Museum Day: Experts Decry Restrictions On People’s Involvement In Museums In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The laws restricting people’s involvement in museums have promoted to lack of awareness about India’s rich culture and traditions, said experts.

Speaking to the media persons on the occasion of International Museum Day on Thursday, Amiya Bhushan Tripathy, Odisha convener of the Indian National Trust form Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), said, “The problem about Indian museums is that we continue to follow a colonial policy in managing India’s heritage. Heritage was managed solely by Central or state governments worldwide until the early 1950s. Policies changed thereafter everywhere, except in India, where no volunteers are allowed to work at museums. The government rules simply do not allow people interested in culture and heritage to participate.”

“Article 51 A of the Indian Constitution lays down the fundamental duty of all citizens to value, preserve and protect our composite culture. Intach is India’s largest non-profit membership organisation dedicated to conservation and preservation of India’s natural, cultural, living, tangible and intangible heritage,” he added.

The International Museum Day aims at creating awareness among people about the great contribution that museums make to society. It also celebrates the role of museums in promoting cultural exchange, diversity, and inclusivity.

According to Anil Dhir, convener of INTACH’s Bhubaneswar Chapter, museums have become just storehouses. There is little outreach since schools and colleges are not connected to museums. “Educational visits and tours will educate students about history, geography, sociology, anthropology and archaeology. Intach is doing its part, but the government should loosen rules and allow citizens to fulfil their fundamental duty to preserve and protect their composite culture,” he said.

Dr Biswajit Mohanty is of the opinion that raising funds through corporate and private donors should be allowed in India just like the practice of private sponsors for museums abroad. As the new Companies Bill mandates that corporations set 2% of their net profits for Corporate Social Responsibility, funding heritage protection can be one area that companies could consider to make a difference and to preserve, protect and popularise India’s heritage, he said.

Museums should be set up in each district which would encourage school children and the public to take interest in our heritage and culture and work for its active preservation. They would instil a sense of pride in the glorious heritage of the ancient land of Kalinga.

INTACH has executed four museum projects in the two decades. The Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Museum, the Maritime Museum and the Judicial Museum were set up at Cuttack. The ancestral house of Netaji at Puri too was converted into a museum by INTACH. Two more museums – one at the renovated Town Hall in Sambalpur and the other at the Citizens Jubilee Library at Balangir – are underway.

The Manoj Das-Manmath Das memorial at Balasore too is being undertaken. A proposal for a Millet Museum at Cuttack is under consideration. Besides, INTACH has been instrumental in the preservation and conservation of many heritage structures including Charchika Temple at Banki, Rani Bhakhri at Sambalpur, many old temples in Bhubaneswar and a portion of the Nilagiri Palace.