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| MUSEUMS OF
MAHARASHTRA |
| More than century after the French philosopher Lamartine remarked,
"I'm tried of museums, those graveyards of art", museums have established for
themselves a pattern quite distinct from mere curio cabinets. And today,
rarity which was rather overemphasized has given way to conservation and
preservation in a systematic manner. |
| Maharashtra has the rare privilege of two museums celebrating
their centenaries and a third on its way. Inspite of this, our museums
are still in the process of metamorphosis. In India, as well as in
Maharashtra the first museum was the result of scholarly enthusiasm. Just
as the Indian Museum, Calcutta, the first to have been set up, originated from
the persuasion of Dr. Nathaniel Wallich, Danish botanist, so also in
Bombay, it was Dr. Buist, a connoisseur whose efforts led to the founding of
the Victoria and Albert Museum (now renamed The Bhau Daji Laud Sangrahalaya) at
the Jijamata Udyan in 1855. But Maharashtra's largest and most
progressive museum owes its origins to the resolution of the Government of
India. In 1901, Henry Cousens succeeded in setting up a brief exhibition
at the Town Hall, Bombay in 1901. The visit by the Prince of Wales in
1905 served as a catalyst in crystallizing plans for a museum. The Prince of
Wales Museum of Western India is the only museum in the state to have been
conceived and planned in a big way and has consistently maintained this
position on the map of museums in India. |
From fourteen museums in 1936, the number has gone up
to twenty-three. The new museums are: Ahmednagar - historical museum;
Aundh Bhavani Museum and Library; Aurangabad - Museum of the Department of
Archaeology, Marathwada University, Bombay - Nehru Science Centre - Industrial
and Technological Museum and Nehru Centre Museum of History and Science,
Kolhapur Museum of Arthropoda, Museum of the Tribal Research Institute and
Museum of the Deccan College Post Graduate Institute, Sangli State Museum;
Satara - Shree Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum; and Ter - Ter Museum. |
Most of the Museums of Maharashtra are unique in one
or the other area, irrespective of their relative status. It may be quite
relevant to review some outstanding collections in our museums. |
| The two museums at Kolhapur and Ter together have
priceless antiquities reflecting on the ancient past of Maharashtra and its
contacts with the Roman world. Ter, ancient Tagara, today a neglected
villaged in the Osmanbad district was an international marketing centre as
early as the 1st century A.D. Of great value is the famous ivory figure of
Shree Laxmi. At Kolhapur, is a hoard of beautiful bronzes, among which is
a beautiful figure of the Greek Sea God, Poseidon. |
| The archaeology department of the Deccan College has
in its collection vast material throwing light on the dawn of civilization in
Maharashtra. It formed the nucleus of an exhibition of the same title
which the Prince of Wales Museum organized two years ago. |
| The collection of historical records, such as copper
plates and manuscripts at the I.V.K Rajwade Samshodhan Mandal, Dhule and the
Bharat Itihas Samshodhan Mandal, Pune is very large. The latter has its
own collection of some valuable miniature paintings of the early 17th century
and a series of paintings on Talamana. |
| The Kiratarjuniya series of paintings of the Pahari
School in the Aundh Museum is a n interesting set. So is the hoard
of the Jain bronzes from Rajnapur Khinkhini in the Nagpur Museum a rich
repository of contemporary paintings, probably the only one is the state to
have such a large permanent collection. |
| But some of the unique collections of which
Maharashtra can be reasonably proud are the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, the
Museum of Arthropoda at Pune and the Artillery Museum at Deolali in Nashik
district. The one man collection of everyday objects such as woodwork,
nutcrackers, lamps and ivory objects in the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum is not
only unique but dispels the usual belief that a museum without archaeological
material cannot rightfully claim to be a museum. An artillery museum has
recently been organized at Deolali. Drawn almost entirely from material
in its own collection, the artillery unit of the Indian army has made a good
beginning in establishing a Defence Services Museum. Another, a relative
newcomer on the scene, is the Museum of Arthropoda at Pune. Set up with
an educational bias, it makes extensive use of locally prepared but very
effective animated models. An instance of individual effort, it is the
type of museum that is required today to popularize science. It
educational and research programme has an equally progressive outlook quite in
keeping with modern museological concepts. |
| Most of these areas are represented in the collection
of the Prince of Wales Museum which is the largest in the state. Its
collection comprising sculptures, decorative, arts, selected Indian metal
images, Nepali and Tibetan material is indeed outstanding, but the accent is
more on Indian miniature paintings. The museum has a well organised
section on Natural History. |
| The museum service in Maharashtra is now meeting the
expectations of the International Council of Museums - "set up for the purpose
of preserving, studying, enhancing by various means and, in particular, of
exhibiting to the public for its delectation and instruction". |
Sadashiv Gorakshkar |
| Director, Prince of Wales Museum of Western India, Bombay. |
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