Museums of Rajasthan
The royal state of Rajasthan is full of majestic palaces and marvelous high
standing forts, temples, which are well known for their architecture and design.
There are many museums in Rajasthan, which are treasure trove of ancient manuscripts,
weapons. This heritage and culture is still alive in the state and is of most
interest to all the tourists who visit this state in millions every year and
try to take back these memories. These memories are kept in the museum that
throng the state and are highly appreciated. Some of the best Museums are:
Ajmer Government Museum
The beautiful fort and palace was then built by Jahagir in 1616 who was the
mughal emperor and then later it was converted into this museum. What is today
commonly known is Magazine that is the palace where the emperors lived. After
the British occupation in 1818 and during the First World War of Independence
in 1857 the British that gave the name magazine used it as the Rajputana Arsenal.
The Government of India then started to take a note of this palace and later
put forth this plan of giving this place a life and turned it into a museum
in the year in 1908,with the objective of collecting and preserving many unique
objects of antiquarian interest. These objects were of interest if some one
tried to get into the uniqueness of the same. The rajputan Museum as it is significantly
named, has in its galleries very important displays from almost all the princely
States. There is a library attached to his museum which contains rare books
and important historical publications.
The most important part of the museum is reserved for articles and things
like Sculptures, epigraphs, Proto historic antiquities, and Arms and Weapons.
Besides, there are objects from Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpara and other exhibits lying
in various go downs forming a large reserve collection. These sculptures are
quite old and unique they range from the periods starting from the Gupta to
the late medieval period. Mention should be made here of the interesting Chaturmukh
Shivliga, Marriage of Lord Shiva from Kaman, Lingodbhava Mahesvara from Harashnath
and other fine Shiva-Parvati panels from Katara (Bharatpur) and Kusma (Sirohi).
Alwar Government Museum
The Alwar Museum is situated in the old city area and it has different unique
collection of arms, bidri work acquered and ivory work, musical instruments,
stuffed animals, beautiful brass and pottery works from Jaipur, Multan, Bengal
and Ceylon, miniature paintings and Persian and Sanskrit manuscripts.
The Museum is situated in a big hall like architecture that is again divided
into many sections. These sections are allocated for different purposes and
for different materials. The first section contains various archaeological
discoveries mainly the sculptures that have been discovered. It also keeps
within the skins of all wild animals that were hunted down by the rulers;
the authorities have preserved them. The second section is the most important
one as it contains various manuscripts in Persian including Gulistan of S'adi
as well as marvellous paintings of Mughal and Rajput Schools.
The paintings have been further divided into various sub-styles and these
sub division is considered as the third section of the museum, which, contains
the armory of State rulers. Various kinds of shields, swords, pistols, rifles,
daggers and other items are on display.
Bikaner Fort Museum
The main hall that Ganga Mahal taken over by Maharaja Ganga Singh, now it is
the Fort Museum. This museum like all museums in the state have a very mind
blowing and a fine collection of antique Rajput weaponry, jade handle daggers,
camel hide dhals (shiedls) and inliad handguns and camel guns. The furniture
that were used then by these rulers are also saved here for public viewing and
the Jewellery studded in these artifacts and furniture just leaves you gaping
and wanting to see more and more of these very precious and priceless belongings.
They are a pride possession for the Government as this is helping the culture
and the tradition live long in the hearts of the residents of Rajasthan.Gold
and siliver howdahs, jhulas, palkis and a First World War biplane are on view.
The other important objects include a pair of drums belonging to Jambhoji, the
saint who predicated the foundation of the dynasty by Rao Bika for 450 years.
Photographs and items of personal use by Maharaja Ganga Singh and miniatures
are also on view.
The Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum
The Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum is another feather in the cap of the State that
has got this museum to its credit, as this museum in Rajasthan is considered
to be very important. A fine collection of the heritage of Rajasthan, this museum
in Bikaner has some principal sections like the History, Sculpture, Terracotta,
Maharaja Ganga Singh Memorial, local Arts and Crafts section, Miniature Paintings,
Folk-Arts section and Bronzes Armory.
Fateh Prakash Palace Museum
Another very important and prominent museum in Rajasthan is the Fateh Prakash
Palace Museum in Chittaurgarh. As we know Chittaurgarh is known for its special
fort that represents the culture of this small city of Rajasthan. However a
small portion of this palace is given for the purpose of keeping the heritage
and culture of Rajasthan alive. This museum basically keeps a treasure trove
of sculptures and monuments. Amongst the important ones are Ganpati from Pangarh
along with Indra and Jain Ambica statues from Rashmi village of Podt medieval
period. Also on display in the museum are many weapons, daggers, and armory.
Virat Nagar Museum
Virat Nagar museum is in the capital city of Rajasthan that is also called the
pink city Jaipur being the capital of Rajasthan is a pride possessor of this
museum. In the period of these maharajas and maharani rule, the area around
the district of Jaipur, Alwar and Bharatpur came to be known as Matsayadesh
with Virat Nagar as its capital. The museum has a specialty and that is it is
not very big in its appearance as compared to the other museums but the best
part is that it is one museum that has the riches collection of artifacts and
sculptures that are stored here in this museum. The excavated pikkins old coins,
seals, metallic pieces, weapons and statues have been exhibited here.
Amer (Jaipur) Archaeological Museum
Located in the Dil-e-A-aram Gardens, of Amer,it was established in 1949 the
ancient capital of Jaipur, and. Before the collections of all the excavated
materials from Rairh, Bairat, Sambhar, Nagar etc. and these arifacts and sculptures
were stored in some cellars where they used to degrade and get broken but with
the existence of this museum this became the hub of display of these sculptures.
In July 1949 the entire collection was transferred to Dil-e-Aaram Garden,
a part of the old palace 1992 in this complex. The museum is divided into
three sections: Archaeological section, which contains material recovered
from excavations at Rairh, Bairat, Sambhar, Nagar, Pamvar, Bansi and Virat
Nagar. Sculpture section. Epigraphy section.
JAIPUR - ALBERT HALL MUSEUM
This museum or the big hall is located in the center of the sprawling Ram Niwas
Bagh, this is the oldest Museum in the State. It was built in 1876 when King
Edward VII visited India as the Prince of Wales. It was opened to public in
1886.
JAISALMER FOLKLORE MUSEUM
This museum gets into notice of every one who has a good knowledge of these
museums counted into the largest of museums where the sections are divided into
a large number. There are about six sections and has a rich collection of paintings,
photographs, costumes, hairstyles and Jewellery, utility articles of rural life,
camel and horse decorations, fossils, ornamental arches, as well as articles
connected with folk and cultural lifestyles. This museum is the right place
for you are looking out to find out the tradition followed by the people here
in Rajasthan.The dressing sense the rural utensils used etc are all displayed
here for the public to take their full enjoyment.
JAISALMER - GOVERNMENT MUSEUM
The Govt. museum was established and opened in the year 1984.It is considered
to be very different from all other museums as it houses a large collection
of wood and marine fossils and gives an insight into the geological past of
the area. Sculptures from the ancient townships of Kiradu and Lodurva dating
back to the 12th century pulsate with youth and grace and depict the skill of
the time.
