PM Shri Narendra Modi, Inaugurates International Museum Expo 2023

Launches interactive tour of the future National Museum's North and South Blocks

Unveils International Museum Expo Mascot, Graphic Novel - A Day at the Museum, Directory of Indian Museums, Kartavya Path Pocket Map, and Museum Cards

"The museum provides inspiration from the past as well as a sense of duty to the future," Prime Minister mentioned.

"The country is establishing a new cultural infrastructure: Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

The expo will pave the road for the country to have a vibrant museum movement and ecosystem: G. Kishan Reddy

18th May, 2023: Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, today opened the International Museum Expo 2023 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. He also launched a virtual tour of the planned National Museum's North and South Blocks. The Prime Minister also toured the Techno Mela, Conservation Lab, and Exhibitions on display during the event. The International Museum Expo is being held as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to commemorate the 47th International Museum Day, with the subject 'Museums, Sustainability, and Well Being' this year.

The Prime Minister addressed the audience and congratulated everyone on International Museum Day. The Prime Minister emphasised the significance of the occasion, saying that while India is commemorating Amrit Mahotsav on the occasion of 75 years of independence, different chapters of history are coming to life with the addition of technology on the occasion of the International Museum Expo. He stated that when we enter a museum, we engage with the past, and the museum conveys factual and evidence-based realism, as well as inspiration from the past and a sense of obligation to the future. He stated that today's theme of 'Sustainability and Wellbeing' highlights today's world objectives and makes the event even more relevant.The Prime Minister expressed optimism that today's efforts will help the next generation become more familiar with their heritage.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence that today’s occasion will be a huge turning point for the world of museums in India. Recalling the ‘Panch Pran’ or the five resolutions taken by the country during the Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal, the Prime Minister emphasized ‘Taking pride in our heritage’ and underlined that a new cultural infrastructure of the country is being developed. In these efforts, the Prime Minister continued, one can find the history of India’s fight for independence as well as the thousand-year-old heritage of the country. He informed that the Government is running a special campaign to conserve local and rural museums along with the heritage of every state and segment of society.

The Prime Minister also mentioned that the development of ten special museums is underway to immortalize the contributions of the tribal communities in India’s freedom struggle, which will be one of the most unique initiatives in the world to provide a glimpse of tribal diversity

The Prime Minister said when a country starts conserving its heritage it gives rise to closeness with other countries also. “Our heritage becomes the harbinger of world unity”, he said.

On this occasion, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi unveiled the stylised and contemporarised life-size version of a 5-feet tall toy in Channapatna style inspired by the Bronze Dancing Girl of the Sindhu Saraswati Sabhyata which is the official mascot of the International Museum Expo 2023. The Mascot is interpreted as a modern-day “dwarpaal” or the “door-guardian” that ushers the audience into the experience of the International Museum Expo 2023.

Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Shri G.Kishan Reddy speaking on the occasion explained that the International Museum Expo is being organised as part of the second phase of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and to celebrate the 47th International Museum Day. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and inspired by his “Panch Pran” to take “pride in our heritage”, the Ministry of Culture has continuously strived to promote and preserve the country’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage, he added.

The expo will pave the way for a very vibrant Museum movement and ecosystem in the country and the Ministry of Culture through the adoption of new immersive and experiential technologies will make it a memorable experience for all the visitors, the Minister said.

The Minister emphasised that the government is constantly working on the theme of “Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi” where equal focus is given to both development as well as on preserving and promoting cultural heritage. Elaborating on the work done by the government, he mentioned that since 2014, more than 244 antiquities of Indian origin have been brought back to India from abroad, out of which 231 have been brought back after 2014. He also added that since 2014, more than 145 museums have been developed in the country which is 1/3 of the total museums developed by the Ministry of Culture.

Union Ministers of State for Culture, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Union Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs, Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, and Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, Mr. Manuel Rabaté were among those present on the occasion.

The Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, Mr. Manuel Rabaté in his address quoted Mahatma Gandhi to emphasise that the future depends on what we do today. He explained that he who does not know his past can not make the best of his present or future. He congratulated India and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for his unwavering support in the promotion and conservation of art and culture in the country.

He added that we can witness the power of art and culture in bridging the divide and transcending the boundaries. Appreciating the organisation of the International Museum Expo, he remarked that it can be a platform to interconnect and learn from one another. In that spirit, Mr. Manuel Rabaté shared 8 innovative models of museums that can act as an inspiration.

Background

The International Museum Expo is being organized as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the 47th International Museum Day (IMD). The IMD theme for this year is ‘Museums, Sustainability and Well Being’. The Museum Expo is designed to initiate a holistic conversation on Museums with museum professionals to enable them to evolve as cultural centers that play a pivotal role in India’s cultural diplomacy.

During the program, the Prime Minister inaugurated a virtual walkthrough of the upcoming National Museum at the North and South Blocks. The Museum is a comprehensive effort to highlight and showcase historical events, personalities, ideas, and achievements related to India’s past that have contributed to the making of India’s present.

The Prime Minister also unveiled the Mascot of the International Museum Expo, the Graphic Novel – A Day at the Museum, the Directory of Indian Museums, the Pocket Map of Kartavya Path, and Museum Cards.

The Mascot of the International Museum Expo is a contemporized version of the Dancing Girl made of wood in the Chennapatnam art style. The Graphic Novel portrays a group of children visiting the National Museum where they learn about the different career opportunities that are available at the museum. The Directory of India Museums is a comprehensive list of 1000 Indian museums. The Pocket Map of the Kartavya Path highlights the various Cultural Spaces and institutions and it also traces the history of the iconic pathways. Museums Cards are a set of 75 cards with illustrated facades of iconic museums across the country, and is an innovative way to introduce museums to people of all ages and each card holds brief information about Museums.

The programme witnessed the participation of international delegations from cultural centers and museums from across the world.

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NMA's quantum jump in making Heritage By-Laws

New Delhi [India], May 26: National Monuments Authority (NMA), has made a record number of 101 Heritage By Laws during the covid period (from 2019 onwards) , covering a total of 126 centrally protected monuments. More HBLs for Martand Temple, Qutub Minar, Taj Mahal to be taken.

Swati Bhat

This is in comparison to five Heritage By- Laws (HBLs) covering 31 centrally protected monuments finalized in the preceding ten years. This reflects a 20 times increase in quantum of HBLs over last two years.

t is also noteworthy that, as per the AMASR Act and the mandate given to the NMA, the HBLs work was supposed to be finished by 2012, covering the entire gamut of more than 3600 centrally protected monuments throughout India. NMA Chairman, Tarun Vijay said that under the vision and leadership of the Prime Minister, the task of making HBLs has been speeded up by leaps and bounds and a separate HBL department created with four experts headed by a conservation architect. The HBL meetings started being conducted thrice a week. These meetings also involved, inviting the DG ASI and various other regional directors and surveyor archaeologists from every part of the country, eventually resulting in smooth flow of survey maps and draft HBLs from ASI, especially from central, eastern and northern India.

The NMA Chairman said, “The biggest joy and satisfaction was felt in the NMA when we finalised HBLs for the 14th century Bishnu temple in Manipur; Jagannath Temple in Puri; Chausath Yogini, Jabalpur; Jagatgrama Ashwamedha site and Lakha Mandal group of Shiva temples in Uttarakhand.”

The National Monuments authority, was set up as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites Remains (AMASR) (Amendment Validation) Act 2010, entrusting it with the responsibility to consider granting permissions to applicants for conservation related activity in the centrally prohibited and regulated areas. The need for the HBLs consequently was induced by the increasing rate of urbanization, development, mounting population pressure, and concomitantly the aggravating pressure on land around the centrally protected monuments, which often obstructed and came in the way of the monument’s 300 meters peripheral jurisdiction. This made it imperative, for regulating the property and individual growth around the monuments, along with the need to balance it with the cause of protecting and preserving the monuments itself. Such situations and the requirements of the time instrumentalized in the formation of the Heritage by-Laws (HBLs) by the NMA which regularly notifies on its website, inviting the local people’s comments and suggestions with regard to its HBL content.

Under the Modi government the HBL work and granting NOCs has taken a quantum jump- putting it on fast track.

After receiving people’s comments and suggestions, they are discussed after a period of 30 days and if found useful the HBLs amended, and sent to the Ministry of Culture seeking their affirmation and then getting it ratified by the Parliament as the final acceptance.

Shri Tarun Vijay also remarked that the capacity of NMA has been expanded considerably because now a total of 41 new top notch Heritage Bodies have been included in the NMA panel for making HBLs. “It as a revolutionary step inspired by the vision and mission of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, keeping the agenda of heritage protection as the sine qua non of the NMA”, the Chairman explained. . Clearly reflected from the fact that under the Modi government the panel to make HBLs now has 42 heritage bodies, going up considerably from a mere of 4 earlier.

Accompanying these feats, are the historical achievements of NMA bringing down the NOC pendency to a nil because of the online features which remarkably expediated the process and also vouched for print transparency keeping in mind the interests of the applicant, as can be gauged from a record 82% approval of 1118 NOCS out of 1360.

Currently, draft HBLs awaited from ASI for finalization and sending them to the Parliament approval include monuments like, Taj Mahal; Qutub Minar; Dwarkadheesh Temple Dwarka; Hemis Gompa, Leh and Martand Temple, Kashmir. It is exhilarating that with the pursuance of these goals NMA will be able to complete the entire residual work of HBLs within a single year fulfilling the assurance of the Ministry to the Parliament.

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Inauguration of amenities at Kanheri Caves, Borivali, Mumbai

Mumbai [India], Mumbai 17: The Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) Shri G. Kishan Reddy, inaugurated the Kanheri Caves on the occasion of Buddha Purnima with honourable MP of North Mumbai Shri Gopal Chinayya Shetty

Swati Bhat

Pic Courtesy: Twitter

The Minister was in Mumbai on a 2-day visit between 15th May - 16th May 2022 and inaugurated several public amenities at the Kanheri caves.

The Kanheri caves comprise more than 110 different rock-cut monolithic excavations and is one of the largest single excavations in the country. These excavations were primarily undertaken during the Hinayana phase of Buddhism but also has several examples of the Mahayana stylistic architecture as well as few printings of the Vajrayana order. The name Kanheri is derived from ‘Kanhagiri’ in Prakrit and occurs in the Nasik inscription of the Satavahana ruler Vasisthiputra Pulumavi.

While addressing the media, the Union Minister Shri G Kishan Reddy said, “Kanheri caves are part of our ancient heritage as they provide evidence of evolution and our past. It is a privilege to inaugurate the works that have been carried out on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. Buddha‘s message is relevant even today in addressing challenges such as conflict and climate change ”.

He added, “If we look at the architectural and engineering marvel of heritage sites like Kanheri caves or the Ajanta Ellora caves it signifies the knowledge about art, engineering, management construction, patience and perseverance that people had back then. Many such monuments back then took more than 100 years to be built. Such caves and monuments are difficult to build even now, in 21st century, with so much of technological and engineering expertise”.

Kanheri was mentioned in the travelogues of foreign travelers. The earliest reference of Kanheri is ascribed to Fa-Hein who visited India during 399-411 CE and later by several other travellers. The scale and extent of excavations, with its numerous water cisterns, epigraphs, one of the oldest dams, a stupa burial gallery and excellent rainwater harvesting system, indicate its popularity as a monastic and pilgrim centre. Kanheri consists of excavations primarily undertaken during the Hinayana phase but also has several examples of the Mahayana stylistic architecture as well as few printings of the Vajrayana order. Its importance is heightened by the fact that it is the only centre where a continuous progression of Buddhist faith and architecture is observed as an unbroken legacy right from 2nd century CE (cave no. 2 stupa) to 9th century CE are observed here. Kanheri flourished under the patronage of Satavahana, Traikutakas, Vakatakas and Silaharas and through donations made by the wealthy merchants of the region.

The Indian Oil Foundation is providing Tourist Infrastructure Facilities at Kanheri caves after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Archaeological Survey of India through the National Culture Fund (NCF). Under the project work of renovation and up-gradation to the existing structures was allowed as the work comes in the protected limit of the monument. The existing buildings such as the visitor pavilion, custodian quarter, booking office were up-graded and refurbished. The area from booking counter to custodian quarter was up-graded by providing landscaping and plants.

As the caves fall in the core area of the forest, electricity and water supply are not available. However, arrangements for electricity were made available by providing a solar system and generator set as an alternative arrangement. The water is available through the bore well that was constructed.

The Union Minister Said, “Public-private partnership, corporates, NGOs and civil Society plays an important role in protecting, preserving and propagating our heritage so that future generations can access these treasures. We all must work together and in partnership with experts and scholars where heritage can be a catalyst for development. It is a moral duty of every citizen of this country to take interest and responsibility for the preservation and conservation of our rich heritage”.

Kanheri is set amidst one of the most beautiful landscapes within a designated National Park and its setting is an integral part of its planning, with beautiful forecourts and rock-cut benches to enjoy the scenic vistas.

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