CHAPTER V MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES AND THEIR CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT
The Government of India: set up and have been administering a chain of museums and libraries, each with distinguishing features. They have also been extending substantial financial Assistance to a few others, considered to be of great importance. Besides, they have been following a few schemes relating to their conservation and development. An account of the activities in this field during the year is given in this chapter.
MUSEUMS Museums are repositories of cultural, historical, technical, industrial or other kinds of materials and help in the preservation of the National Cultural Heritage. The Government of India maintains the National Museum at New Delhi and administers some other Central Museums.
They are:-
(i) National Museum, New Delhi
(ii) Indian Museum, Calcutta
(iii) Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad
(iv) Victoria Memorial Hall, Calcutta
(v) National Museum of Man
(vi) National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property
(vii) National Gallery of Modern Art
(viii) Science Museums.
National- Museum, New Delhi The National Museum one of the premier museums in the country, continued to develop in all directions, such as acquisitions, exhibitions, conservation and educational activities.
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Art objects worth Rs. 8,19,000 were purchased by the Art Purchase Committee for the National Museum. Significant among the art objects are Standing Vishnu of Pallava period, 9th Cent. A.D., Ravana shaking Mount Kailasha, Vijayanagar, 17th Cent. A.D., one jewellers mould, 3 seals and very interesting inscribed coin of Ujjain.
A gold coin of Vindhya Sakti of about 8th Cent. A.D. was donated by Shri S.M. Shukla of Bombay. Ten sculptures were received in exchange of art objects from the Sagar University Museum. The Archaeological Survey of India gave a long term loan of 2 sculptures from Mandor, 2 from Bassein, 2 from Badami, 2 from Ellora and one from Ajanta, besides one from Mansar and one from Pauni.
Exhibitions The following exhibitions were organised in the Museum
(a) Reproduction of Ruben's paintings
(b) Contents of the `Time Capsule.'
(c) Elwine collection of Tribal Arts and crafts.
(d) Naga Arts and crafts.
As part of the celebration of the Museum week (January 814, 1978) the Musical Instruments Gallery was formally opened by the Minister of Education, Social Welfare and Culture, Dr.P. C. Chunder.
Under the Culture Exchange Programme an "exhibition of Indian Art" was organised by the Museum in Paris. The choice of the exhibits was made to present a cross-section of Indian Art from the days of the Harappan civilization going back to 2350 B.C. to the 19th Cent. A.D. The exhibit includes a large number of, items from the collection of the National Museum but some of the exhibit belonging to some other Indian Museums and private collections have also, been included. The exhibition opened on the 17th November, 1978 and continued till the end of February, 1979.
Under the scheme "Propagation of culture among students in schools and colleges", 150 educational and cultural kits were prepared and distributed to such educational institutions from which teachers had been deputed to attend orientation courses organised at different places on the appreciation of fine arts.
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A regular schedule of gallery talks by Sectional/Departmental heads, was instituted during the year. Besides the above, the usual guided tours, special lectures using slides and films both in the Museum auditorium and in various schools and colleges and other cultural institutions were continued. The Mobile exhibition mounted with the exhibition "Architects of India's glory" visited a number of schools and colleges and was seen by students and teachers. At each place screening of selected films on Indian art was also arranged.
The Modelling Section of the National Museum continued to prepare replicas of Masterpieces of Indian sculptures and bronzes from the Museum collections for sale to the visitors as well as supply to the educational and cultural institutions.
Conservation The Conservation Laboratory continued to advise and assist Museums in India in conservation and preservation of art objects in their collections. It has also been assisting the National Museum of Afghanistan in their conservation needs for setting up a laboratory at Kabul. A three months course on conservation of cultural property is being organised from middle of February until May 1979.
Publications The following publications are in process
(a) Krishna in Indian Art-by Dr. P. Banerjee (being completed).
(b) Babarnama-by Dr. M. S. Randhawa
(c) Ritual Arts in rural India-by Mrs. Pupal Jayakar
(d) Two sets of colour picture post cards of miniature paintings in the National Museum collection.
(c) Javar Gita Govinda-by Dr. (Smt.) Kapila Vatsyayan
(f) Directory of Museums in India.
Indian Museum, Calcutta The Indian Museum, Calcutta comprises three Sections viz. Art, Archaeology and Anthropology.
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Three new Galleries in the Art Section viz. (i) Chinese and Japanese art objects; (ii) Burmese art collections and (iii) Nepalese and Tibetan Art and Craft were declared open to the public on the 30th May, by Dr. S. K. Mukherjee, Vice-Chancellor, Calcutta University. About 285 selected specimens of applied, ritual as well as sculptural art, which fairly represent a cross-section of these phases of art in these five countries, were displayed. The work of setting up a Physical Anthropology Gallery of the Anthropology Section is in progress and is expected to be completed within a few months. A Plan for setting up a Gallery for the display of the coins has been finalised and the work will be undertaken shortly.
Publications The following publications have been published during the year under report
(1) Multi-coloured picture Postcards (Painting and Archaeology)-Reprint.
(2) Tribes of Ancient India (I.M. Mono. No. 7) -- Smt. Mamata Chowdhury.
(3) Medical Science in Pali Literature (I.M. Mono. 10)-Dr. J. R. Haldar.
(4) India Museum Bulletins, Vol. X No. 2, Vol. XII, No. 1.
(5) Archaeology Guide Book (English)-Reprint.
The following publications are in Press :-
(1) Indian Museum Bulletins, Vol. XI, No. 2, Vol. XII, No. 1.
(2) Remains of the Bharhut Stupa in the Indian Museum (I.M. Mono. No. 9)-Shri A. Ghosh.
(3) Asokan Studies-Dr. D. C. Sircar.
(4) Kushana Coins of the Land of the five Rivers (I.M. Mono No. 12)-Dr. B. N. Mukherjee.
Exhibitions (a) An exposition on "Recent Collections of the Indian Museum" displaying the acquisitions of the Art, Archaeology and Anthropology Sections of the
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Museum since 1972 to-date was inaugurated on the 8th September, 1978 by Mr. Raymond L. Perkins, Consul-General, United States of America.
(b) The Exhibition on "Sculpture on Pala-Sena Art" inaugurated by Prof. S. K. Saraswati on the 13th March, continued upto 27th March, 1978. The Exhibition attracted a good number of visitors.
(c) An exhibition on Mythological Lithographs was inaugurated by Mr. Prafula Chandra Gupta, Vice- Chancellor, Rabindra Bharati, on 1st December, 1978 which continued upto 5th December. 33 Litho prints of Mahavidyas, Avalares, Krishnalila and Hindu divinities were on show.
(d) An exhibition on selected objects of folk arts was inaugurated by Prof. Niharranjan Ray on 19th December, 1978 folk and tribal objects like scroll paintings, ornaments, wooden dolls, wood carvings, textiles, Kanthas, Bhokra metal objects, tribes of West Bengal, photographs, charts and others were on show.
(e) A series, of temporary exhibitions entitled "Exhibit of the Month" was displayed every month in the specially oriented show case set-up at the entrance hall of the Museum.
Lectures A number of lectures under the Mass Education Scheme was organised during the year under report. In order to mark the hundred years of opening of Galleries in the present building, the museum also arranged a special lecture programme entitled Museum-Reviewed.
Seminar Indian Museum in collaboration with Science Club and the Centre for Study of Man and Environment organised one day seminar an "Environment, Man and Society".
The Museum in collaboration with the Posts and Telegraphs Department organised a function on "Release of stamps on Museums of India". Shri T. N. Singh, Governor of West Bengal,
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released a set of four stamps, one of which depicted Kaloadruma stone capital from the Indian Museum on 27th July, 1978,
Mobile Exhibition The Museo-Bus containing dioramas on Indian History and Archaeology travelled different districts of North Bengal from 17th April 1978. The Museo-Bus also placed and kept in view at different Educational Institutions and Museums in Calcutta, viz., National Library, Victoria Memorial, Jadavpur University and Children Little Theatre.
Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad
Acquisition of art objects The programmes of the Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad are intended to acquire, document, preserve, exhibit and interpret the objects of ancient and medieval art and culture. The following are the significant activities of the Museum for the year under reference :
Documentation Apart from the basic accession registers of the museum, docu- mentation of the exhibits has been taken up on modern and scientific lines by means of card indexing of various mediums of art objects in the museum.
Further a special documentation of the inscribed art objects in the museum collection has been taken up.
Exhibition & Presentation A Gallery of Jade and precious Stones', renovated and syste- matically presented was opened on 19th September, 1978.
Educational programmes and services (i) 13th All India Museums' Camp was held from 20th to 26th June, 1978. Official delegates from various museums all over the country attended and discussed the subject of `Protection of moveable cultural property'.
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(ii) A lecture was arranged on `Devi Mahatmya in Pahari paintings' by Sri F. S. Aijazuddin, an expert in the field of Indian miniatures.
(iii) An exhibition on Conservation of art objects represented by photographs and also scientific instruments was held between 20th to 26th June, 1978.
(iv) An exhibition on `Pictorial Art of East India Company' was arranged based on the objects in the museum from 14th to 20th November, 1978.
(v) An exhibition on `Calendar Architecture' was also arranged by the museum in collaboration with Max-Mueller Bhavan at Hyderabad from 24th November to 2nd December, 1978.
(vi) The Children's week was celebrated from 14th to 20th November. As usual school children below the age of 12 years were allowed free of admission charge. As part of the services during this week film shows were held by the museum daily during this period on art, monuments and children's films. Handouts containing the information on museum galleries were distributed freely to the visitors in four languages (Telugu, Urdu, Hindi and English) on Salar Jung Museum, European Statuary, clock room, Indian miniature paintings, European oil paintings and jade and precious stones. As part of this programme educational competitions were held for the school and junior college students in essay writing and debating (in four languages) and also in drawing.
Conservation During this period about 5,985 objects of different mediums were given preservation, treatment.
Publications Salar Jung Museum Bi-Annual Research Journal Vol. IX and X was published. A catalogue of Arabic manuscripts (in the Salar Ring Museum Collection) Vol. III was also released on 19th September, 1978.
Special events In connection with the birth anniversary of Salar Jung III a multilingual poet gathering was held on 19th September, 1978
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and also the catalogue of Arabic manuscript Vol. III was released on the same day by H.E. Sri K. C. Abraham, Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Chairman, Salar Jung Museum Board.
Victoria Memorial Hall, Calcutta
The Memorial in its new role as a period Museum Pursuant to the programme of re-orientation of the Memorial as a period museum of Indian History (1700-1900), the Memorial took steps to acquire contemporary Indian source materials consisting of maps, paintings, drawings, manuscripts, documents, coins and arms and weapons. Archival materials have received considerable additions in the form of manuscripts and rare books. About 2000 photo-prints have been obtained of objects and relics bearing relevance to the period 1700-1900 of Indian history. A significant acquisition is a large oil-painting of C. Rajagopalachari donated by the Rajaji Birth Centenary Celebration Committee of Madras.
The Research Unit has initiated a project of photographic and historical studies on houses in the Indian town of Calcutta. The project envisages preparation not only of photographic records but also of relevant historical and biographical data on the Indian families to which the houses belonged. The number of houses so far covered in camera is 52.
Preparatory work for remodelling the existing Durbar Hall as a People's Hall and for construction of a new auditorium-cum- administrative block has been undertaken. Work in connection with the setting up of a Centre for Advanced Study on Calcutta, is also in progress.
Another item in the project of display provides for setting up of new boards and cases for display of new acquisitions, besides a suitably designed display stand accommodating select objects relevant for recalling momentous events in Indian History on anniversary occasions. The project also envisages the installation of a device of taped-voice recording recitals, music and songs by way of illustrating the various phases of our national movement with special reference to the activities of the great leaders whose portraits adorn the galleries.
Popular lectures on the museum subject and special exhibitions on themes like Aesthetic of Architectures; Cities and Towns in
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India (18-19 cent.) ; Rare Books in the collection of Victoria Memorial and the Common Man in India (18th and 19th centuries) so as to re-capture with visual aids various important phases of India's political, artistic and cultural activities of the 18th and 19th centuries were the highlights of the Memorial's educational programmes.
The publications brought out have been planned with the two-fold object of acquainting visitors and the larger public with classified sectional catalogues of museum objects and of supplementing the work of educational institutions through features like `The City of Job Charnock' in the History Portfolio Series brought out in succession to the Nawabs of Bengal, the biographical sketches of National leaders of India, autograph of national leaders of India and low-priced pamphlets. The Bulletin continues to be an annual item in the Memorial's publications. The programme also provides for publication of low-priced illustrated folder in addition to picture and folio cards in colour.