After facelift, Meeras Mahal inaugurated in Sopore

Sopore, Nov 25: After getting a facelift, the MeerasMahal (Heritage Palace) Museum of Ethnography in Sopore was inaugurated with grandeur on Saturday.

The idea of this visionary project can be attributed to the collaborative efforts of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Kashmir Chapter and Span Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) dedicated to cultural preservation.

The museum underwent a remarkable facelift under the project executed by INTACH and Span Foundation before its formal smooth inauguration in the Sopore town. INTACH Kashmir Chapter, the project consultant, conceptualised, designed, and supervised the project.

The history of MeerasMahal Museum of Ethnography dates back to years when it was set up and curated over many years by an extraordinary, resolute, and devoted woman of Sopore, AtiqaBano (1940-2017). She distinguished herself as an educationist, an activist, and a conservationist and would utilise her time, besides teaching, in identifying the objects and artifacts reflecting the life and customs, especially those putting a spotlight on Kashmir's uncaptured but highly evolved rural life, agricultural practices, customs, rituals, minor arts, and traditional industries.

Talking to Greater Kashmir on the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony, Convener INTACH J&K Chapter Saleem Beg said that MeerasMahal was fundamentally an ethnographic museum that distinguishes itself from the typical museum.

He said that its importance had grown.

“We now know about our heritage and traditions only in writing, lacking any tangible representation. This museum fills that gap. An educationist AtiqaBano spent 40 to 50 years collecting 7000 objects that vividly depict the rural culture, lifestyle, and living traditions of Kashmir,” Beg said.

In addition, INTACH, the consulting body for this museum, has provided an interpretative panel describing the activities and materials used during various seasons.

“The cultural significance lies in its potential to serve as an educational resource for future generations, providing information about jewellery, woodwork, musical instruments, and more. It creates an environment for people to connect with their past,” Beg said.

Notably, during her life, AtiqaBano’s commitment and perseverance became the driving force behind establishing the heritage palace.

The collection has been built over the years from her contributions, rescued artifacts, and even door-to-door collection.

“The museum is thus a result of her dogged pursuit to preserve through the medium of material heritage a significant part of our cultural history, which otherwise was fading fast from the landscape and mindscape of people in Kashmir,” Beg said.

Former Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, RafiqMasoodi said, “AtiqaBano, who dreamt of this moment 50 years ago, is witnessing its fulfillment in her final resting place.”

He said that in the absence of modern communication, AtiqaBano traversed various regions of Kashmir, collecting artifacts to fulfill her dream.

AtiqaBano served in senior positions in the Department of Education and passionately promoted and preserved the culture of her homeland and its people.

After she retired from government service, she continued with her efforts which finally culminated in the establishment of the museum in the year 2002.

“The museum is home to more than 7000 artifacts that provide an ethnographic lens into the rich cultural heritage of Kashmir, especially its hinterland,” Masoodi said.

Most of these artifacts are items of everyday use that were a common sight in Kashmir until the end of the 20th century.

Founder of Span Foundation, an NGO, JaspreetKour expressed the desire for the local community to adopt the MeerasMahal and develop it further.

“The aim is to make it a major tourist attraction in north Kashmir. If it becomes a part of the tourist map, it will be an important stop,” she said and encouraged the promotion of the museum and its adoption as a cultural hub. “The artifacts available at the museum are to be considered as repositories of objects of cultural value that are required to be preserved and interpreted.”

The museum assets include the land and building donated by the family of the late AtiqaBano to MeerasMahal, registered as a trust in the year 2009 with AtiqaBano as the managing trustee.

The museum collections comprise terracotta, woodwork, wickerware and grassware, stone instruments, textiles, books, manuscripts, traditional costumes, jewellery, utensils, musical instruments, and other related miscellaneous objects.