CWG:Exhibition in National Museum on Indian sports

New Delhi, Oct 5: Feeding off the great excitement on sports due to the ongoing Commonwealth Games, the National Museum here has thrown open an exclusive exhibition of 'Games and Sports in Indian Art'.

The exhibition, which kick started on Oct 4, aims at educating the people on all sports through the ages from Harappan days.

"This treasure of the National Museum truly mirrors the spirit of Games and Sports in Indian Art through the ages," said Dr C V Ananda Bose, Administrator of the National Museum, after opening the exhibition.

The exhibition includes display of rare works relating to sports and games, from the days of Indus to 20th century.

It comprises of paintings depicting wrestling, malla-khamba, polo, swimming, fencing, weight lifting, archery, kite flying, chess and chaupar playing, as well as objects from the Department of Decorative Arts, such as, chaupar and chess spread, chessmen, wooden toys, dolls, yoyo and silver lattoo.

"Games and sports in India had very early roots and this tradition is as old as the history of its civilization. India has a rich heritage of sports, games and recreational activities, though only a little of it stands preserved in different mediums," Dr Bose added.

With small Indus and Harappan terracotta toys, rattle and chessmen the museum not only hopes to astonish sport lovers, but also dismay the common men and tourists.

The exhibition will run till Nov 4 and the National Museum. For the convenience of the CWG visitors, athletes and their families, the museum has also extended the visiting hours upto 9 pm from 10 am every day till Oct 13.

OneIndia News