 Museum building gate | |
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| Established | 1 July 1877 |
|---|---|
| Location | Bhuj, Kutch, Gujarat, India |
| Coordinates | 23°14′55″N69°39′59″E / 23.24861°N 69.66639°E |
| Type | Local museum, History museum, Art Museum |
| Founder | Khengarji III |
Kutch Museum is a museum located opposite to the Hamirsar Lake in Bhuj, in the Kutch district of Gujarat, India. It is the oldest museum of Gujarat which was founded in 1877. It is located opposite Hamirsar Lake. The museum was earlier known as Fergusson Museum. [1] [2]
Kutch museum was initially established as a part of the School of Arts established by Khengarji III, the Maharao of Cutch State. It was founded on 1 July 1877. [3] [1] [4] [5] [2] At the time of Maharao Khengarji III's marriage on 19 February 1884 many new items were received and for exhibition of which, a need for new building was necessitated. As such, on 14 November 1884, the foundation stone for the present museum building was laid by the Governor of Bombay, Sir James Fergusson and named Fergusson Museum after him by Maharao of Cutch. The building consisting of two floors which cost Rs. 32000 to construct at that time. The museum, constructed in the Italian Gothic style, is located on the bank of Hamirsar Lake just opposite to the Nazar Bagh Garden. [3] It was designed by the state engineer - Mc Lelland [5] and built by local builders known as Mistris of Kutch under supervision of State Gaidher - Jairam Ruda Gajdhar. [6] [7] The museum remained the preserve of the Maharao of Cutch, till 1948, who showed it only to his personal guests. In those days, the museum was opened to the public only on important religious occasions. [3] [5]
The museum has the largest existing collection of Kshatrapa inscriptions, dating to the 1st century. The oldest Kshatrapa six inscription-stones found in Andhau village in Khavda are moved here. They are originally on the hillock and called Lashti. They were erected in time of Rudradaman I. [8] The only Gujarati Abhira inscription of the 3rd century is also here. It also has an example of the extinct Kutchi script (now the Kutchi language is mostly written in the Gujarati script) and a collection of coins, including the Koris - the local currency of Kutch till 1948. [3] [4] [5]
The museum has almost 11 sections. The archaeological section has Indus seals. Different kinds of stone tablets are available also. The painting showing the different vocations of Kutch are on the display. There is also an excellent section which covers classical and musical instruments like Nagfani, Morchang and many others, which are put on the display of the museum.
A section of the museum is devoted to tribal cultures, with many examples of ancient artifacts, folk arts and crafts and information about tribal peoples. The museum also has exhibits of embroidery, paintings, arms, musical instruments, sculpture and precious metalwork. [4]
Thus, the museum broadly contains, a picture gallery, an anthropological section, an archeological section, textiles, weapons, musical instruments, a shipping section, and even stuffed animals. [1]
On the ground floor of the museum, in the center room, ‘Airavat’ is displayed. ‘Airavat’ is a carved, wooden, snow white Indian elephant with seven tusks. ‘Airavat’ was prepared in Mandvi in the 18th century, in the worship of Tirthankar. The rest of its body is painted with flowers. The Indian Government issued a postal stamp in 1978, depicting this ‘Airavat’, under the postal series "Treasures of Museum". [3] [5] [9]
The oldest museum of Gujarat, Kutch Museum was also the first museum of India to become online virtual museum in 2010. [10]
Kutch district, officially spelled Kachchh, is a district of Gujarat state in western India, with its headquarters (capital) at Bhuj. Covering an area of 45,674 km2, it is the largest district of India. The area of Kutch is larger than the entire area of other Indian states like Haryana (44,212 km2) and Kerala (38,863 km2), as well as the country of Estonia (45,335 km2). The population of Kutch is about 2,092,371. It has 10 talukas, 939 villages and 6 municipalities. The Kutch district is home to the Kutchi people who speak the Kutchi language.
BHUJ is a city and the headquarters of Kutch district in the Indian state of Gujarat.
Mandvi is a beach town with municipality in the Kachchh district (Kutch) in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was once a major port of the region and summer retreat for Maharao (king) of the Cutch State. The old city was enclosed in the fort wall and remains of the fort wall can still be seen. The city has a four-hundred-year-old ship building industry which is still functional and dhows, a type of wooden ship, are still made. Mandvi Municipality's 36 Seat Of 9 Ward.
Nagalpur Moti or Nagalpar Moti is a small village in Kutch district in the state of Gujarat, India. It comes under Anjar taluka.
Maharajadhiraj Mirza Maharao Sir Khengarji III Sawai Bahadur was a progressive and one of the longest ruling monarchs and also the longest ruling king of the Princely State of Kutch from 1875 to 1942.
The Prag Mahal is a 19th-century palace located next to the Aina Mahal in Bhuj, Kutch, Gujarat, India.
The Aina Mahal is an 18th-century palace that is located next to the Prag Mahal in Darbargadh, Bhuj, Kutch, Gujarat, India. The palace was built by Rao Lakhpatji of Kutch State around 1750. Lakhpatji's master craftsman Ram Singh Malam designed the palace in the local style and decorated it in the European style with glass, mirrors and tiles. The palace had two floors; the first floor has the Audience Hall, the Pleasure Hall, the Hall of Mirrors and the State Apartments, and the second floor has the ante-chamber, Darbar (Court) Hall and Marriage Hall. The building has been converted into a museum which includes a "europeanerie" collection that includes clocks, wares, mechanical toys, paintings and pictures.
Nagor or Nagher is a village in Bhuj Taluka of Kutch at a distance of about 8 km from Bhuj town, the capital of Kachchh District of Gujarat in India.
Gaidher / Gaidhar also known as Gajdhar is a word of Gujarati, Kutchi and Rajasthani language. The word Gaidher derives its origin from the word Gadh or Garh. The word Gadh in north Indian languages like Hindi, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Marwari, Marathi means a fort, like Chittorgarh, Sinhgadh, Mehrangadh.
Cutch State Railway (CSR) was an isolated 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge railway in Cutch State, one of the princely states allied to Britain in India.
HH Maharajadhiraj Mirza Maharao Shri Sir Pragmalji II Saheb Bahadur, (1839−1875) was the ruler of Cutch State, belonging to the Jadeja dynasty who ascended the throne upon death of his father & predecessor Rao Deshalji II on 26 July 1860 and ruled till his death on 19 December 1875.
Jagmal Raja Chauhan (1887–1974), better known as Rai Bahadur Jagmal Raja, was a noted railway contractor, industrialist, miner, private banker, aviation pioneer and philanthropist of India.
Hamirsar Lake is a man-made lake situated in the centre of Bhuj, the headquarters of Kutch district (Kachchh) in the Indian state of Gujarat.
Alfred High School in Bhuj, Kutch is one of the oldest educational institution of Gujarat and first high school of Kutch. It was founded by Rao of Cutch, Pragmalji II in year 1870 at cost of ₹150,000 (US$1,800). The school was named Alfred High School, after Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh.
Vijaya Vilas Palace is a summer palace of Maharao of Kutch located on the beach of Mandvi in Kutch, Gujarat, India.
Cutch State, also spelled Kutch or Kachchh and also historically known as the Kingdom of Kutch, was a kingdom in the Kutch region from 1147 to 1819 and a princely state under British rule from 1819 to 1947. Its territories covered the present day Kutch region of Gujarat north of the Gulf of Kutch. Bordered by Sindh in the north, Cutch State was one of the few princely states with a coastline.
The Gandhidham–Bhuj section belongs to Western Railway of Kutch district in Gujarat state. It passes through Adipur and Anjar
The Gandhidham–Kandla Port section belongs to the Western Railway of Kutch district in Gujarat state.
The Gandhidham–Ahmedabad main line belongs to Western Railway of Ahmedabad Division in Gujarat State.
Kalyanji Ramji Rathor (1912-1995) was a leading Gujarati businessman and mill owner from Raipur, India.