The National Museum in

New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament Hous ...

, also known as the National Museum of India, is one of the

largest Large means of great size. Large may also refer to: Mathematics * Arbitrarily large, a phrase in mathematics * Large cardinal, a property of certain transfinite numbers * Large category, a category with a proper class of objects and morphisms (o ...

museums in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

. Established in 1949, it holds a variety of articles ranging from pre-historic era to modern works of art. It functions under the

Ministry of Culture Ministry of Culture may refer to: *Ministry of Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sports (Albania) * Ministry of Culture (Algeria) *Ministry of Culture (Argentina) *Minister for the Arts (Australia) *Ministry of Culture (Azerbaijan) * Ministry of ...

Government of India The Government of India ( ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...

. The museum is situated on Janpath. The blue–print of the National Museum had been prepared by the Gwyer Committee set up by the Government of

in 1946. The museum has around 200,000 works of art, mostly Indian, but some of foreign origin, covering over 5,000 years. It also houses the National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology on the first floor which was established in 1983 and has been a university since 1989, running master's and doctoral level courses in

art history Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today, ...

conservation Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws. Conservation may also refer to: Environment and natural resources * Nature conservation, the protection and manageme ...

and

museology Museology or museum studies is the study of museums. It explores the history of museums and their role in society, as well as the activities they engage in, including curating, preservation, public programming, and education. Terminology The w ...

History

In 1946, the idea of building a National Museum for India was proposed by the Gwyer Committee. Sir

Maurice Gwyer Sir Maurice Linford Gwyer, (25 April 1878 – 12 October 1952) was a British lawyer, judge, and academic administrator. He served as Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University from 1938 to 1950, and Chief Justice of India from 1937 to 1943). He is c ...

, the former chief justice of India and vice chancellor of Delhi University, headed the committee. One of the members of the committee was Sir

Mortimer Wheeler Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler CH CIE MC TD (10 September 1890 – 22 July 1976) was a British archaeologist and officer in the British Army. Over the course of his career, he served as Director of both the National Museum of Wales an ...

, then heading the

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexand ...

(ASI), who is often cited as chief initiators of the National Museum as he advocated for the museum's development although reports indicate that he was concerned with unifying ASI site museums under the umbrella of a museum's branch rather than setting up a new museum. The roots of the National Museum begin with an exhibition of Indian art and artefacts organized by the Royal Academy of Arts, London. The exhibition went on display in the galleries of

Burlington House Burlington House is a building on Piccadilly in Mayfair, London. It was originally a private Neo-Palladian mansion owned by the Earls of Burlington and was expanded in the mid-19th century after being purchased by the British government. To ...

during the winter months of 1947–48. This Exhibition of The Art of India and

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

in London was arguably the first exhibition sponsored by the British government which gave Indian artefacts the status of high art. Before its return to India, with

Jawaharlal Nehru Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian Anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat— * * * * and author who was a central figure in India du ...

's support, it was decided that these important collections should be showcased here upon their return so that they could be enjoyed and appreciated by the people of India. At the close of the exhibit, requests were released to the loaning museums and collectors, urging them to surrender object ownership to what was to become the National Museum. When the decision was taken to make a permanent National Museum, the exhibits were first displayed in the state rooms of the

Rashtrapati Bhavan The Rashtrapati Bhavan (, rāsh-truh-puh-ti bha-vun; ; originally Viceroy's House and later Government House) is the official residence of the President of India at the western end of Rajpath, Raisina Hill, New Delhi, India. Rashtrapati B ...

(then called Government House) on August 15, 1949, and the rooms were formally inaugurated by C. Rajgopalachari, Governor General of India. Until the mid-1950s, it essentially remained a permanent version of the temporary exhibit – consisting of the same pieces, and remaining in the state rooms. In 1955 building began on the new current location of the National Museum at Janpath. However, when the National Museum was ready in 1960, the statue of Buddha and the ''Rampurva Bull'' were retained at the

on the request of

. Since its inception, the National Museum owed much of its original structure and organization to the example of the

Indian Museum, Kolkata The Indian Museum in Central Kolkata, West Bengal, India, also referred to as the Imperial Museum at Calcutta in colonial-era texts, is the ninth oldest museum in the world, the oldest and largest museum in India as well as in Asia. It has rare ...

, as some of its first curators were former employees of the Indian Museum, such as C. Sivaramamurti, even though the National Museum aspired to displace the historic position the Indian Museum had come to acquire as the largest and grandest museum in India. The National Museum encouraged scholars and the public to think differently about the objects on display by placing the objects within a broad historical context and allowing the objects to speak for a larger representation outside of itself.

Grace Morley Grace Louise McCann Morley (November 3, 1900 – January 8, 1985) was a museologist of global influence. She was the first director of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (formerly the San Francisco Museum of Art) and held the position for 23 ...

was the first director of the National Museum, New Delhi, who earlier played an instrumental role as the founding director (1935–58) of the San Francisco Museum of Art (now

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is a modern and contemporary art museum located in San Francisco, California. A nonprofit organization, SFMOMA holds an internationally recognized collection of modern and contemporary art, and was ...

). She joined the National Museum on 8 August 1960 and continued to hold its charge for six more years. She was one of the advocates of cultural democracy who believed that art should be available to everyone—and held firm convictions about the crucial role that museums could play in this endeavour. In her installations for the National Museum, this desire for secularisation and democratisation was effected through the presentation of sculptures in classic white-cube spaces with minimal contextual information. It was her 'visual storage' display system, minimalist teak pedestals, air-conditioning vents, track-lighting, and large glass cases with staggered risers for visual variety which led to the museum acquiring international recognition and the museum in its working still reflects her image. She instructed carpenters to build display cases and Eamesian-type couches, cabinets and cases that reflected modernist, uncluttered lines. Such elements produced the perfect streamlined stage for a performance of the modern by viewing audiences. Harmonious colour schemes, dramatic, dim lighting, cushions of space around eye-level objects, and the occasional leafy plant for a visual pause, all contributed to the creation of a modern museum.

Departments and collections

National Museum, New Delhi main reception hall

Presently, there are several departments in the National Museum. * Pre-History Archaeology * Archaeology * Manuscripts * Numismatics & Epigraphy * Paintings * Arms & Armour * Decorative Arts * Central Asian Antiquities * Pre-Columbian Art * Jewellery * Anthropology *Anubhav * Education * Public Relations * Publication * Conservation * Display The collections of the National Museum represent almost all disciplines of art:

archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landsc ...

(sculptures in stone, bronze and terracotta), arms,

armour Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or f ...

decorative arts ] The decorative arts are arts or crafts whose object is the design and manufacture of objects that are both beautiful and functional. It includes most of the arts making objects for the interiors of buildings, and interior design, but not usua ...

jewellery Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry ( U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a w ...

manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced i ...

miniature A miniature is a small-scale reproduction, or a small version. It may refer to: * Portrait miniature, a miniature portrait painting * Miniature art, miniature painting, engraving and sculpture * Miniature (chess), a masterful chess game or proble ...

s and

Tanjore Thanjavur (), also Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is the 11th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the ...

paintings,

textiles Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

numismatics Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, medals and related objects. Specialists, known as numismatists, are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, but the discipline also inc ...

epigraphy Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the w ...

, Central Asian antiquities,

anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of be ...

Pre-Columbian In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, ...

American and Western Art Collections. The museum has in its possession over 200,000 works of art, of both Indian and foreign origin. While the National Museum has over 200,000 exhibits, it currently displays six to seven percent of its collection. The remaining is exhibited on a rotational basis or in temporary exhibitions. The final phase of expansion will allow it to display another three to four percent of the treasures.

Building

The current building of the National Museum was designed by the architect Ganesh Bikaji Deolalikar, and the foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister

on May 12, 1955. Once the building was ready, the new museum was inaugurated by

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (; 5 September 1888 – 17 April 1975), natively Radhakrishnayya, was an Indian philosopher and statesman. He served as the 2nd President of India from 1962 to 1967. He also 1st Vice President of India from 1952 ...

, Vice-President of India, on December 18, 1960. It stands today on the plot of land earmarked in Edwin L. Lutyens' plan for the Imperial Museum and was occupied by a small Museum of Central Asian Antiquities that housed the important collection of the explorer

Sir Aurel Stein Sir Marc Aurel Stein, ( hu, Stein Márk Aurél; 26 November 1862 – 26 October 1943) was a Hungarian-born British archaeologist, primarily known for his explorations and archaeological discoveries in Central Asia. He was also a professor at ...

. The National Museum building was planned to be built in phases to finally give it an octagonal shape. Its first phase was inaugurated in 1960, and the second was completed in 1989. For the third and final phase, a foundation stone was laid on December 18, 2017, and involves the razing down of the

(ASI) building which has been moved to Dharohar Bhawan. As maps of the original plan suggest, roughly a quarter portion remains to be added for the completion of the building. The National Museum building has three floors with galleries radiating from a central garden court. The National Museum Institute, which is on the first floor of the museum and has a "deemed to be university" status, will be shifting to a new campus in Noida.

Collections

Harappan Gallery

The museum has various artefacts from the

Harappan civilization Harappa (; Urdu/ pnb, ) is an archaeological site in Punjab, Pakistan, about west of Sahiwal. The Bronze Age Harappan civilisation, now more often called the Indus Valley Civilisation, is named after the site, which takes its name from a mod ...

, also known as the

Indus Valley civilization The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form 2600 BCE to 1900& ...

. It has the world's most representative collection of antiquities of the Harappan civilization – over 3500 objects that are on permanent loan from the

to the museum. Most famous among the objects is the ''Dancing Girl'' made in Bronze, which belongs to the early Harappan period, Skeleton excavated from

Rakhigarhi Rakhigarhi or Rakhi Garhi is a village and an archaeological site belonging to the Indus Valley civilisation in Hisar District of the northern Indian state of Haryana, situated about 150 km northwest of Delhi. It was part of the mature ...

Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ...

, Terracotta images of

Mother Goddess A mother goddess is a goddess who represents a personified deification of motherhood, fertility goddess, fertility, creation, destruction, or the earth goddess who embodies the bounty of the earth or nature. When equated with the earth or t ...

and Clay Pottery. Apart from these the gallery has Sculptures in Bronzes & Terracotta, Bone Objects, Ivory, Steatite, Semi-Precious Stones, Painted Pottery and Jewellery items. Many seals are also on display which has been discovered during numerous excavations and were probably used for trading purposes. These seals depict bulls, elephants, unicorns, tigers, crocodiles, and unknown symbols. On one of the seals, there is the depiction of Pasupati that has been interpreted as proto-Shiva. The gallery attempts to present the vibrancy of human civilization in India at par with the contemporary civilizations of

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...

and

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...

. When one of the major sites of the Harappan civilization,

Mohenjo Daro Mohenjo-daro (; sd, موئن جو دڙو'', ''meaning 'Mound of the Dead Men';Lahore Museum, and then these were moved to Delhi by

in anticipation of the construction of a Central Imperial Museum there. At the time of the Partition, the issue of ownership of these objects arose and eventually the two countries agreed to share all the collections equally, although this was sometimes interpreted in literal sense, with several necklaces and girdles taken apart with half the beads sent to

and half retained in India. In the words of

Nayanjot Lahiri Nayanjot Lahiri is a historian and archaeologist of ancient India and a professor of history at Ashoka University. She was previously on the faculty of the department of history at the University of Delhi. She is the winner of the 2013 Infosys P ...

, ‘the integrity of these objects were compromised in the name of equitable division’. Of the two most celebrated sculpted figures found in Mohenjo Daro,

asked for and received the steatite figure of a bearded male, dubbed the 'Priest King', while the National Museum of India retained the bronze statuette of the 'Dancing Girl', a nude bejeweled female. Considering that the major sites like Mohenjo Daro and Harappa belonged to Pakistan post-Partition, the collections in this gallery also grew out of the discoveries of the excavations made after the Indian independence in 1947 such as Daimabad, Rakhigarhi, and Dholavira. Key highlights of the collection include: * Mother Goddess (2700–2100 BC) * Toy Cart (2700–2100 BC) * Bull (2700–2100 BC) * Pasupati Seal (2700–2100 BC) * Climbing Monkey (2700–2100 BC) * Dancing Girl (2700–2100 BC)
File:Dancing girl.jpg, Dancing Girl Image:Mohenjodaro toy 001.jpg, Toy cart from

Mohenjo-daro Mohenjo-daro (; sd, موئن جو دڙو'', ''meaning 'Mound of the Dead Men';Rakhigarhi Rakhigarhi or Rakhi Garhi is a village and an archaeological site belonging to the Indus Valley civilisation in Hisar District of the northern Indian state of Haryana, situated about 150 km northwest of Delhi. It was part of the mature ...

Maurya, Shunga and Satvahana Arts Gallery

The gallery has objects from the 4th century BCE to the 1st century BCE. It has objects spanning three major dynasties: the

Mauryas The Maurya Empire, or the Mauryan Empire, was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in the Indian subcontinent based in Magadha, having been founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE, and existing in loose-knit fashion until 1 ...

, the

Shungas The Shunga Empire (IAST: ') was an ancient Indian dynasty from Magadha that controlled areas of the most of the northern Indian subcontinent from around 185 to 73 BCE. The dynasty was established by Pushyamitra, after taking the throne of the M ...

and the Satvahanas. Objects in the gallery have Greek influence characterized by mirror-like finishing. The gallery also houses fragments of railings from various ancient

Stupas A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation. In Buddhism, circumamb ...

that are carved on with episodes from Buddha's life. A major object is the one showing Sage Asita's visit to baby Siddharta and the

Bharhut Bharhut is a village located in the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, central India. It is known for its famous relics from a Buddhist stupa. What makes Bharhut panels unique is that each panel is explicitly labelled in Brahmi characters mentioni ...

railings that depicts the story related to the

relics associated with Buddha According to the '' Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta'' ( Sutta 16 of the '' Dīgha Nikāya''), after attaining ''parinirvana'', the body of Buddha was cremated and the ashes divided among his lay followers. Division of the relics According to the '' ...

by the sage Drona. A typical feature of the period to which objects in the gallery belongs to is that the sculptures do not depict Buddha in the physical form. He is always shown using symbols like the ''Dharmachakra'', the ''Bodhi tree'', empty throne, and footprints. File:Male heads, Maurya artefact 01, National Mueum, New Delhi.jpg, Male Heads (Maurya period) File:Child learning Brahmi Alphabets, Shunga era 2nd Century BCE, National Mseum, New Delhi.jpg, A Child Learning Brahmi Script,

Srughna Srughna, also spelt Shrughna in Sanskrit, or Sughna, Sughana or Sugh in the spoken form, was an ancient city or kingdom of India frequently referred to in early and medieval texts. It was visited by Chinese traveller, Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) in ...

, 2nd century BCE File:A women in grief, Shunga Period, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Woman in Grief (Shunga period) File:Railing from Barhut stupa showing, Maurya artefact 04, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Railig from Barhut Stupa showing the Last Episode of Buddha's Life File:Asita's visit to bless Siddharta, Maurya artefact 05, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg,

Asita Asita or Kaladevala or Kanhasiri was a hermit ascetic depicted in Buddhist sources as having lived in ancient India. He was a teacher and advisor of Suddhodana, the father of the Buddha, and is best known for having predicted that prince Siddhar ...

visiting King Suddhodana (Satvahana period) File:Maurya artefact 06 nm nd.JPG, Different Symbols of Buddha

Kushana Gallery

Amaravati Maha Stupa relief at National Museum, Delhii, India, 1st-2nd century CE

This gallery has art objects from the

Kushan The Kushan Empire ( grc, Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν; xbc, Κυϸανο, ; sa, कुषाण वंश; Brahmi: , '; BHS: ; xpr, 𐭊𐭅𐭔𐭍 𐭇𐭔𐭕𐭓, ; zh, 貴霜 ) was a syncretic empire, formed by the Yuezhi, ...

period (1st – 3rd century CE). The major school of arts were the

Gandhara Gandhāra is the name of an ancient region located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, more precisely in present-day north-west Pakistan and parts of south-east Afghanistan. The region centered around the Peshawar Val ...

School of Art and the Mathura School of Art. The Gandhara school had huge influence of Greek

Iconography Iconography, as a branch of art history, studies the identification, description and interpretation of the content of images: the subjects depicted, the particular compositions and details used to do so, and other elements that are distinct fro ...

and the themes were mainly Buddhist. Most prominent among the objects is the ''

Standing Buddha The Standing Buddha of the Tokyo National Museum is an example of Greco-Buddhist statuary. Comparable ones can be found in the Guimet Museum in France, and in the National Museum, New Delhi besides various other museums of South Asia. The statue ...

'', made in Grey

schist Schist ( ) is a medium-grained metamorphic rock showing pronounced schistosity. This means that the rock is composed of mineral grains easily seen with a low-power hand lens, oriented in such a way that the rock is easily split into thin flakes ...

stone in Gandhara School of Arts and it belongs to the 2nd century CE. This period was the first time when Buddha was shown in physical form. The Mathura school of arts had primary themes of Buddhism,

Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle bein ...

and

Brahmanism The historical Vedic religion (also known as Vedicism, Vedism or ancient Hinduism and subsequently Brahmanism (also spelled as Brahminism)), constituted the religious ideas and practices among some Indo-Aryan peoples of northwest Indian Subc ...

while the Gandhara Arts were primarily of Buddhist themes. Other sculptures include the ''Kuber'' (Hindu god of Fortune) from

Ahichchhatra Ahichchhatra ( sa, अहिच्छत्र, translit=Ahicchatra) or Ahikshetra ( sa, अहिक्षेत्र, translit=Ahikṣetra), near the modern Ramnagar village in Aonla tehsil, Bareilly district in Uttar Pradesh, India, was t ...

, the ''Chattramukhi Shivlinga'', the ''

Bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...

'', and the Jain votive plaques. File:Buddha, 1st century CE Kushana artefacts National Museum, New Delhi 01.jpg, Buddha (Human Figure) File:Red sandstone made Kuber, Kushana artefacts, National Museum, New Delhi 02.jpg, Kuber (God of Wealth) File:Spotted red sandstone Bodhisattwa, Mathura Art, Kusha 2nd Cent CE at National Museum New Delhi.jpg, Boddhisatva File:Jain Votive Plaque made in spotted red sandstone, Kushana artefacts, National Museum, New Delhi 03.jpg,

Ayagapata Ayagapata (Hindi:अयागपट्ट) or Ayagapatta is a type of votive slab associated with worship in Jainism. Background Numerous such stone tablets discovered during excavations at ancient Jain sites like Kankali Tila near Mathura in I ...

, Jain votive plaque File:Laughing boy JN 16 F.25-876 (1).jpg, "Laughing boy", stucco from Gandhara, 2nd–3rd century CE

Gupta Gallery

As the name suggests, this gallery exhibits artefacts from the Gupta dynasty (4th–6th centuries CE). The art of the Gupta period presents a high watermark in Indian art. Mathura and Sarnath were the main centres of artistic activity. Under the patronage of Gupta rulers, sculptures attained a perfection of form that set the standard for artistic beauty for the coming centuries. Major developments in iconography took place during this period as the Kushan sculptures seem to be further perfected and some of the sculptures of this period are considered unsurpassed for the proportioned figures with clear features. *Sculptures depicting scenes from the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata File:Mahabharat, Gupta artefacts 03, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Scenes from

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the K ...

File:Rama redeeming Ahalya, Gupta artefacts 05, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Rama redeeming Ahilya (Ramayana) File:Gupta artefacts 06.JPG, Laxman cutting the nose of Surpanakha (Ramayana) *Sculptures File:Vishnu, Gupta artefacts 07, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg,

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

File:Gupta artefacts 04.JPG, Mother Goddess File:Ekmukha Shivlinga.jpg,

Mukhalinga In Hindu iconography, Mukhalinga or Mukhalingam (literally "''linga with a face''", ) is a linga with one or more human faces. The linga is an aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva. Mukhalingas may be of stone or can be made of a meta ...

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one o ...

, 5th century CE

Medieval Arts Gallery

The sculptures from the medieval period are divided into two categories: Early and Late. The artefacts from the respective periods are divided into two galleries.

Early Medieval Artefacts

This gallery has sculptures ranging from the 7th to 10th centuries. After the fall of the

Gupta empire The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed from the early 4th century CE to late 6th century CE. At its zenith, from approximately 319 to 467 CE, it covered much of the Indian subcontinent. This period is considered as the Gold ...

, the Indian subcontinent was divided and it was controlled by different dynasties in different parts of India like *

Palas A ''palas'' () is a German term for the imposing or prestigious building of a medieval '' Pfalz'' or castle that contained the great hall. Such buildings appeared during the Romanesque period (11th to 13th century) and, according to Thompson ...

in the East *

Maitrakas The Maitraka dynasty ruled western India (now Gujarat) from approximately 475 to approximately 776 CE from their capital at Vallabhi. With the sole exception of Dharapaṭṭa (the fifth king in the dynasty), who followed the Mithraic mysteries, ...

in the West *Vardhanas and Pratiharas in the North *

Pallavas The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The dynasty rose to prominence after the downfall of the Satavahana dynasty, with whom they had formerly served as f ...

Cholas The Chola dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd century BCE d ...

and

Chalukyas The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynasty ...

in the South There was a general decline in the artistic quality because of the limited number of master craftsmen and the large number of temples being built. File:Medieval Yogini Statue, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg,

Yogini A yogini ( Sanskrit: योगिनी, IAST: ) is a female master practitioner of tantra and yoga, as well as a formal term of respect for female Hindu or Buddhist spiritual teachers in Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Greater Tibet ...

(Mother Goddess) File:Vishnu from Kanchipuram.jpg, Vishnu (Pallava dynasty)

Late Medieval Artefacts

This gallery has sculptures ranging from the 10th to 13th centuries. The country was further sub divided into a number of separate principalities during this period. *

Hoysala The Hoysala Empire was a Kannadiga power originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur, but was later moved ...

s and Nayakas in the South * Paramars and

Chandela The Chandelas of Jejakabhukti was an Indian dynasty in Central India. The Chandelas ruled much of the Bundelkhand region (then called ''Jejakabhukti'') between the 9th and the 13th centuries. They belonged to the Chandel clan of the Rajputs. ...

s in the North *

Gajapatis The Gajapati Empire or the Suryavamsa (IAST: Sūryavaṃśa, "Solar dynasty") dynasty was a medieval dynasty from the Indian subcontinent, it originated in the region of Trikalinga (most of the present-day Odisha and North coastal Andhra) ...

and Senas in the East *

Chahamanas Chahamanas may refer to: ;The ruling dynasties belonging to the Chauhan clan included– *Chahamanas of Shakambhari (Chauhans of Ajmer) (c. 551 – 1194 CE) * Chahamanas of Naddula (Chauhans of Nadol) (c. 950 – 1197 CE) * Chahamanas of Jalor (c ...

(Chauhans) in the West The main artefacts in this gallery are: * Sun God *

Saraswati Saraswati ( sa, सरस्वती, ) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati. The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a g ...

, the goddess of music, learning and intelligence. Carved in marble, the statue from Pallu, Rajasthan, is a highly sophisticated and delicate work. File:Surya God from Konark, Orissa displayed in National Museum, New Delhi.jpg,

Surya Surya (; sa, सूर्य, ) is the sun as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a ...

(From

Sun Temple, Konarak Konark Sun Temple is a (year 1250) Sun temple at Konark about northeast from Puri city on the coastline in Puri district, Odisha, India.Neminatha Neminatha, also known as Nemi and Arishtanemi, is the twenty-second ''tirthankara'' (ford-maker) in Jainism. Along with Mahavira, Parshvanatha and Rishabhanatha, Neminatha is one of the twenty four ''tirthankaras'' who attract the most devot ...

(22nd Jain Tirthankar), 11th century File:Parsvanatha, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Parsvanatha (23rd Tirthankar), 10th century File:Stone Made Parvati from Rajasthan displayed at National Museum, New Delhi.jpg,

(Chauhan dynasty) File:National Museum - Ambika.jpg, Goddess

Ambika Ambika may refer to: Mythology * Ambika (goddess), an avatar of the Hindu goddesses Durga, Parvati, and Shakti * Ambika (Jainism), a Jain Yakshini goddess * Ambika (Mahabharata), the wife of Vichitravirya was also the mother of Dhritarashtra, th ...

, 10th century File:I@a 06.JPG, Jain Chaumukha Sculpture, 12th century File:J@w 01.JPG, Parsvanatha (23rd Tirthankar), Chola dynasty, 11th century

Decorative Arts Gallery

The Decorative Arts collection at the National Museum is a reflection of lifestyles of the Indian people from the 16th to the 20th century. Decorative Arts refer to Arts concerned with the design and decoration of objects that are prized for their utility, rather than for their purely aesthetic qualities These include both utilitarian and decorative objects hand crafted by master-craftsmen. They help in understanding the social, religious, economical, commercial and technological development of Indian society.National Museum -Bulletin, Number 10 (June–December 2013)

Ceramics A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelain ...

Pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and ...

Furniture Furniture refers to movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., stools, chairs, and sofas), eating ( tables), storing items, eating and/or working with an item, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks) ...

Textile Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, different #Fabric, fabric types, etc. At f ...

Glassware upTypical drinkware The list of glassware includes drinking vessels (drinkware) and tableware used to set a table for eating a meal, general glass items such as vases, and glasses used in the catering industry. It does not include laboratory glas ...

, Metalware and

Jewellery Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry ( U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a w ...

are a few included under Decorative Arts. The Decorative Arts section is divided into two galleries.

Decorative Arts Gallery 1

This gallery gives a glimpses of three collections of the museum –

Ivory Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mammals i ...

Jade Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group ...

and Ceramics. The Ivory group has several Hindu and Christian religious figures. The Jade section showcases the utilitarian objects, while the glazed tiles and blue-white pottery are in the Ceramic group. The gallery also has two interesting themes – Thrones of India, and Games and Leisure in the Past. The theme of thrones shows the evolution of the seat of power. From the low flat seats of antiquity to the modern armed chair, the journey of the throne is a fascinating story. An intricately carved Home Shrine and some metal Hindu and Jain (small seats for keeping idols for home shrines) are also present. The Jewel studded throne of the King of Varanasi is one of the best examples to show Power. The Games section has Rattles, Yo-Yo, Gamesman of Chess and Chaupar. Tops made of different materials with different designs are also exhibited. These artifacts combine the aesthetic and artistic elements to everyday objects used for games. The Jade Collection of the museum has interesting objects from the Mughal period. File:Dashavtar Ivory Carving.jpg, Main Article: Ivory Carved Dashavatara Shrine. File:Jahangirs huqqa close national museum india.JPG,

Jahangir Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim (30 August 1569 – 28 October 1627), known by his imperial name Jahangir (; ), was the fourth Mughal Emperor, who ruled from 1605 until he died in 1627. He was named after the Indian Sufi saint, Salim Chishti. Ear ...

's Jade ''

hookah A hookah ( Hindustani: ( Nastaleeq), (Devanagari), IPA: ; also see other names), shisha, or waterpipe is a single- or multi-stemmed instrument for heating or vaporizing and then smoking either tobacco, flavored tobacco (often '' muʽassel ...

''. File:Surahi national Museum India.JPG, Jade Surahi (flask) from Mughal era File:Gyan Chaupar National Museum India.JPG, Gyan chauper. File:Throne national museum india.JPG, Throne of the Raja of Varanasi

Decorative Arts Gallery 2

This gallery has artifacts from the proto-historic period to the present day. The variety, quality and media did increase with the taste and status of different generations and the process is on even today. This gallery exhibits Metalware, Jewellery and Wooden objects. Most notable among the wooden objects are the Vahana on display. File:Garuda by Hyougushi in Delhi.jpg, Wooden

Garuda Garuda ( Sanskrit: ; Pāli: ; Vedic Sanskrit: गरुळ Garuḷa) is a Hindu demigod and divine creature mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. He is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. Garu ...

Vahana (mount) from

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

File:Museum artefacts 15 nm.JPG, Wooden Horse (Vahana from Tanjore) File:Dwarpala, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Dwarpala

Miniature Paintings Gallery

Miniature paintings, on paper, cloth, bark, wood and ivory, forms one of the National Museum's most prestigious collections, and the world's largest. There are over 17,000 paintings in the Department of Painting in the National Museum, spanning 900 years and most stylistic formats to be found in India: Pala, early Jain style, Sultanate, the indigenous styles of Malwa, Mewar, Bundelkhand, Raghogarh, Mughal, Deccani, later Rajasthani, Pahari, Sikh, Jammu, Tanjore and Mysore, and the Company School paintings.

Mughal Miniature Paintings

Miniature painting flourished during Mughal rule. Emperor

and

Shahjahan Shihab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram (5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666), better known by his regnal name Shah Jahan I (; ), was the fifth emperor of the Mughal Empire, reigning from January 1628 until July 1658. Under his emperorship, the Mugha ...

were great patrons of art. In their courts, the painters adopted themes ranging from portraitures to landses, durbar scenes and processions for their works. The Deccani style was a fusion of Islamic idiom with indigenous art styles and of local classical traditions with elements of Persian and European Renaissance. File:Nature study, Mughal era, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Nature Study (Early Mughal) File:Babur crossing the River Saun, Folio of Babur Nama.jpg,

Babur Babur ( fa, , lit= tiger, translit= Bābur; ; 14 February 148326 December 1530), born Mīrzā Zahīr ud-Dīn Muhammad, was the founder of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. He was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through hi ...

crossing the River Saun by Jaganath, Folio from a

Baburnama The ''Bāburnāma'' ( chg, ; literally: ''"History of Babur"'' or ''"Letters of Babur"''; alternatively known as ''Tuzk-e Babri'') is the memoirs of Ẓahīr-ud-Dīn Muhammad Bābur (1483–1530), founder of the Mughal Empire and a great-great- ...

, 1598 File:Jahangir holding the picture of Madonna - Google Art Project.jpg, Jahangir holding a picture of Madonna, c. 1620 File:Nativity - c. 1720-25.jpg, Nativity, c. 1720-1725 File:The marriage procession of Dara Shikoh - Google Art Project.jpg, Marriage procession of

Dara Shikoh Dara Shikoh ( fa, ), also known as Dara Shukoh, (20 March 1615 – 30 August 1659) was the eldest son and heir-apparent of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Dara was designated with the title ''Padshahzada-i-Buzurg Martaba'' ("Prince of High Rank ...

, c. 1740-1750

Central India Miniature Paintings

Paintings from Central India include miniatures from Malwa and Bundelkhand.

Rajasthan Miniature Paintings

Rajasthani Miniatures flourished mainly in

Mewar Mewar or Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasthan, Neemuch and ...

Bundi Bundi is a city in the Hadoti region of Rajasthan state in northwest India and capital of the former princely state of Rajputana agency. District of Bundi is named after the former princely state. Demographics According to the 2011 Indian cens ...

, Kota,

Kishangarh Kishangarh is a city and a Municipal Council in Ajmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. History Kishangarh State was founded by the Jodhpur prince Kishan Singh in 1609. Prior to the rule of Kishan Singh this area was ruled by ...

Jaipur Jaipur (; Hindi: ''Jayapura''), formerly Jeypore, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had a population of 3.1 million, making it the tenth most populous city in the country. Jaipur is also known a ...

Jodhpur Jodhpur (; ) is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat of the princely state of Jodhpur State. Jodhpur was historically the capital of the ...

and

Bikaner Bikaner () is a city in the northwest of the state of Rajasthan, India. It is located northwest of the state capital, Jaipur. Bikaner city is the administrative headquarters of Bikaner District and Bikaner division. Formerly the capital o ...

. Mewar Miniatures are illustrating Hindu mythological themes. Bundi and Kota Miniatures excel in composition compactness. Hunting scenes are Kota's speciality. Bikaner excels in Portraiture. Kishangarh is known for its Bani Thani, which portrays the model of an idealised and elegant woman.

Pahari Miniature Paintings

Pahari schools flourished mainly at

Basohli Basohli (formerly Vishwasthali) is a town near Kathua in Kathua district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is situated on the right bank of River Ravi at an altitude of 1876 ft. It was founded by Raja Bhupat Pal so ...

Chamba Chamba may refer to: People *Gilberto Chamba (born 1961), Ecuadorian serial killer *Jessica Chamba (born 1981), European activist Places Ghana * Chamba, a town in the Northern Region India * Chamba (Vidhan Sabha constituency), Himachal Pradesh * ...

, Guler and Kangra. Under the patronage of Maharaja

Sansar Chand Sansar Chand (c. 1765 – 1824) was a Rajput ruler of the erstwhile state of Kangra-Lambagraon, Kangra in what is now the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Early life Sansar Chand was a scion of the Katoch dynasty which had ruled Kangra for cen ...

in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Kangra became the most prominent centre for the Pahari style. File:Nanda and other cowherds moving to Vrindavana, Kangra style painting, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Nanda and other Cowherds moving to Vrindavana (Based on the story of the Bhagvata-Purana) File:Guru Granth Sahib, 18th century illustration,National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Illustration of Guru Granth Sahib

Buddhist Artefacts Gallery

Gautam Buddha's relics, National Museum, New Delhi

The Buddhist Art Section is mostly known for the sacred relics of

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...

(5th–4th century BC) unearthed from Piprahwa,

Siddharthnagar district Siddharthnagar district is one of the 75 districts of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh also known as the birthplace of Gautama Buddha. Siddharthnagar is the district headquarters. Siddharthnagar district is a part of Basti division. It was unde ...

, in

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 195 ...

, which yielded caskets with fragments of bone, along with ornaments, figures and precious stones. The inscription on a casket speaks of the relics of Buddha. The

conducted further excavations at the site from 1971 to 1977, resulting in the discovery of two more caskets in

soapstone Soapstone (also known as steatite or soaprock) is a talc-schist, which is a type of metamorphic rock. It is composed largely of the magnesium rich mineral talc. It is produced by dynamothermal metamorphism and metasomatism, which occur in the ...

, containing more sacred bone relics. The site has been identified with ancient Kapilavastu, the home town of Buddha Sakyamuni. Outstanding specimens of Buddhist Art is illustrated through exhibits in

Stone In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...

Bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids suc ...

, Terracota,

Stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...

, Wooden

Sculptures Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

& Painted

Scrolls A scroll (from the Old French ''escroe'' or ''escroue''), also known as a roll, is a roll of papyrus, parchment, or paper containing writing. Structure A scroll is usually partitioned into pages, which are sometimes separate sheets of papy ...

Thangka A ''thangka'', variously spelled as ''thangka'', ''tangka'', ''thanka'', or ''tanka'' (; Tibetan: ཐང་ཀ་; Nepal Bhasa: पौभा), is a Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton, silk appliqué, usually depicting a Buddhist deity, scene, ...

s from

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...

Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...

Central Asia Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes the fo ...

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...

and

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...

which represents the three principal Buddhist forms –

Hinayana Hīnayāna (, ) is a Sanskrit term literally meaning the "small/deficient vehicle". Classical Chinese and Tibetan teachers translate it as "smaller vehicle". The term is applied collectively to the ''Śrāvakayāna'' and ''Pratyekabuddhayāna'' p ...

Mahayana ''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing br ...

and

Vajrayana Vajrayāna ( sa, वज्रयान, "thunderbolt vehicle", "diamond vehicle", or "indestructible vehicle"), along with Mantrayāna, Guhyamantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, are names referring t ...

. These objects stimulate a sense of Devotion, Dedication and

Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

for Humanity. Key highlights of the collection include: * Adoration of Stupa, Nagarjunkonda, Pale Green Limestone, 3rd century AD * Standing Buddha, Kushana, Dark grey schist stone, 2nd–3rd century AD * Laughing Boy Head, Kushana, Stucco, 3rd–4th century AD * Scenes from Buddha’s Life, Gupta, Sarnath, Chunar sandstone, 5th century AD * Buddha Head, Gupta, Sarnath, Buff Chunar sandstone, 5th century AD * Standing Buddha, Pala, Nalanda, Bronze, 10th century AD * Elephants carrying Buddha’s Relics, Sunga, Bharhut, Red sandstone, 2nd century BC * Sacred Relics from Kapilavastu, Piprahwa, Spotted red sandstone, 5th–4th century BC
File:Head of Buddha statue at National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Head of

File:Holy Relics of Lord Buddha, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Buddha's relics, from a stupa built by Emperor

Ashoka Ashoka (, ; also ''Asoka''; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, s ...

in the 3rd century BCE.

Evolution of Indian Scripts and Coins Gallery

In this gallery, there are many large sized well-lit transparencies on show which are narrating the development of various Indian

Scripts Script may refer to: Writing systems * Script, a distinctive writing system, based on a repertoire of specific elements or symbols, or that repertoire * Script (styles of handwriting) ** Script typeface, a typeface with characteristics of handw ...

and

Coins A coin is a small, flat (usually depending on the country or value), round piece of metal or plastic used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order t ...

. File:Nm nd gallery inside 02.JPG, Inside the Galleries of National Museum, New Delhi File:Nm nd gallery inside 03.JPG, Inside the Galleries of National Museum, New Delhi File:Nm nd gallery inside 04.JPG, Inside the Galleries of National Museum, New Delhi File:Nm nd gallery inside 05.JPG, Inside the Galleries of National Museum, New Delhi

Bronze Gallery

The Bronze Gallery, showcases pioneer works of bronze in Indian art and sculpture. Renovated to present information in a unique and accessible way, the gallery features a striking layout that juxtaposes the sculptures with detailed descriptions providing context, significance and production processes of the objects. The gallery has been curated by Shri Tejpal Singh, Deputy Curator, Archaeology and designed by Ms.Matrika,

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...

and executed by

CPWD The Central Public Works Department (Hindi: केंद्रीय लोक निर्माण विभाग), commonly referred to as the CPWD, is a premier Central Government authority in charge of public sector works. The Central Public ...

. Four Buddha images from Phophnar,

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the second ...

known for their excellence are on display. The Pala bronzes from 8th to 10th century, mainly Buddhist in theme are from Nalanda in

Bihar Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West ...

. The bronzes from the Himalayan region, especially those belonging to

Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...

and

Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several pea ...

, represents bronzes of Northern India. Svachchhanda Bhairavi showcases the skill of the metal smith of Chamba and Vishnu Vaikuntha testifies to the high level of craftsmanship of Kashmiri artists. Selected Nepalese and Tibetan bronzes are also on view. The image of Vasudeva-Kamalja (half Vishnu and half Lakshmi) displayed here is a superb example of Nepalese bronze art and iconography. Key highlights of the collections include: * Vishnu Vaikuntha, Kashmir, Bronze, 9th century AD * Nataraja, Chola, Tamil Nadu, 12th century AD * Kaliya-Mardan Krishna, Early Chola, 10th century AD * Siva- Tripurantaka, Early Chola, 9th century AD * Svachchhanda Bhairavi, Utpala Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, 10th century AD
File:Nataraja01.jpg, Shiva dancing

Nataraja Nataraja () also known as Adalvallaan () is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the divine cosmic dancer. His dance is called Tandava.''Encyclopædia Britannica'' (2015) The pose and artwork are described in many Hindu texts such as the ''T ...

Chola The Chola dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd century BCE d ...

12th century CE, Bronze File:Parsvanatha with two other tirthankaras, yaksha and yakshi, Maitraka, 9th Century, Akota, Gujarat, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Parsvanatha, Maitraka, 9th century,

Akota Akota is an urban area in the western side of Vadodara City, in the state of Gujarat, in India. Earlier it was known as "Anakotakka", as mentioned in one of the Akota Bronzes. The suburb is located on the banks of river Vishwamitri. It is one ...

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

File:National Museum - Parsvanatha 11C.jpg, Parsvanatha, 1062 CE, Western India, File:National Museum - Chaubisi of Kunthunatha.jpg, Chaubisi of Kunthunatha, 1465 CE, Western India

Manuscripts Gallery

The museum comprises over 14,000 manuscripts and texts, of which about 1000 are illustrated. The collection of manuscripts are in various languages and scripts covering a large number of subjects. They are written on different types of materials such as

parchment Parchment is a writing material made from specially prepared untanned skins of animals—primarily sheep, calves, and goats. It has been used as a writing medium for over two millennia. Vellum is a finer quality parchment made from the skins ...

, birch

bark Bark may refer to: * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Places * Bark, Germany * Bark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland Arts, e ...

, palm leaf, cloth,

paper Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, rags, grasses or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through fine mesh leaving the fibre evenly distribu ...

and

metals A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typical ...

. All the manuscripts represent various religions and sects of the Indian Subcontinent covering the period from the 7th to the 19th centuries. Dated manuscripts elaborate the Indian history with authoritative authenticity. Key highlights of the collections include: * Asthasahasrika Prajnaparamita, Sanskrit, Palm Leaf, 12th century AD * Baburnama, Persian, Paper, AD 1598 * Balabodhini, Sanskrit, Birch-bark manuscript, 12th century AD * Gita Govinda of Jayadeva, Sanskrit, Palm leaf; 14 folios in accordion format, 18th century AD *

Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

Kalpa sutra Kalevan Pallo (KalPa) is a professional ice hockey team which competes in the Finnish Liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Olvi Areena. Team history Established in 1929 as ''Sortavalan Palloseura'' in Sortavala, the club relocated to Kuop ...

s, Prakrit, Paper, 15th century AD

Coins Gallery

The Coins Gallery of the National Museum, New Delhi has over coins in its reserve with some of the rarest coins, ranging from sixth century BC, when coins are believed to have first appeared in the country. The gallery displays 1669 coins along with five replicas of coins, five measuring vessels and some ''couries'' and ''ratties'' that were used in ancient times as weights and measures. It has almost all Indian coins from the earliest bent bar, punch-marked coins to those of Indian Pot with Seated Monkey States, British India and post-independence coins. The entire history of Indian coinage from about 6th century BCE to the beginning of the 21st century is exhibited. There are various dioramas depicting various techniques of coin production. These coins can be considered rich and authentic source of information on various aspects of Ancient, Medieval and Modern Indian History. File:Coinsgallery 1 nm india.JPG, View of the different methods over time File:Coinsgallery 2 nm india.JPG, View of the Coins Gallery File:Copper vase nm india.JPG, This is the Copper Vase which contained the 1821 gold Coins of the

Gupta era The Gupta era is a historical calendar era that begins from c. 318–319 CE. It was used by the Gupta emperors, as well as their vassals and their successors in present-day northern India and Nepal. It is identical to the Vallabhi era (or Valabh ...

found at

Bayana Bayana is a historical town and the headquarters of Bayana tehsil in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan in India. Hindaun City is nearest city of Bayana - 33 km. It was the site of famous Important Battle of Bayana in 1527 between the Raj ...

, District Bharatpur, Rajasthan File:Gupta era gold Coin showing the Marriage of Chandragupta, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Chandragupta with his Wife File:Gupta era gold coin, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg,

Chandragupta I Chandragupta I (Gupta script: ''Cha-ndra-gu-pta'', r. c. 319–335 or 319–350 CE) was a king of the Gupta Empire, who ruled in northern and central India. His title ''Maharajadhiraja'' ("great king of kings") suggests that he was the firs ...

File:Coins from Gupta Periods, Samudragupta's rule, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg,

Samudragupta Samudragupta (Gupta script: ''Sa-mu-dra-gu-pta'', (c. 335–375 CE) was the second emperor of the Gupta Empire of ancient India, and is regarded among the greatest rulers of the dynasty. As a son of the Gupta emperor Chandragupta I and the ...

File:Coins from Gupta Era, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Samudragupta playing Veena File:Coins from Gupta Period, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg,

Ashvamedha The Ashvamedha ( sa, अश्वमेध, aśvamedha, translit-std=IAST) was a horse sacrifice ritual followed by the Śrauta tradition of Vedic religion. It was used by ancient Indian kings to prove their imperial sovereignty: a horse accom ...

Coins File:Coins from Mughal Period Jahangir's rule, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg,

's Coins File:18th Century Coins, British Raj, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg,

British Indian coins British trading posts in the Indian subcontinent were first established by the East India Company (EIC) early in the seventeenth century, which quickly evolved into larger colonies covering a significant part of the subcontinent. Early settlement ...

, 18th century CE

Central Asian Gallery

The vast and varied collection of this gallery was excavated, explored and collected by

, one of the major archaeological explorers of early 20th century. He collected these cultural materials from more than 100 Ancient Cities along the

Silk Route The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...

during three major expeditions carried out by him in 1900–1901, 1906–1908 and 1913–1916. The collection consists of wall paintings, painted silk banners, sculptures in wood, stucco and terracotta, coins, porcelain and pottery objects, leather, grass and fiber, precious items of gold and silver, religious and secular documents. File:Buddha statue nm india.JPG, Buddha in Dharmachakra Mudra File:Buddha c.asia nm india.JPG, Buddha in the Central Asian Arts Gallery File:Kharoshti script on a wooden plate, National Museum, New Delhi 01.jpg, A tablet containing

Kharoshti The Kharoṣṭhī script, also spelled Kharoshthi (Kharosthi: ), was an ancient Indo-Iranian script used by various Aryan peoples in north-western regions of the Indian subcontinent, more precisely around present-day northern Pakistan and e ...

Script File:Buddha with his disciples, wall painting from a stupa in China displayed at National Museum, New Delhi .jpg, Part of a wall painting showing Buddha with his disciples

Maritime Heritage Gallery

A Maritime Heritage Gallery is located on the first floor of the National Museum which showcases the rich maritime heritage of India through various artefacts, photographs and dioramas. The gallery was setup in 1991. File:Museum artefacts 01 nm.JPG, A view of the Maritime Gallery File:Statue of Varuna, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Inside the Gallery File:Museum artefacts 02 nm.JPG, Different objects exhibited File:Diorama showing maratha naval tactics, National Museum, New Delhi (cropped).jpg, A diorama showing

Maratha The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed a ...

naval tactics File:Maritime Heritage Gallery.jpg, Entrance to the Maritime Heritage Gallery

Tanjore and Mysore Paintings Gallery

This gallery exhibits the paintings from the two famous schools of South India –

and

Mysore Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude o ...

. The important themes of Tanjore and Mysore schools include paintings of

Vaishnavism Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as ...

portraying images of Hindu Gods Krishna, Rama, Vishnu and his other incarnations and

Shaivism Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangi ...

portraying various forms of Shiva, Parvati, Kartikeya, Ganesha and other Shaiva deities; and portraits of various kings, saints and royal patrons. Tanjore paintings, named after the ancient town of Tanjavur in

employ real gold and silver foil, precious and semiprecious stones, beads, mirrors, and powdered metals besides the use of primary colours- red, green, blue, black and white to depict key figures. The Mysore school of painting sprang in south Karnataka in the reign of Maharaja Mummudi Krishnaraja Wadiyar present a wide variety, from murals to stylistic Mysore paintings on cloth, paper and wood. 88 paintings have been put on show at the gallery and some of the masterpieces include ''Navaneeta'' Krishna with Tanjore King Shivaji II (1830 CE), ''Nataraja'' Shiva early 19th century, Rama ''Pattabhisheikha'' early 19th century, Durbar of Serfoji II (1798–1833) and the Marriage ceremony of Shiva -Parvati and Sita-Rama end of18th century. Museum artefacts 05 nm.JPG, View of the Gallery File:Coronation of Rama, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Rama Darbar (Coronation of

Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bei ...

Ayodhya Ayodhya (; ) is a city situated on the banks of holy river Saryu in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya, also known as Saketa, is an ancient city of India, the birthplace of Rama and setting of the great epic Ramayana. Ayodhy ...

)

Textiles Gallery

The Textiles Gallery exhibits the collection of Indian traditional textiles of the Later Mughal period. Cotton, Silk and Woolen textiles which are woven, printed, dyed and embroidered are exhibited in the gallery. File:Gallery12 national museum india.JPG, View of the Textiles Gallery File:Gallery13 national museum india.JPG, Another view of the Textiles Gallery File:Gallery 23 nm india.JPG, A view of the shawls in the Textiles Gallery. The shawls are from

File:Pichwai painting, made in net, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Pichwai on Net File:Handcerchief, Kalam Kaari technique, Mughal Era, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Rumal made by Kalam Kaari Technique File:Harappn artefacts nm india 04.JPG, Pitara Box in the Textiles Gallery * Royal Chamber: It is the particular area which exhibits the use of Textiles in Royal Style. The chamber has embroidered silk carpet on the floor. A cloth ceiling and printed wall clothes cover most of the area. The covers of Pillows have very minute zari and

zardozi Zardozi or zar-douzi or zarduzi (from Classical Persian زَردوزی ''zardōzī'', literally "gold embroidery"; fa, label= Modern Persian, زَردوزی, translit=zarduzi; hi, ज़रदोज़ी, tg, зардӯзӣ, ur, زردوز ...

work on them. File:Gallery28 national museum india.JPG, Use of textiles in the tent of rajas File:Gallery29 national museum india.JPG, Another view of use of textiles in the tent of rajas

Pre-Columbian and Western Arts Gallery

The collection of Pre Columbian art donated by Mr & Mrs Heeramaneek represents the principal cultures of the Pre- Columbian world. The Olmec culture from Mexico is characterized by huge stone sculptures representing human heads, as well as small sculptures in jade and other stones 0. The objects are primarily from before Christopher Columbus's discovery of North and South America, including objects from

Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

Maya Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a popul ...

Inca The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, ( Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The adm ...

, North-West coast of America,

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

and

El Salvador El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south ...

. File:Gallery14 national museum india.JPG, View of the gallery containing artefacts from the pre-Columbian times

Anthropology Department

The Anthropology Department of National Museum has a collection of objects of ethnographic interest that has been acquired over the years through exploratory expeditions as well as valuable gifts from private collections. The Ethnic Art gallery exhibits examples of tribal and folk art as part of a larger heritage.

Tribal Lifestyle of North East India Gallery

This gallery is dedicated to the states of North-East India. The eight states of the North East are called '' Seven Sisters and One Brother (

Sikkim Sikkim (; ) is a state in Northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Province No. 1 of Nepal in the west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Sil ...

) States''. The eight states have a wealth of cultural handicraft, performing arts and unique traditions. This gallery exhibits traditional artefacts such as dresses, apparels, headgears, ornaments, paintings, basketry, wood carvings, smoking pipes and articles of personal adornments of various tribal groups. File:Different types of masks from North-east Tribals, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, A View of the Different Masks Present in the NorthEast Tribal Lifestyle Gallery File:Northeast 2 nm india.JPG, A View of the North East Tribal Lifestyle Gallery File:Northeast 3 nm india.JPG, A View of the Different Headgears in the Tribal Lifestyle Gallery File:Coat from Arunachal Pradesh, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Coat made up of Fibre, Human Hair and Cotton

Sharan Rani Bakliwal Musical Instruments Gallery

The collection on display in the Musical Instrument Gallery was donated to the museum by Padamshree (Late) Mrs. Sharan Rani Backliwal, India's Sarod Maestro. This gallery has a collection of musical instruments in tribal, folk and classical groups. There are also a few 19th-century Western instruments. The collection is divided into three parts such as

Wind Instruments A wind instrument is a musical instrument that contains some type of resonator (usually a tube) in which a column of air is set into vibration by the player blowing into (or over) a mouthpiece set at or near the end of the resonator. The pit ...

String Instruments String instruments, stringed instruments, or chordophones are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer plays or sounds the strings in some manner. Musicians play some string instruments by plucking the st ...

and Percussion Instruments. This gallery also has a sculpture made in bamboo of Goddess Saraswati playing the

Veena The ''veena'', also spelled ''vina'' ( sa, वीणा IAST: vīṇā), comprises various chordophone instruments from the Indian subcontinent. Ancient musical instruments evolved into many variations, such as lutes, zithers and arched harps ...

. File:Gallery15 national museum india.JPG, View of the Musical Instruments File:Gallery16 national museum india.JPG, Larger view of the Gallery

Wood Carving Gallery

The Wood Carving Gallery of the museum not only exhibits artefacts from India, but also from

, Central India and

. This gallery gives glimpses of India's wood carving tradition mainly belonging from 17th to 19th centuries illustrating the different styles of wood carvings from

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern ...

Odisha Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...

and South India. Collections on display include decorative and utilitarian objects, architectural elements and sculptures. A square pillar with a capital of five feet height dated 9th century is the earliest wood carving specimen in National Museum. The gallery has been curated by Anamika Pathak. File:Wooden mandap nm india.JPG, The Mandap kept in the Wood Carving gallery File:Wood mandap nm india.JPG, Inner view of the Wooden Mandap File:Wood mandap2 nm india.JPG, Inner view of the Wooden Mandap File:Nm artefacts 12.JPG, Carved Door from Gujarat

Arms and Armour Gallery

This gallery exhibits arms from the

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with ...

up to the

Modern Age The term modern period or modern era (sometimes also called modern history or modern times) is the period of history that succeeds the Middle Ages (which ended approximately 1500 AD). This terminology is a historical periodization that is appli ...

. The collection comprises edged weapons, projectiles, smashing weapons, sacrificial and ritual weapons, firearms, armour for men and animals, ornamental and war accessories. The collection is predominantly Mughal in addition to

Sikh Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...

Rajput Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...

arms which are also well represented. File:Stone Age arms, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Arms from Stone & Bronze Age File:Body Armour of Aurangzeb, Mughal Period, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Body Armour of

Aurangzeb Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...

File:Bow and Arrow of Bahadur Shah Zafar 2, Sword and Dagger of Aurangzeb and battle Axe of Nadir Shah, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Bow & Arrow of

Bahadur Shah Zafar II Bahadur Shah II, usually referred to by his poetic title Bahadur Shah ''Zafar'' (; ''Zafar'' Victory) was born Mirza Abu Zafar Siraj-ud-din Muhammad (24 October 1775 – 7 November 1862) and was the twentieth and last Mughal Emperor as well a ...

, Sword & Dagger of Aurangzeb and

Battle Axe A battle axe (also battle-axe, battle ax, or battle-ax) is an axe specifically designed for combat. Battle axes were specialized versions of utility axes. Many were suitable for use in one hand, while others were larger and were deployed two-ha ...

Nadir Shah Nader Shah Afshar ( fa, نادر شاه افشار; also known as ''Nader Qoli Beyg'' or ''Tahmāsp Qoli Khan'' ) (August 1688 – 19 June 1747) was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty of Iran and one of the most powerful rulers in Iranian ...

File:Shield of Maharana Sangram Singh, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg, Shield of Maharana

Sangram Singh II Sangram Singh II (24 March 1690 – 11 January 1734) was a ruler of Mewar, India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous count ...

Tradition, Art and Continuity

A Gallery with over 200 objects ranging from a wide geographical and social spectrum, acquired from private collectors was added to the museum on 6 February 2014. Various objects on display are a palanquin from the Santhal community, scroll paintings from West Bengal, textiles such as

Phulkari Phulkari ( pa, ਫੁਲਕਾਰੀ) refers to the folk embroidery of the Punjab. Although Phulkari means floral work, the designs include not only flowers but also cover motifs and geometrical shapes. The main characteristics of Phulkari embr ...

s from

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi Language, Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also Romanization, romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the I ...

and bronze sculptures from Bastar, besides terracotta works and basketry. The gallery is a rich representation of art from various parts of India.

Anubhav

The National Museum, in collaboration with UNESCO, National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) and Saksham, launched a new permanent gallery for Persons with Disabilities in the year 2015 which features tactile replicas of 22 objects from the collections of the museum as well as an audio guide, ramps and descriptive labels in Braille; the gallery encourages visitors to 'touch' and feel the objects on display. 'Anubhav: A Tactile Experience' ensures a conducive space and exposure to the objects for the differently abled. The gallery was conceived and developed by Rige Shiba, Assistant Curator under the overall guidance of Dr. Vijay Kumar Mathir, Curator with assistance from Vasundhra Sangwan. The Replicas exhibited in the space have been made by the National Museum Modeling department headed by Hemant Tomar and his colleagues and the gallery has been designed by Amardeep Labana, with a special emphasis on dimensions. For instance, one can have a sensory experience of a mid-19th century coin from the Awadh region which has been recreated in 23-inch diameter and 2-inch thickness.

Governance

On the basis of nature of grants and exercise of control, the National Museum comes within the purview of Central Government of India. It was initially looked after by the Director General of Archaeology until 1957, when the Ministry of Education, Government of India, declared it a separate institution and placed it under its own direct control, following this shift the museum began to significantly increase both its staff and its collections using funds from the Art Purchase Committee. At present, the National Museum is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

Donors

The first wave of collecting for the National Museum started in 1948 and which lasted around 1952, drawing heavily on scholars like V. S. Agarwala, Moti Chandra, Rai Krishnadas, Karl Khandalavala and their personal relationships with private collectors. Funding for mass collecting was granted by Parliament from 1947 but this first acquisition period is marked by lack of descriptive detail, quantifiable data, parameters surrounding the criteria of selection. O. C. Gangoly (1881–1974) sold a group from his collection of paintings to the National Museum in whose foundation he states he played a role. He further avers that he encouraged other fellow collectors to bequeath their collections to the National Museum but was not always successful. Collections of Burjor N. Treasurywalla (d. 1947) also resides in the National Museum, about which Gangoly says almost nothing except that it was large and important. He does emphasize how he was involved in the purchasing of the collection itself except that it was likely that Khandalavala, a relative of Treasurywallla, played a greater role. V. S. Agarwala was instrumental in securing extensive private collection of Ajit Ghose of Calcutta, Dickinson collection, Gulab Chand collection, Modi's collection and Medd's collection. In recent years, according to a Standing Committee on Transport, Culture and Tourism query, the number of collections added to the National Museum was a total of 2269 objects during the period of 1994–2010. Out of this 1360 objects were purchased and remaining 906 objects were acquired through gifts etc. This small number was attributed to the Art Acquisition Committee of the National Museum being defunct since 1997.

Auditorium

Beside the galleries, the museum also has an auditorium with a seating capacity of 250 people. A brief film introducing the museum and its collections is screened in the auditorium regularly. Film shows on art, history and heritage are also screened.

Digitization of museum collections

The National Museum has started a special project to digitize its collection of objects in order to make it available for visitors to see online. This process involves digitization and storage of museum collections in a collection management system named ‘JATAN’. JATAN is a virtual museum builder software, that enables creation of digital collection management system for Indian museums and is deployed in several national museums across India. Its objective is to make a digital imprint of all the objects preserved in museums and help researchers, curators and other people interested in the field which has been designed and developed by Centre for Development of Smart Computing (C-DAC) Pune. The digital imprints (of preserved objects and monuments) created using the JATAN software are integrated in the national digital repository and portal for making them accessible to the public. The National portal and digital repository for museums of India provides an integrated access to theme-based collections and artefacts (in terms of sculptures, paintings, manuscripts, weapons, coins and numerous other categories of artefacts) irrespective of the physical and geographical locations of museums. Centre for Development of Smart Computing has also developed "Darshak", a mobile-based application aimed at improving the museum visit experience among the differently abled. It allows real-time museum visitors gather all details about objects or artefacts simply by scanning a QR code placed near the object.

National Museum collections on the Google Art Project

National Museum has volunteered objects from its collection on the Google Art Project which is a non-commercial initiative of Google through the

Google Cultural Institute Google Arts & Culture (formerly Google Art Project) is an online platform of high-resolution images and videos of artworks and cultural artifacts from partner cultural organizations throughout the world. It utilizes high-resolution image technol ...

. More than hundred objects have been photographed and their descriptions are available on the Google Art Project website under the name of National Museum, New Delhi, which has given a high reach to online visitors for the collection. The Google page of National Museum will be populated further by adding other pertinent collections from National Museum on it.National Museum- Bulletin No.11

Controversy

In 2010, in the first study of its kind,

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

presented a report which rated the National Museum along with other seven museums, as badly maintained, poorly lit and having incorrect signs. In a response by the then Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment and Tourism, Selja Kumari in a written reply to Parliament said that the ratings and findings of the report were invalid since the no. of surveyors was inadequate.

Future

Although in its early stages, another project for which the site proposed for redevelopment constitutes the most iconic part of India's capital city, Central Vista Redevelopment Project, the National Museum is one of the buildings listed in the tender as some of these buildings approaching the end of their "structural lives" while those that are around a 100 years old, like North and South Blocks, are not "earthquake safe".

References

External links

"National Museum, New Delhi"
Pathshala PDF
Homepage
* e-Brochure, http://www.nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/assets/pdf/English-e-brochures-new.pdf
Virtual tour of the National Museum, New Delhi
provided by

Google Arts & Culture Google Arts & Culture (formerly Google Art Project) is an online platform of high-resolution images and videos of artworks and cultural artifacts from partner cultural organizations throughout the world. It utilizes high-resolution image technol ...

* {{Authority control National museums of India Buildings and structures in New Delhi Museums in Delhi Archaeological museums in India Art museums and galleries in India Decorative arts museums in India Art museums established in 1949 1949 establishments in India Ministry of Culture (India)