History of Kutch Museum

India is a country of art and culture. During British rule and after independence, we try to preserve and protect our great past. The museum is the best way for that. The museum is basically a western idea. Intentional museum planning has its beginnings with the museum founder and librarian John Cotton Dana.

What is a museum?

A building in which objects of historical scientific artistic for cultural interest are stored and exhibited.

In which year the first museum building?

The first museum was build-in 1683 the museum was donated to the University of Oxford where the collection was open to the public. This museum was popularly known as the Ashmolean Museum. It becomes the first museum and public exhibition building house by the Corporation.

The reason behind building a museum?

T he reason for building a museum is education and education requires more than a building in requires a culture that can grow and adapt along with the overall culture, that is the tough part of “building” any museum, the easy part is the exhibits and building.

Specialties and types of the world museum

1st Indian museum

Let’s talk about Home Museum

Kutch Museum at Bhuj.

Kutch Museum in Bhuj is the oldest museum of Gujarat.

Kutch museum was initially formed as a part of the School of Arts established by Khengarji 3. The Maharao of Cutch State. It was founded on 1 July 1877, At the time of Maharao Khengarji 3’s marriage on 19 February 1884. many new items were received and for the exhibition of which, a need for the new building was necessitated. As such, on 14 November 1884, the foundation stone for the present museum building was laid by the Governor of Bombay, Sir James Fergusson, and named Fergusson Museum after him by Maharao of kutch. The building consisting of two floors cost Rs. 32000 at that time.

The museum, constructed in the Italian Gothic style, is located in the picturesque surroundings on the bank of Hamirsar Lake just opposite the Nazar Bagh Garden. (Sanghi, dada-dadi park) It was designed by the state engineer — Mc Leland and built by local builders known as Mistris of Kutch under the supervision of State Gaither — Jairam Ruda Gajdhar. The museum remained the preserve of the Maharao of Cutch, till 1948, who showed it only to his personal guests. In those days museum was opened to the public only on important religious occasions.

Other interesting features of the museum are models of wild ass and flamingo, a round silver tray, 20th-century ornamented doors, knives, and nut-cutters.

The main attraction of the museum is a seven-trunked, snow-white elephant, Airavat, painted in Kamagiri style with flowers and creepers showcasing the 18th-century masterpiece from Mandvi.

The museum has the largest existing collection of Kshatrapa inscriptions, dating to the 1st century AD. The oldest Kshatrap six inscription-stones found in Andhau village in Khavda are moved here. They are originally on the hillock and called Lashti. They were erected in the time of Rudradaman. The only Gujarati Abhir inscription of the 3rd century is also here. It also has examples of the extinct Kutchi script (now the Kutchi language is mostly written in the Gujarati script) and an interesting collection of coins, including the Koris — Kutch’s local currency till 1948.

This museum has almost 11 sections.

The museum sections are as follows:

The archeological section has Indus seals. Different kinds of stone tablets are available also. The painting showing the different vocations of Kutch is on the display. There is also an excellent section that covers classical and musical instruments like Nagfani, Morchang, and many others, which are put on the display of the museum.

A section of the museum is devoted to tribal cultures, with many examples of ancient artifacts, folk arts and crafts, and information about tribal peoples. The museum also has exhibits of embroidery, paintings, arms, musical instruments, sculptures, and precious metalwork.

Thus the museum broadly contains a picture gallery, an anthropological section, an archeological section, textiles, weapons, musical instruments, a shipping section, and even stuffed animals.

On the ground floor of the museum, in the center room, ‘Airavat’ ( an Elephant) is displayed. ‘Airavat’ is a carved, wooden, snow-white Indian elephant with seven tusks. ‘Airavat’ was prepared in Mandvi in the 18th century, in the worship of Tirthankar.

There is also a Cannon Haidari, a cannon gifted by Tipu Sultan to Kutch administrator Fateh Muhammad. He wanted Kutch Horses in exchange.

There are also many Embroidered hanging in Kutch Museum.

Its worth visit here.

Timings: 10:00am to 01:00pm and 02:30pm to 05:30pm

Closed: Wednesdays and Bank Holidays

Fee: Rs.5 per person

Originally published at https://www.thelitthings.com.