Srinagar's Sri Pratap Singh Museum on UNESCO watchlist

Srinagar, Apr 13 (UNI) The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has decided to include the 100-year-old Sri Pratap Singh (SPS) Museum in Srinagar in its programme on enhancing protection of movable cultural property.

According to the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), a non-profit organisation set up in 1984 for the conservation and protection of India's vast natural and cultural heritage, the United Nations' agency included the Srinagar Museum in its programme under the UN Charter 33 C/5.

Under the Charter, UNESCO through an intense process of scrutiny identifies museums throughout the world which are declared as embodiments of cultural and educational value, it added.

Accordingly, under the supervision of the Director and Culture Unit of UNESCO, New Delhi a team of experts has been selected for providing package plans, programmes and assistance for promoting SPS Museum as a repository of rich cultural heritage, INTACH said.

It said UNESCO has partnered with INTACH, Jammu and Kashmir chapter, for coordinating the work of experts in conservation, preservation and promotion of artifacts at the museum.

The experts have been assigned to prepare condition assessment report and photo documentation and key collections along with technical recommendations for conservation and restoration of the building and its collections, INTACH added.

It said the experts would also develop contents of information within the museum for visitors that include geographical and cultural history of Kashmir.

The cultural unit of UNESCO will also design and produce display panels and museum brochures. UNESCO has also decided to develop a section on the museum within the Heritage of Kashmir website (www.heritageofkashmir.org) being managed by INTACH.

The SPS museum was set up in 1900 at a building which had earlier been used as a state guest house. Over the past 100 years, the museum had been acquiring and displaying unique archaeological objects representing Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim periods.

The numismatic sections of the museum was supposed to be one of the most interesting collections of coins. The initial contribution of artifacts included a very distinct collection of ornamental crafts of Kashmir comprising shawls, paper machie and metal works.

The collections were part of the royal collection acquired by the Dogra rulers during and after their conquest of Kashmir. Though the collection of the museum have been mentioned in different writings on Kashmir, the present state of the building, collections, display and storage had created lot of anxiety among the museologists and cultural bodies.

The UNESCO intervention was aimed at presenting the cultural diversity of this repository of the world heritage with a view to develop better understanding between various cultures and regions of the world, INTACH said.

It said the selection of the SPS Museum for inclusion in the list of its projects to be taken up by UNESCO for 2007 was taken after the visit of Ms Minja Yang, Director UNESCO, New Delhi to Srinagar in November last year.

During her visit, she had detailed discussions with the NGOs, cultural activists and officials on various cultural and educational programmes that can be taken up by the World body, INTACH said.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed a nodal officer for the time-bound implementation of the UNESCO Museum Project.

UNI