Ancient Temples and Mosques under Archeological Survey of India

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Culture
07-March, 2018 17:40 IST
National Mission for Preservation of Manuscripts

The project National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) was launched by the Ministry of Culture in the year 2003 with the objectives to survey, document, and conserve/preserve, digitize and publish the Indian Manuscripts and establish a digital manuscripts library at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).

The budget allocation for the financial year 2018-19 has been increased to Rs. 1500.00 lakh against the budget allocation of Rs. 1200.00 lakh for the financial year 2017-18.

The final objective of the Mission is to establish a digital National Manuscripts Library at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) at which scholars and researchers can view the digital copies of the Indian Manuscripts. As the copyright of the manuscripts is reserved with the owners of the manuscripts, at present, only 6 pages (first 3 pages and last 3 pages) can be viewed by the user. To resolve the copyright issue, Ministry has constituted a committee to draft a Bill regarding accessibility of Manuscripts.

This information was given by Minister of State (IC) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

*****

Ministry of Culture
07-March, 2018 17:40 IST
Steps Taken to Improve the Quality of Cultural Training Institutes

Ministry of Culture through its attached/ subordinate/autonomous organizations are functioning for promotion and development of culture in the country. The main culture related training institutions are Institute of Archaeology (Archaeological Survey of India), School of Archival Studies (National Archives of India), National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology.

To improve quality of training and research following steps have been taken :

(i) Construction of a well equipped campus of Institute of Archaeology under Archaeological Survey of India at Noida with State of Art Building including Library, Museums, Laboratories, Auditorium, Hostels, Guest-house, Residential Complex and play ground etc. has started, (ii) Construction of National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology at new campus of Noida has also started, (iii) Board of Studies under School of Archival Studies of National Archives of India are regularly evaluating and examining the course curriculum of the training programme.

This information was given by Minister of State (IC) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

*****

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Culture
12-March, 2018 18:27 IST
Government has approved upgradation of 100 Adarsh monuments of the Archaeological Survey of India: Culture Minister

The Government has plans for upgradation of 100 Adarsh monuments of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Tourist amenities proposed to be upgraded include the parking, ticket counter, publication counter, cafeteria, toilet block, drinking water facilities, dustbins, benches, ramps (for the differently abled), pathways, singages, etc.

LIST OF ADARSH MONUMENTS (PHASE I & II )

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

1.
Andhra Pradesh

---

Virabhadra Temple, Lepakshi Dist. Anantpur (NT)

Nagarjunakonda(T)

Bhuddist Remains, Salihundum (NT)

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

2.

Arunachal Pradesh

---

---

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

3.
Assam

1
Rang Ghar, Sibsagar (T)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)


4.
Bihar

2
Vaishali – Kolhua (T)

Sher Shah’s Tomb, Sasaram(T)

Excavated Remains at Nalanda (T)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)


5.
Chhattisgarh

---

Lakshman Temple, Sirpur, Dist. Mahasamund (T)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

6.
Goa

---

Church of St. Augustine, Old Goa (NT)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

7
Gujarat
3

Rani-Ki-Vav, Patan (T)

Champaner Monument, Champaner (T)

Archaeological Remains of a Harappan Port Town, Lothal (NT)

Diu Fort (NT)

Dholavira (NT)

Sun Temple, Modhera( T)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)8

8.
Haryana

---

Shikh Chilli’s Tomb (T)
Jal Mahal, Narnual (NT)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)


9
Himachal Pradesh

4

Masrur Rock Cut Temple (T)

---


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

10

Jammu & Kashmir

5
Martand Temple , Kashmir (NT)
Pari Mahal, Srinagar (NT)

6
Leh Palace, Leh (T)
Ram Nagar Palace (T)

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

11
Jharkhand

---

Ancient Tank and excavated remains, Benisagar, Dist. Singhbhumi (NT)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)
12
Karnataka

7
Group of monuments at Hampi (T)
Dariya Daulat Bagh, Shrirangpattnam (NT)


8
Group of Temples, Pattdakal (T)
Group of Temples, Aihole (T)


Fort Bidar, Dist. Bidar (NT)


Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalal, Belur (NT)

Shravanbelagola (NT)

Gol- Gumbaz, Bijapur (T)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

13
Kerala

---

Bekal Fort (T)

Kudakaliu Parabmu, Thrissur (NT)

St. Anjelo Fort, Kannur, Kerala (NT)

St. Francis Church, Cochin (NT)

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

14
Madhya Pradesh

9.
Western Group of Temples, Khajuraho (T)

Budhhist Monuments at Sanchi (T)


10.

Royal Palace, Mandu (T)

Pre-historic rock shelters of Bhimbetka (NT)


Group of Temples at Amarkantak (NT)

Gwalior Fort, Gwalior (T)


Shiva Temple, Bhojpur. (NT)

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

15

Maharashtra

11.
Elephenta Caves (T)
Aga Khan Palace, Pune (NT)


12.

Daultabad Fort (T)
Ajanta Caves (T)

Ellora Caves (T)


Tomb of Rabia-Duarani (Bibi-ka-Maqbara) (T)

Buddhist Cavs, Kanheri (T)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

16
Manipur

---

---

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

17
Meghalaya

---
---

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

18
Mizoram

---
Vangchina Group of Monuments, Mizoram (NT)

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)


19
Nagaland

---

Remains of a fort (Dimapur Ruins), Dimapur (NT)

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

20
Odisha (Orissa)

13
Sun Temple, Konark (T)

Udaygiri-Khandgiri, Caves (T)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

21
Punjab

---

Noar Mahal ki Sarai (NT)

Tombs of Mohammad Momin and of Haji Jamal (NT)

Sanghol, Ropar (NT)

Dakkani Sarai (NT)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

22.
Rajasthan

14.
Kumbhal Garh Fort (T)

Deeg Palace, Jaipur (T)


Chittorgarh Fort (T)

Ranthambhore Fort (NT)

Arthuna Group of Temples (NT)

Sas Bahu Temple, Nagda (NT)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

23.
Sikkim


---

---

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

24.

Tamil Nadu

15.

Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram (T)

Vellore Fort (NT)

16.

Bahadeshwara Temple, Thanjavur (NT)

Caves, Sittannavasal (T)

Fort Gingee . (T)

Muvarkoil with surrounding sub-shrines, stone enclosure and stone well in the north-east corner (T)


Kailash Nath Temple, Kanchipuram (NT)


Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

25.
Telangana (from June 2, 2014)`

---

Golkonda Fort (T)

Ramappa Temple (NT)

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

26.
Tripura


---
Sculptures and rock-cut relief of Unakuti Tirtha, Unakuti Range (NT)

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

27.

Uttar Pradesh

17.

Taj Mahel, Agra (T)

Rani Jhansi Fort, Jhansi (T)18.

18
Fatehpur Sikri (T)

Residency, Lucknow (T)


19.
Sravasti (T)

Kalinjar Fort (T)


20.

Sarnath (T)

Agra Fort (T)


Akbar’s Tomb (T)


Itimad-Ud-Oaula’s Tomb (T)


Site, Stupa & Monastery of the Sakyas, Priprahwa (NT)

Lal Khan Tomb, Rajghat, Varanasi (NT)

Kushinagar (NT)

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

28.
Uttarakhand

21.
Jogeshwara Temple (NT)

Lakhamandal (NT)

Sun Temple, Katarmal (NT)


Baijnath Temple (NT)

Gopeshwar (NT)

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

29.
West Bengal

22.
Hazardwari Place (T)

Adina Masjid (NT)


Temples at Bishnupur (T)

Koch Bihar Palace (T)

Sl. No.
Name of State

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase-I (Approved)

Sl. No.
Adarsh Monuments Phase –II (Approved)

30.

Delhi

23.

Humayun’s Tomb (T)

Safdarjung Tomb (T)

24.

Red Fort (T)

Purana Qila (T)

25.

Qutb Complex (T)


25 Adarsh Monuments

75 Adarsh Monuments

Grand Total = 100



This information was given by Minister of State (IC) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

*****

Ministry of Culture
12-March, 2018 18:23 IST
3686 centrally protected monuments/sites under the Archaeological Survey of India: Dr. Mahesh Sharma

There are 3686 centrally protected monuments/sites under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The conservation and maintenance of these monuments, including forts and temples, is done regularly as per the availability of resources. They are in a good state of preservation.

Under the National Culture Fund (NCF) several PSUs, financial institution, etc. have come forward to provide funds for various amenities related works. Similarly, under Adopt a Heritage Scheme recently launched by Ministry of Tourism, Public and Private Sector companies have been invited to adopt a monument for providing visitor amenities and their maintenance.



Details of protected monuments of ASI in the country

Sl. No.
Name of State
Nos. of Monuments

Andhra Pradesh

129

Arunachal Pradesh

03

Assam

55

Bihar

70

Chhattisgarh

47

Daman & Diu (U. T.)

12

Goa

21

Gujarat

203

Haryana

91

Himachal Pradesh

40

Jammu & Kashmir

69

Jharkhand

13

Karnataka

506

Kerala

28

Madhya Pradesh

292

Maharashtra

285

Manipur

01

Meghalaya

08

Mizoram

01

Nagaland

04

N.C.T. Delhi

174

Odisha

79

Puducherry (U.T.)

07

Punjab

33

Rajasthan

162

Sikkim

03

Telangana

08

Tamil Nadu

413

Tripura

08

Uttar Pradesh

743

Uttarakhand

42

West Bengal

136



TOTAL

3686



This information was given by Minister of State (IC) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

*****

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Culture
19-March, 2018 17:52 IST
Around Rs. 97 Crore sanctioned for modernization and development of 102 museums across the country during 2014-15 to 2016-17 under Museum Grant Scheme: Dr. Mahesh Sharma

There are six national level museums, namely National Museum (New Delhi), National Gallery of Modern Art (branches at Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai), Indian Museum (Kolkata), Victoria Memorial Hall (Kolkata), Salarjung Museum (Hyderabad) and Allahabad Museum (Allahabad), which are under the administrative control of the Ministry of Culture. These museums are providing visitor friendly facilities such as sitting arrangement, drinking water, cafeteria, toilets, lifts, ramp, wheel chairs for disabled persons etc. Ministry of Culture has no Children museum under its administrative control.

Upgradation and modernization of the museums under the administrative control of Ministry of Culture is taken up on a continuous basis to maintain them in good condition. The government has taken a number of steps such as storage management, proper display, facilities for visitors, publicity, capacity building, security etc. to keep the museums at par with the museums across the world.

Ministry of Culture operates “Museum Grant Scheme”, under which financial assistance is provided to State Governments, voluntary institutions, Societies and trusts registered as a society under the Indian Societies Act of 1860 (XXI) or a similar legislation of the state governments for modernization and development of existing museums. The details of funds sanctioned during last three years is given below:

Year
Funds sanctioned (Rs. in crores)
No. of museums in which works undertaken

2014-15
21.50
23

2015-16
27.10
41

2016-17
48.90
38

The public awareness campaign is being carried out by museums under the administrative control of Ministry of Culture to attract younger generation to visit museums through their website and Social Media like Facebook, Youtube, Twitter etc. The museums organize programmes for youth and children such as Summer Camps, Workshops, Seminars, Art appreciation courses, Special weeks etc. which are publicized.

This information was given by Minister of State (IC) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

*****


Ministry of Culture
19-March, 2018 17:49 IST
ASI has identified 100 monuments as “Adarsh Smarak” for upgradation of existing tourist facilities/amenities: Culture Minister


Providing basic facilities/amenities (e.g. drinking water, toilet blocks, facilities for physically challenged, pathways, cultural notice boards/signage, vehicle parking, cloak rooms, etc.) to tourists visiting centrally protected temples and monuments and sites are the regular activities which the Archaeological Survey of India undertakes. Improvement and upgradation of these public facilities/amenities is a continuous process. Basic public facilities are available at all World Heritage Sites and ASI’s ticketed monuments, as also at majority of those protected monuments that are visited by a large numbers of tourists. Further, Archaeological Survey of India has identified 100 monuments as “Adarsh Smarak” for upgradation of existing facilities/amenities like Wi-Fi, cafeteria, interpretation centre, brail signage, modern toilets etc. on the basis of actual requirement and feasibility on case to case basis.



Archaeological Survey of India has deployed regular watch & ward staff (Monument Attendants) at centrally protected monuments/sites. Further, private security guards, Armed Guards and CISF personnel have also been engaged at select monuments for safety and protection.


The allocation and expenditure incurred on maintenance, conservation, preservation and environmental development of centrally protected monuments including providing tourist amenities during the last three years and current year is given below:




(Amount Rs. in Lakhs)

Year
Category
Total Amount

2014-15
Allocation
Exp.

23573.62
23651.95




2015-16
Allocation
Exp.

24392.80
23744.16


2016-17
Allocation
Exp.

30375.07
30193.22


2017-18 Upto 30th Nov. 17

Allocation
Exp.

37802.42
25522.81

This information was given by Minister of State (IC) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

*****

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Tourism
19-March, 2018 16:47 IST
Taj Mahal is one of the monuments under ‘Adopt a Heritage Project’

Taj Mahal is one of the monuments under ‘Adopt a Heritage Project’, launched on the World Tourism Day, 2017.

Letter of Intent has been issued to 24 agencies for the Submission of Vision Bids for 75 sites, other than Taj. Two expression of interest has been received for Taj. However, no decision has been taken yet.

The private players will undertake gap analysis of the actual requirement of the basic and advanced amenities, within the permissible guidelines of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and prepare a Vision Bid Proposal accordingly for the site opted by them. Once vision bid is accepted, MoU will be signed with the related party for upkeep of the Monument for overall enhanced tourist experience.

Inter- Ministerial Committee would periodically monitor the project through designated officers and Project Management Consultant (PMC). PMC will periodically monitor & review the scheme though ICT (Information and Communication Technology) enabled digital solution for real time monitoring & offline monitoring though analysis of feedback from the tourists.



*****

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Culture
22-March, 2018 17:05 IST

There are 3686 monuments/sites under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). During the last three years, the Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) at Nalanda (Bihar); The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement, Chandigarh and Historic City of Ahmedabad under cultural category and Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim under mixed category are added to the World Heritage List and the Vishnu Temple, Wynad (Kerala) is added to the protection list of ASI.



The year-wise detail of allocation of funds for maintenance of ASI protected monuments and World Cultural Heritage Sites is given as under:



Year 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18



Alloc. 24309.88 26695.00 33466.63 43317.39

(amount in Rs. in Lakhs)



The protected monument/sites under ASI are in good state of preservation.



This information was given by Minister of State (IC) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.



*****

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Culture
27-March, 2018 20:37 IST
About 1076 temples in the country are under the protection of Archeological Survey of India (ASI)

STATE-WISE NUMBER OF CENTRALLY PROTECTED TEMPLES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA



Sl.No.
Name of State

Number of Temples/Monuments

1.
Andhra Pradesh
53

2.

Assam
18

3.

Bihar
5

4.

Chhattisgarh
29

5.

Goa
2

6.

Gujarat
42

7.

Haryana
1

8.

Himachal Pradesh
28

9.

Jammu & Kashmir
29

10.

Jharkhand
1

11.

Karnataka
242

12.

Kerala
11

13.

Madhya Pradesh
96

14.

Maharashtra
89

15.

Manipur
1

16.

Odisha
52

17.

Puducherry (U.T.)
-

18.

Rajasthan
42

19.

Tamil Nadu
120

20.

Telangana
3

21.

Tripura
3

22.

Uttar Pradesh
132

23.

Uttarakhand
29

24.

West Bengal
48



TOTAL
1076



This information was given by Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

***********

Ministry of Culture
27-March, 2018 20:32 IST
41 proposals from 22 States/UTs for have been sanctioned with budget of Rs 42.42 cr to set up model libraries under NML

Ministry of Culture has launched the scheme “National Mission on Libraries – Upgradation of Libraries providing Services to the Public” in 2014 for sustained development of Libraries in India. Also Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation under its matching and non-matching schemes provides financial assistance for development of public libraries for various purposes eg. Books, furniture & equipments, modernization, construction of library buildings, mobile library services, establishment of children corner, facilities for specially-abled readers, seminars/workshops etc. As library is a State subject, Government of India cannot enforce any National Level Policy on the States.

1. The components of National Mission on Libraries are: -

1. Creation of National Virtual Library of India (NVLI) to facilitate a comprehensive database on digital resources of India on information about India in an open access environment. NVLI will facilitate federated searching through multilingual user interfaces. The project had been entrusted to Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (in collaboration with C-DAC, Pune and IGNOU, Delhi) to be completed in a period of three years (2016-19). A Three Petabyte Datacloud has been established at IIT, Bombay for hosting of NVLI. Soft launch of NVLI has been done on 15th February, 2018.

1. Setting up of NML Model Libraries. The NML will cover 35 State Central Libraries, 35 District Libraries and 6 Libraries under the Ministry of Culture. So far 41 proposals received from 22 States/UTs for State Central Library/District Library have been sanctioned with budget of Rs 42.42 cr.

1. Quantitative and Qualitative Survey of Libraries to prepare baseline data of libraries in India through a survey of 5000 libraries. The work had been assigned to Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB) which has conducted survey of 5140 Libraries across the States/UTs, 4082 users of public libraries, 1003 users of private libraries and 2035 non-users and submitted its report.

1. Capacity Building to enhance the professional competence of library personnel. 18 training programmes have been conducted and 685 library professionals have been trained. IFLIBNET conducted 10 training programmes and Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF) has conducted 8 training programmes so far.

1. National Knowledge Commission in its report on libraries had recommended “In order to facilitate the coordinated development of libraries across different sectors and to provide the legislative framework, required legal support and financial backing to the Library Sector, the Government could, in course of time, consider including libraries in the Concurrent List of the Constitution of India. This should be done without in any way abrogating the existing responsibilities of the States towards libraries”. No decision has been taken by the Government in this regard.

1. National Virtual Library of India Portal under the aegis of National Mission on Libraries has been soft launched on 15th February, 2018. This will allow access to various organizations under Ministry of Culture to use it and provide feedback for further improvements in the functionality of NVLI Portal.

NVLI Portal includes data from ten (10) National Museums, ASI Site Museums, ASI Library, National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA), National Cultural Audiovisual Archive (NCAA), NPTEL, Union Catalogue (bibliographic collections from National Libraries), Catalogues of National Archive of India, Open repositories, web crawling of government websites and newspapers, and sample data received from many organizations. Presently the total record count in NVLI is 69,95,669 records.

1. Library is a State subject thus any Public Library Act has to be enacted by the respective State Governments.

This information was given by Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

NB/PS ******

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Culture
28-March, 2018 16:41 IST
Efforts to remove Encroachments from the Centrally protected monuments during the last three years

As per Section 20D of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, (AMASR) Act, 1958, no new constructions are permitted in the prohibited area of centrally protected monuments and sites. The Government has initiated action against encroachments as per the provisions laid down in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and Rules,1959 by filing FIRs, contacting the concerned State authorities and also approaching various courts of law.

A mechanism for obtaining permission for construction in regulated areas and repairs in prohibited areas exist as per Section 20D of AMASR Act, 1958. The violators are duly reported upon and necessary legal action is initiated as per Section 19 of AMASR Act, 1958 and Rule 38 of AMASR Rules

The concerned State Governments have been duly sensitized to include necessary permission from Competent Authority, Government of India as per Section 20D of the AMASR Act, 1958 before issuing any permit for construction and repairs.

NUMBER OF CENTRALLY PROTECTED MONUMENTS/SITES (STATE/UT-WISE) WHICH ARE ENCROACHED UPON



Sl. No.
Name of State / UT
Number of Centrally protected monuments/sites under encroachments

Assam
6

Bihar
6

Chhattisgarh
7

Delhi
11

Himachal Pradesh
3

Haryana
7

Karnataka
48

Madhya Pradesh
2

Maharashtra
46

Odisha
6

Punjab
7

Tamil Nadu
74

Rajasthan
22

Uttar Pradesh
75

West Bengal
1



Total:
321



ANNEXURE-II





Details of encroachments partially removed from the centrally protected monuments during the last three years

Sl. No.
Name of monument
Locality
District
State

1.
Mahadev Temple
Belpan
Bilaspur
Chhattisgarh

2.
Chaiturgarh Fort
Lapha
Korba

3.
Danteshwari Devi Temple
Dantewada
South Baster

4.
Asafi Imambara
Lucknow
Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh

5.
Warren Hasting’s House
Barasat
North 24 Parganas
West Bengal

6.
Ther Mound
Sirsa
Sirsa
Haryana

7.
Mosque of Ali Vardi Khan,
Sarai Ala Vardi,
Gurgaon


This information was given by Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.



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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Culture
02-April, 2018 17:52 IST
Six monuments / historical sites in North Eastern States identified for listing under World Heritage Site

As many as 6 monuments/historical sites in the North Eastern states have been identified tentatively for listing under World Heritage Site.



Details of monuments/sites identified/placed under tentative list for listing under world heritage in the north eastern states are given below:

1. Apatani Cultural Landscape, Arunachal Pradesh
2. Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of India
3. Moidams – the Mound – Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty, Assam
4. Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh
5. River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in Assam
6. Thembang Fortified Village, Arunachal Pradesh

A total of 83 monuments/sites of the North-Eastern States are centrally protected under the Archaeological Survey of India.



Expenditure incurred on centrally protected monuments / sites in north eastern region of the country (state- wise) during the last three years



Sl.No.

Name of State

Expenditure (Rupees in lakhs)


2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

1.

Arunachal Pradesh

1.50

7.95

16.97

2.

Assam

198.85

379.13

234.92

3.

Manipur

11.46

6.73

0.66

3.

Meghalaya

13.85

7.14

Nil

4.

Mizoram

Nil

0.55

17.54

5.

Nagaland

14.50

1.86

19.28

6.

Tripura

28.42

48.72

63.46

7.

Sikkim

36.71

18.66

11.86



Total Amount

305.29

470.74

364.69







This information was given by Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.



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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Tourism
02-April, 2018 18:23 IST
‘Monument Mitras’ to adopt heritage sites/monuments to provide world class tourist amenities: Tourism Minister

Ministry of Tourism in close collaboration with Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) launched “Adopt a Heritage Project” to provide world class tourist facilities at the various natural/cultural heritage sites, monuments and other tourist sites to make them tourist friendly, enhance their tourist potential and cultural importance in a planned and phased manner across the country.

The project primarily focuses on providing basic amenities that include cleanliness, public convenience, drinking water, ease of access for tourists, signage etc. and advanced amenities like TFC, Souvenir shop, Cafeteria etc.

The project envisages that selected public sector companies, private sector companies and individuals will develop tourist amenities at heritage sites. They would become ‘Monument Mitra’ and adopt the sites essentially under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity. They would also look after the operations and maintenance of the adopted site initially for the 5 years subject to review at any time.

The project began with 93 ASI ticketed monuments and has now been expanded to other natural and cultural heritage sites and other tourist sites across India. The project was launched by the Hon’ble President of India on 27th Sept, 2017 on the occasion of World Tourism Day.

The heritage sites/monuments enlisted are categorized as green, blue and orange on the basis of tourist footfall and visibility. As a part of project guidelines, it is mandatory for Monument Mitra, who is opting for a monument from green category to choose at least one site from either orange or blue category.


The most competitive and innovative vision would be considered as the successful bidding entity. The interested parties selecting more numbers of monuments from orange and blue category shall be given higher weight age. The Interested parties may also opt for any other heritage site/monument or tourist site not mentioned in the above list, under the project and the unlisted tourist site will automatically considered under blue category.

The project focuses on active industry participation to ensure a sustainable model formulation. Resources for the capital and recurring cost is proposed through industry participation, through CSR or any other funding option subject to review and approval of Oversight & Vision Committee.

Monument Mitras would associate pride with these activities and will be provided limited visibility in the monument/site premises.

This information was given by Shri K. J. Alphons, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Culture
04-April, 2018 18:49 IST
More than 1 lakh art objects digitized under Project ‘JATAN’ till date: Dr. Mahesh Sharma

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha , today, Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma has informed the house that Ministry of Culture has taken up a project named as JATAN in collaboration with C-DAC, Pune for creating an online digital repository of museum collections on the national portal www.museumsofindia.gov.in for the museums under the administrative control of this Ministry. Till now, 1,08,881 art objects have been digitized and uploaded on the portal.

Answering to another sub question the Minister informed that Digitization of collections of old, rare and brittle documents/manuscripts/books in the Libraries under Ministry of Culture is a continuous process. Till now, National Library, Kolkata and Central Secretariat Library, New Delhi have digitized a total of 87 lakh pages of rare books etc. Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna and Rampur Raza Library, Rampur have digitized 22.50 lakh folios of manuscripts.



There are six museums under the administrative control of Ministry of Culture namely:

1. National Museum, New Delhi,
2. National Gallery of Modern Art (branches at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru),
3. Indian Museum, Kolkata,
4. Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata,
5. Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad and
6. Allahabad Museum, Allahabad.

Apart from above, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sanghralaya and Asiatic Society, Kolkata are also under the administrative control of Ministry of Culture.



Funds allocated to Libraries and Museums under Ministry of Culture in last three years:

(Rs. in lakhs)

Year

Budget Allocated

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17



Total Funds allocated

28955.00

32710.00

27562.00



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Ministry of Culture
04-April, 2018 18:21 IST
Basic tourist amenities at the 100 identified Adarsh Smarak : Dr. MAHESH SHARMA

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) aims to provide basic tourist amenities such as rest rooms, drinking water, benches, souvenir shops, interpretation centres, and others at the 100 identified Adarsh Smarak, which also includes cafeterias.

Provision of facilities like drinking water, signages, toilets, pathways, interpretation centres, is made in addition to landscaping for better presentation.

LIST OF CENTRALLY PROTECTED MONUMENTS IDENTIFIED AS ADARSH MONUMENTS



Sl. No.
Name of Monument
State

Andhra Pradesh

1
Virabhadra Temple, Lepakshi Dist. Anantpur


2
Nagarjunakonda

3
Bhuddist Remains, Salihundum

Assam

4
Rang Ghar, Sibsagar

Bihar

5
Vaishali – Kolhua

6
Sher Shah’s Tomb, Sasaram

7
Excavated Remains at Nalanda

Chhattisgarh

8
Lakshman Temple, Sirpur, Dist. Mahasamund


Delhi

9
Humayun’s Tomb

10
Red Fort

11
Qutb Complex

12
Safdarjung Tomb

13
Purana Qila

Goa

14
Church of St. Augustine, Old Goa


Gujarat

15
Rani-Ki-Vav, Patan

16
Champaner Monument, Champaner

17
Archaeological Remains of a Harappan Port Town, Lothal

18
Diu Fort

19
Dholavira

20
Sun Temple, Modhera

Haryana

21
Shikh Chilli’s Tomb


22
Jal Mahal, Narnual

Himachal Pradesh

23
Masrur Rock Cut Temple


Jammu & Kashmir

24
Martand Temple , Kashmir


25
Leh Palace, Leh

26
Pari Mahal, Srinagar

27
Ram Nagar Palace

Jharkhand

28
Ancient Tank and excavated remains, Benisagar, Dist. Singhbhumi


Karnataka

29
Group of monuments at Hampi


30
Group of Temples, Pattdakal

31
Dariya Daulat Bagh, Shrirangpattnam

32
Group of Temples, Aihole

33
Fort Bidar, Dist. Bidar

34
Shravanbelgola

35
Gol- Gumbaz, Bijapur

36
Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas, Belur & Helebidu

Kerala

37
Bekal Fort


38
Kudakaliu Parabmu, Thrissur

39
St. Anjelo Fort, Kannur, Kerala

40
St. Francis Church, Cochin

Madhya Pradesh

41
Western Group of Temples, Khajuraho


42
Rayal Palace, Mandu

43
Budhhist Monuments at Sanchi

44
Pre-historic rock shelters of Bhimbetka

45
Group of Temples at Amarkantak

46
Gwalior Fort, Gwalior

47
Shiva Temple, Bhojpur

Maharashtra

48
Elephenta Caves

49
Daultabad Fort

50
Aga Khan Palace, Pune

51
Ajanta Caves

52
Tomb of Rabia-Duarani (Bibi-ka-Maqbara)

53
Ellora Caves

54
Buddhist Cavs, Kanheri

Mizoram

55
Vangchina Group of Monuments, Mizoram


Nagaland
56
Remains of a fort (Dimapur Ruins), Dimapur


Odisha
57
Sun Temple, Konark

58
Udaygiri-Khandgiri, Caves

Punjab

59
Noar Mahal ki Sarai

60
Tombs of Mohammad Momin and of Haji Jamal

61
Sanghol, Ropar

62
Dakkani Sarai

Rajasthan

63
Kumbhal Garh Fort


64
Deeg Palace, Jaipur

65
Chittorgarh Fort

66
Ranthambhore Fort

67
Arthuna Group of Temples

68
Sas Bahu Temple, Nagda

Tamil Nadu

69
Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram

70
Brihdeshwara Temple, Thanjavur

71
Vellore Fort

72
Caves, Sittannavasal

73
Fort Gingee

74
Muvarkoil with surrounding sub-shrines, stone enclosure and stone well in the north-east corner

75
Kailash Nath Temple, Kanchipuram

Telangana

76
Golkunda Fort


77
Ramappa Temple

Tripura

78
Sculptures and rock-cut relief of Unakuti Tirtha, Unakuti Range

Uttar Pradesh

79
Taj Mahel, Agra


80
Fatehpur Sikri

81
Sravasti

82
Sarnath

83
Rani Jhansi Fort, Jhansi

84
Residency, Lucknow

85
Kalinjar Fort

86
Agra Fort

87
Akbar’s Tomb

88
Itimad-Ud-Oaula’s Tomb

89
Site, Stupa & Monastery of the Sakyas, Priprahwa

90
Lal Khan Tomb, Rajghat, Varanasi

91
Kushinagar

Uttarakhand

92
Jogeshwara Temple


93
Lakhamandal

94
Sun Temple, Katarmal

95
Baijnath Temple

96
Gopeshwar

West Bengal

97
Hazardwari Place

98
Adina Masjid

99
Temples at Bishnupur

100
Koch Bihar Palace

This information was given by Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a written reply to Rajya Sabha today.





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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Tourism
24-April, 2018 16:41 IST
Letters of Intent awarded today by Tourism Minister to 9 agencies for 22 monuments under Adopt a Heritage project

31 prospective monument mitras have been shortlisted by the Oversight & Vision committee for developing tourist friendly amenities at 95 monuments;

The 3rd Award Ceremony of Adopt a Heritage Project was conducted by Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), State/UTs Governments in New Delhi today for awarding the Letters of Intent to the shortlisted agencies under Phase IV of the project. Awarding the Letters of Intent to 9 agencies for 22 monuments of Phase-IV, Union Minister for Tourism (IC) Sh. K. J. Alphons asked the stakeholders to ‘protect, preserve and market’ the heritage of India. The Minister also emphasised on creation of awareness amongst the corporates and citizens to adopt heritage sites under the project for creation, operation and maintenance of basic and advanced amenities at tourist destinations. The event had a discussion session with the stakeholders in which the concerns and suggestions were made to the Minister and Ministry officials.

The scheme “Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan” was originally launched on 27th September 2017 to preserve the rich cultural and natural heritage and to promote tourism across the length and breadth of our country. The Project began with selected ASI ticketed monuments and the scope has now been expanded to include other natural and cultural sites across the country. It was strongly emphasised that tourist experience is the prime parameter to evaluate our performance in the sector.

As on date, the project has received very encouraging response with over 195 registrations as per the project website. Various agencies that have come forward for adoption include not only public and private industry, but also schools and individuals. So far, 31 prospective monument mitras have been shortlisted by the Oversight & Vision committee for developing tourist friendly amenities at 95 monuments, heritage and other tourist sites including major heritage sites like Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Hampi, Sun Temple, Ajanta Caves, Char Minar, Kaziranga National Park. Earlier, two MoU’s were been signed between Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir, Govt. of Uttarakhand and Adventure Tour Operators Association of India(ATOAI) for Mt. Stok Kangri, Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir and for Gangotri Temple Area & Trail to Gaumukh in Uttarakhand. Further, two MoUs were also signed for Red Fort, Delhi and Gandikota fort, Andhra Pradesh between Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Archaeological Survey of India and Dalmia Bharat Limited.

Smt. Rashmi Verma, Secretary (Tourism), Shri. Satyajeet Rajan, DG (Tourism), Smt. Meenakshi Sharma (ADG Tourism) and other officials were present for the event. The event also witnessed wide participation by public and private stakeholders from different parts of the country.



List of heritage sites opted in Phase-IV of Adopt a Heritage

S. No.

Agency Name

Site S. No.

Name of Monument/ Tourist Site

1

Orange County Resorts & Hotel

Lotus Mahal, Hampi, Karnataka

Elephant Stables, Hampi, Karnataka

2

Heritage Resorts- Hampi

Ancient Pathway revival from Virupaksha Temple to Vitthala Temple, Hampi, Karnataka.

Krishna Temple (behind Baravalinga), Hampi, Karnataka.

3

Kakatiya Heritage Trust

Ramappa Temple, Palampet, Telangana.

4

ITC Limited

Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh.

5

GMR Sports Pvt. Ltd.

6

Aga Khan Trust for Culture (An Agency of the Aga Khan Development Network )

Agha Khan Palace, Pune, Maharashtra.

7

The Padmini Haveli

Chittorgarh Fort, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.

Deveriya Mahadev And Ruins Of Ancient Tambawati Nagri, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.

8

Resbird Technologies Pvt. Ltd

Mehrauli Archeological Park, Delhi.

Gol Gumbad, Lodhi Road Flyover

Bara Lao Ka Gumbad and Baradari , Vasant Vihar

9

Climbing World

Trails around Gaumukh Vashistha Ashram, Mount Abu, Rajasthan

Tigar Path, Mount Abu, Rajasthan.

Bailey’s Walk including Toad Rock, Mount Abu Rajasthan.

Trails around Arbuda Devi & Shanti Shikhar, Mount Abu Rajasthan.

Trails around Dilwara Temple, Mount Abu Rajasthan.

Trails from Gurushikhar to Shergaon, Mount Abu Rajasthan.

Basic Field: A unique reserved location for Rock Climbing near Nakki Lake, Mount Abu, Rajasthan.

Kumbhalgarh Fort Wall, Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan

Ram Tekri Path, Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan.

Tirthankar Trail, Across Jain Temple, Ranakpur, Rajasthan.



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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Tourism
28-April, 2018 19:54 IST
‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme is for development, maintenance and operation of Tourism amenities in monuments: Tourism Ministry

Project envisages limited ‘access’ to non-core areas and ‘no handing over of monuments’ are involved

In response to certain reports appearing in the media regarding Adopt a Heritage Scheme, the Ministry of Tourism has clarified that the “Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan”, is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and State/UTs Governments. The Project aims to develop synergy among all partners to effectively promote “responsible tourism”.

It aims to involve public sector companies, private sector companies and corporate citizens/individuals to take up the responsibility for making our heritage and tourism more sustainable through development, operation and maintenance of world-class tourist infrastructure and amenities at ASI/ State heritage sites and other important tourist sites in India.

They would become ‘Monument Mitras’ through the innovative concept of “Vision Bidding”, where the agency with best vision for the heritage site will be given an opportunity to associate pride with their CSR activities. They would also get limited visibility in the premises and the Incredible India website. The aim is enhancement of tourist experience and promotion of the incredible heritage sites to bring them on tourism map.

The project primarily focusses on providing basic amenities that includes cleanliness, public conveniences, drinking water, ease of access for differently abled and senior citizens, standardized signage, illumination and advanced amenities such as surveillance system, night viewing facilities, tourism facilitation center and an enhanced tourism experience that will result in more tourist footfalls, both domestic and foreign.

The priority areas of Programme are listed as under:

• Developing basic tourism infrastructure;
• Promoting cultural and heritage value of the country to generate livelihoods in the identified regions;
• Enhancing the tourist attractiveness in a sustainable manner by developing world-class infrastructure at the heritage monument sites;
• Creating employment through active involvement of local communities;
• Harnessing tourism potential for its effects in employment generation and economic development;
• Developing sustainable tourism infrastructure and ensuring proper Operations and Maintenance therein.

The response to the project has been very encouraging as the agencies who have come forward for adoption includes not only public and private industry/individuals but also schools and law firms. Under the project a total of 31 agencies, (referred as Monument Mitras) have been approved, so far, to adopt a total of 95 Monuments/ tourist sites located across India.

So far, four MoU’s have been signed between Ministry of Tourism, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) and Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir for Mt. Stok Kangri, Ladakh, J & K and Ministry of Tourism, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), Uttarakhand Government for Trail to Gaumukh in Uttarakhand, and also between Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Archaeological Survey of India and Dalmia Bharat Limited for Red Fort, Delhi and Gandikota fort in Andhra Pradesh.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed for 'Red Fort 'is ‘only’ for the development, operations and maintenance of tourism amenities in and around Red Fort. It envisages limited ‘access’ of non-core areas and ‘no handing over of monument’ is involved.

It is clarified that ‘The Adopt a Heritage’ is essentially a non-revenue generating project. It is part of responsible tourism where the ‘Monument Mitra’ essentially spends his CSR funds for upkeep and maintenance etc., and gets limited visibility. The agency was selected on the basis of unique concept of vision bid and no financial bid is involved.



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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Culture
04-May, 2018 16:49 IST
Dr. Mahesh Sharma to inaugurate an extensive exhibition on Indian Civilisation at National Museum, New Delhi tomorrow

Over 200 objects from British Museum, London and 20 museums and private collections from India will be on display at the Exhibition

The Minister of State for Culture(I/c) and Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma will inaugurate in New Delhi tomorrow the Exhibition ‘India and the World: A History in Nine Stories’ -an extensively collaborative effort of the British Museum, London; National Museum, New Delhi; and ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharajVastuSangrahalaya (CSMVS), Mumbai with the active support of the Culture Ministry. The Exhibition will be inaugurated at 5.00 PM, at the National Museum auditorium, New Delhi.

The exhibition chronologically encapsulates the evolution of Indian civilization since antiquity and its interconnectedness with the outside world through a raft of exquisite artefacts from India and abroad. ‘India and the World: A History in Nine Stories’ offers insights into two million years of history. It was planned as part of commemoration of 70 years of India’s independence and a year of major cultural exchange between India and the UK (UK/India 2017).

Over 200 objects from British Museum, London and 20 museums and private collections from India are on display.Major lenders to the Exhibition are The British Museum, ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharajVastuSangrahalay, Mumbai, ASI, Aurangabad Circle, ASI, Kolkata Circle, Central Antiquity Collection, PuranaQilla, New Delhi, MumtazMahal Museum, Red Fort, New Delhi, QutbMinar, New Delhi, Crafts Museum, New Delhi, Indian Museum, Kolkata, Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata, Bihar Museum, Patna, Department of Museums and Archaeology, Government of Telangana, Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Haryana, Government Museum & Art Gallery, Chandigarh, India International Centre, New Delhi, Alkazi Foundation for the Arts, New Delhi, Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa, Mani Bhavan Gandhi Sangrahalaya, Mumbai, Naman P. Ahuja, New Delhi, Sharma Centre for Heritage Education, Chennai, Museum of Christian Art, Goa, Raqs Media Collective, New Delhi, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge.

Conceived over a period of two years of intense planning and curatorial brainstorming, ‘India and the World’ has been jointly curated by a team in the UK and India. The Exhibition has been conceptualised by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Director General, CSMVS. Curators Jeremy David Hill and Beatriz Cifuentes Feliciano, from the British Museum, joined efforts with Naman P Ahuja, Associate Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and his curatorial assistant, AvaniSood to develop this unique exhibition

The exhibition is spread over nine sections, each representing a pivotal moment in history: Shared Beginnings (1,700,000 years ago to 2000 BC), First Cities (3000–1000 BC), Empire (600 BC – AD 200), State and Faith (AD 100–750), Picturing the Divine (AD 200–1500), Indian Ocean Traders (AD 200-1650), Court Cultures (AD 1500–1800), Quest for Freedom (1800–Present), and Time Unbound.

Beginning with the Indus Valley Civilisation and coming down to the present, the artefacts range from stone sculptures, terracotta, coins, tools, inscriptions and manuscripts to textiles, jewellery, Mughal miniatures and contemporary paintings, demonstrating the common threads of human history.

A striking feature of the show is not only its linear and chronological depiction of Indian civilization, but also its exploration of ideas across time periods, and a profound insight into confluence of the ancient and the modern. Essentially, it highlights the strong connections India has shared historically with the rest of theworld, impacting each other through a gamut of activities that helped evolve a global culture.

The nine-gallery exhibition is staggering in several respects: in the number of rare objects that it brings together, the time period and styles that it covers, the exquisiteness of each object and the rich stories that it tells us about our ancestors. Overall, there are 104 important works of art from the Indian subcontinent in dialogue with 124 iconic pieces from the British Museum.

Curatorial walks and talks, besides educational activities like stone tool, Harappan seal and bead making, currency design, scroll painting, clay moulding, blindfold photography and sculpture making will be held on the sidelines of the event. In addition, there will be theatre workshops, guided tours, thematic walks for kids and interesting events like treasure hunt and online weekly quiz on the event’s website (https://www.indiaandtheworld.org).

The Exhibition, is travelling to the national capital from Mumbai andis supported by the Ministry of Culture, Tata Trusts, the Getty Foundation and the Newton Bhabha Fund. It will run for two months till June 30 and is available for public viewing on all days from 10 am to 6 pm, except on Mondays and public holidays.

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[Hindustani78]

The President, IGNCA, Shri Ram Bahadur Rai and the Director General, National Museum, Dr. B.R. Mani releasing the publication at the inauguration of the ‘India and the World: A History in Nine Stories’, a mammoth international exhibition in collaboration with the British Museum, London, in New Delhi on May 05, 2018.

The President, IGNCA, Shri Ram Bahadur Rai and the Director General, National Museum, Dr. B.R. Mani releasing the publication at the inauguration of the ‘India and the World: A History in Nine Stories’, a mammoth international exhibition in collaboration with the British Museum, London, in New Delhi on May 05, 2018.

The President, IGNCA, Shri Ram Bahadur Rai and the Director General, National Museum, Dr. B.R. Mani releasing the publication at the inauguration of the ‘India and the World: A History in Nine Stories’, a mammoth international exhibition in collaboration with the British Museum, London, in New Delhi on May 05, 2018.

The President, IGNCA, Shri Ram Bahadur Rai addressing at the inauguration of the ‘India and the World: A History in Nine Stories’, a mammoth international exhibition in collaboration with the British Museum, London, in New Delhi on May 05, 2018.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Culture
05-May, 2018 20:20 IST
Exhibition -‘India and the world: a history in nine stories’, to commemorate 70 years of India’s independence inaugurated at national museum, new Delhi today.

British Museum lends iconic objects to be shown for the first time in India

First of its kind, mammoth exhibition on Indian Civilisation, was inaugurated by, the President, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, (IGNCA), Shri. Raam Bahadur Rai, at National Museum, New Delhi, today. H.E. Sir Dominic Asquith KCMG, the British High Commissioner to India; Sri L.N. Sharma, Chief Postmaster General (Delhi Circle);Dr Hartwig Fischer, Director, British Museum; Dr Sabyasachi Mukherji, Director CSMVS; Dr Anamika Pathak, In-charge of Exhibition, National Museum; Mrs. Usha Sharma, DG, ASI, were also present at the inauguration.

The Exhibition,marks an unprecedented collaboration in museum exhibition, withthe British Museum, London; National Museum, New Delhi; and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), Mumbai and is actively supported by the Culture Ministry.

The exhibition chronologically encapsulates the evolution of Indian civilization since antiquity and its interconnectedness with the outside world through a raft of exquisite artefacts from India and abroad. ‘India and the World: A History in Nine Stories’ offers insights into two million years of history. It was planned as part of commemoration of 70 years of India’s independence and a year of major cultural exchange between India and the UK (UK/India 2017).

Shri Raidescribed the exhibition as a “journey through history”, taking Indians to “moments in history that are a matter of pride for us”.“This is also a celebration of cultural exchanges and a moment to remember that our civilization has existed for millions of years and what it has given to the world in terms of culture, science and spirituality,” he added.

Speaking at the event, National Museum Director General Dr. B R Mani, said “This is a phenomenal exhibition for the sheer number of artefacts, the profoundness of concept and the unprecedented extensive collaboration of Indian museums and private collections with the British Museum, London. It truly offers a brilliant exposition on the splendid Indian civilisation and its impact on the global civilizations of the yore,”

Dr. Hartwig Fischer, Director, British Museum, said it is a first of its kind project that establishes a dialogue between objects, cultures, institutions and the public to provide a new and rich perspective on moments in Indian history.

Present at the occasion, Mr. Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Director General, CSMVS, said, “The exhibition is a first of its kind experiment outside the US, the UK and European borders, and attempts to provide a model for museums to share their collections with people across the world, some of whom may otherwise never have access to them. The objects from the British Museum and from Indian museums and private collectors, together in conversation, unlock fascinating stories and histories, and help us understand how we relate to the wider world."

Unveiling a special postal cover brought out by the Department of Post, Shri L.N. Sharma said the exhibition showcases Indian history from two million years ago to the present day, not just displaying the regional connects but global links that provide visitors with a lifetime opportunity and a great learning experience.

A special feature added to this significant exhibition includes the brail tactile feature of some of the displayed objects for those visually challenged visitors who may like to know and feel the beauty of the objects. It was collaborated with Access for ALL, DAG and Radio Mirchi in creating an apparatus to understand the various aspects of the exhibition through multiple senses. Another important feature to this exhibition is the installed tactile paintings and 3 D models which leads to a wide range of interaction with the object on display, thus making it universal to a large section of the society.

The Exhibition willrun for two monthstill June 30 and is available for public viewing on all days from 10 am to 6 pm, except on Mondays and public holidays. There will also be theatre workshops, guided tours, thematic walks for kids and interesting events like treasure hunt and online weekly quiz on the event’s website (https://www.indiaandtheworld.org).



NB/PS

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