of the motherland. Today the Panipat Museum is managed by the Panipat Memorial Society and has become a hub of Educational and Cultural hub of the district of Panipat.

THE URASVATI MUSEUM OF FOLKLORE , GURGAON

Urasvati Museum of Folklore was the culmination of a dream that I had started conceptualising toward the end of my career in the Indian Administrative service, and it was a new chapter in my life and in the cultural evolution of Gurgaon.

The Urasvati Museum of Folklore transports the visitor to the magical world of folklores and legends. The main focus of the Museum is on folktales of men and women; kings and queens and speaks of heroic deeds of warriors and of the common man.

Some speak of the supernatural power of magical adventure. Folk tales narrate the human experience and the creative aspect of man through the ages.

The Museum display depended heavily in the collection of folklores collected by experts from different states. The main challenge was to transpose this intangible heritage to a visual form. With advice from experts a plethora of information about miniature paintings displaying folklore was drawn from the National Museum library and other such institutions in various states.

The focus of the museum is to preserve the wealth of information and provide public access to the tangible and intangible culture of the country. The Museum has covered seven northern and central Indian states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. The permanent display through dioramas, paintings, enlarged miniatures is a nucleus of the museum. The arts and crafts of various states are also on display. Invaluable help in developing the display was provided by Dr Premlata Puri and Dr.BN Goswami and other agencies. Urasvati Museum has become a focal point for visits by school children and locals who are frequent visitors. The Museum organises workshops throughout the year to familiarize visitors with the rich culture of the country vis- a -vis its folk art, folk music and dance, traditional painting, and most importantly it's rich folklore.

Interactive sessions with students are arranged through quizzes, skits and plays. Space has been provided to young visitors to touch and use materials to create their own versions of stories thus engaging them in activities that help them to discover their own potential creative genius and also increases awareness of traditional culture .

In recent times an acute need in society has become evident, that is to connect with art and culture as life in cities has become very routine and mechanical with no time for tradition and folklore. Comments recorded in the Urasvati Museum Visitor book bear testimony to the fact that Urasvati is a haven for families to visit, to appreciate art and participate in cultural events.

In recent times the linkage between tourism and museums has been in discussion amongst policy makers. Engaging tourists culturally can generate a lot of revenue. The ticket money from visitors and sales from souvenir shops, museum cafes are a great source of income.

On a recent visit to the Whitney Museum Biennial 2024 in New York, I observed that in spite of a hefty entrance fee, heavy crowds thronged the museum exhibition. It was a similar story at the MET, New York where heavy crowds gathered to see a new set of exhibitions organised by the museum.

A sizable contribution that can be made by the historical and archaeological museums of the country is to have new and constantly refreshed collections on display from their collections.

In conclusion it can be said that museums must continue to fulfil their laudable purpose through meticulously planned artifact displays and exhibitions.

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