Museums at the sites
The International Day for Monuments and Sites also known as World Heritage Day is an international observance held on 18 April each year around the world. It marked different types of activities, including visits to monuments and heritage sites. India the land of rich heritage, also observes this day with its cultural pride. On this occasion tourist and student visits are conducted to different monuments and site museums. Special tours are arranged for students to various site museums which included trips to the archaeological site museums of Sarnath, Nalanda, Khajuraho Ajanta Caves, Dehli fort and Agra, with an objective to introduce the new generations to their respective archaeological sites and to its exhumed materials.
Although there is yet not a single site museum set at any of the significant archaeological sites of Jammu and Kashmir but there are about 52 site museums already set up at various significant archaeological sites of this country where in the excavated artefacts of the particular sites are not only preserved but also showcased for their visitors.
In fact the international monuments and sites day is also observed here in Jammu and Kashmir and special tours are arranged for the students to different monuments and museums. But in absence of the site museums, the students and tourists miss to see the excavated artefacts of any of the archaeological site. Surprisingly there exists no site museum or even a single site museum gallery at any of its significant archaeological sites of this land. The world class Neolithic archaeological sites at Burzhama, Kushan era terracotta sites of Harwan and Ambaaran Akhnoor have also got no site museums despite their importance.
Almost all other states of this country have got multiple site museums at their respective archaeological sites, but perhaps Jammu and Kashmir is only one such place, which despite showcasing the world-class significant archaeological sites, has not succeeded yet to have its own site museum at any of its archaeological site. The history of its archaeological explorations and excavations dates back to early 19th century, and European and local archaeologists have discovered several archaeological sites and recovered thousands of significant archaeological artefacts of Palaeolithic, Neolithic and historic ages from its excavated sites.
The most significant archaeological artefacts were recovered from the excavations of Neolithic era site of Burzhama, Kushan era remains of terracotta settlements of Harwan and Ambaraan Akhnoor, medieval period magnificent remains of Parahaspura and Ushkar Baramullah.
Jammu and Kashmir showcases a wonderful heritage of built heritages. And most of the heritage sites are also well maintained and well preserved. But all of the sites are without any site museum. In fact, we are still involved in preservation and conservation process of our cultural heritage and have not yet deliberated on its development and promotion, so that these sites could have been equipped well with its archaeological infrastructure.
History records that during the colonial and Dogra era the foreign travellers and tourists were very much interested in exploring the architectural and archaeological heritage of this land. Their travelogues and the local administrative reports of that period are witness to the fact that thousands of tourists have been every year visiting its archaeological sites and museums. The streets of Srinagar city, Khanqah Shah Hamdan, mosque and tomb of Madine Sahib, remains of Buddhist and Hindu monasteries and temples of Harwan, Parahaspora, Ushkar, Taper, Martand, Avantipura, and other monuments of the Jhelum valley were the main sites of tourist attractions.
Maharaja Pratap Singh is learnt to have been keeping an eye on the tourist flow of this land and on the facilities provided to them. He has been monitoring the flow of tourists to SPS Museum Srinagar and it was the duty of the superintendent of the museum to submit the hand written report to Maharaja Bhadur on daily basis about the number of foreign visitors to have visited the museum. Similarly the tourist flow to the monuments was also monitored on seasonal basis. Till eighties, the state museum and archaeological monuments had been considered the main heritage tourism destinations of this land. Since during nineties, the number of tourists declined considerably which was obviously due to uncertain conditions which then prevailed here. In fact, even in those unfavourable conditions the archaeological works continued here and number of archaeological sites and artefacts were discovered and registered.
But to one’s surprise not a single site museum ever was created here at any of significant archaeological site. Although there are several world class archaeological sites found in Jammu and Kashmir which has got every potential for setting up the site museums.
Unfortunately the rare Neolithic period bone and stone artefacts of Burzhama site are still languishing in strong rooms of Purana Qilla Museum at New Delhi. Similarly the terracotta tiles exhumed from these sites are housed in the strong rooms of ASI. (Fortunately few of terracotta tiles and terracotta heads exhumed from these sites can be seen at Srinagar and Jammu museums). Scores of terracotta sites excavated from the length and breadth of this valley have also turned inaccessible. The tile pavement which once was very much visible at these sites has been dumped with soil and no remains of these glorious pavements have been left open for tourists. Similarity the proposal of setting up of natural history museum in the old museum complex at Srinagar with the already available prized collection of stuff - birds and animals, geological and mineral collections - has also gathered dust.
Usually the concerned departments and administration are held responsible for such lapses but I do not see any fault of these institutions. The cultural and heritage organisations and institutions involved in preservation and conservation of cultural assets have been doing a commendable job, but there is the lack of sustainable heritage policy. Government must formulate such a progressive heritage promotion policy which shall focus beyond the preservation and conservation phase and focus on setting of site museums at least at its significant archaeological sites
It is better late than never, we can still make a beginning and first such site museums can be set up at the historic Neolithic site of Burzhama and Kushan era site of Ambaraan Akhnoor. But that is only possible when the artefacts of these sites are brought back and showcased at its original designated sites of Burzhama and Ambaaran Akhnoor respectively.
The best way to observe this year’s international Day of monuments and archaeological sites is to focus on the possibilities of setting site museums at significant archaeological sites so that Jammu and Kashmir also figure in list of the site museums of this country.
The writer is senior archaeologist.
