(As part of Research and Documentation Project of Meeras Mahal Museum undertaken by India Foundation for the Arts, Bangalore)
“The Archive, if we want
to know what that will have meant, we will only in times to come, not tomorrow,
but in times to come.”
-
Jacques Derrida, Archive Fever, 1995.
As we ascends towards our destination, the town of
Sopore, we cross a flyover that is being built for the last 25 years, so i am
informed, and the completion of which is still nowhere in sight. We take a
detour because some roads have been kept blocked by protesting stone pelters.
The local residents are obliged to follow the changes in solidarity. Witnessing
such a state of affairs does not astonish me. There is a sense of dispassionate
nonchalance that pervades the day to day lives of the residents of Sopore, but
which is at all times rife with an air of political unrest. The imaginations or
expectations of the Kashmiri people have ridden high especially on those living
on the peripheries, further from the capital city of Srinagar, especially on
those from towns like Sopore etc. Peripheries here can be understood not just
as a metaphor but also decentralized execution of the civilian’s will as well
as popular dissent. While Srinagar remains the centre for matters of
governmental or cultural nature, it is the towns like Sopore where they draw
their grassroot will from.
Talking about the imagination, the anticipations and
the expectations of Kashmiri people is a tricky task. It is hugely pregnant
with desire for a future which they will have claimed as their own. However, in
present day discourses pertaining to anticipating such a future, there has been
very little and fragile speculation over the units that may build such a
composite future. The foretasted quote by Derrida is apt atleast in the
cultural context and directly hits the nail on its head by reaffirming that a
cultural archive is relevant more for the “question of future” rather than that
of the past. The role of an archive in form of a collection of ethnographic
artifacts is something that may or may not validate a rich past but can
essentially educate and expose the present towards an informed future. In this
respect, a town like Sopore has been able to nurture a nest of heritage,
fostering it by the name of Meeras Mahal Museum, ceaselessly hoping to uphold a
pedestal of tolerance, plurality and unshakable belief in Kashmir.
Origin of
Sopore Town
In the district of Baramulla of Kashmir valley, the
town of Sopore stands distinguished. It is a quiet and prosperous town which is
also popular as the apple orchard of India as it is run by the business class
operating the largest fruit market around. However, the story of it’s wealth
and prosperity is not a new one. Originally Sopore was known as Suyyapore
dedicated to a very intelligent, able and successful policy maker and engineer
Suyya. Suyya was part of the royal court of King Avantivarman (855-883 AD) and
whose mention can be found in the book of Rajatarangini penned by Kalhana. It
is believed that during Avantivarman’s time, horrendous flood ravaged in the
River Jehlum devastating the local businesses, people’s lives . Therefore,
Suyya is credited with immense technological advancements in river dredging
preventing the colossal onslaught of floods. This allowed local residents to
harvest their crops and indulge in large scale businesses bringing riches and
happiness back to it’s people.
This piece of history validates the fact that some
leader of thought and courage has emerged in Kashmir whenever there has been
degradation of lives or property. Sopore was named after Suyya to acknowledge
his tremendous contribution in dredging and deepening the River Jehlum and
giving the appropriate impetus to local business. In wake of the floods that
devastated the Kashmir valley in 2014, especially the city of Srinagar along with
the incessant socio-political tribulations, the work of the founder, Ms Atiqua
Bano ji, Meeras Mahal Museum Sopore is extraordinary. They have demonstrated
that even in a state of constant oppression from all fronts, a sanctuary of learning
and historical research can be made to stand strong defying all odds. The
community of Meeras Mahal Museum, Sopore
hopes to yet again lead the intellectual brigade from all of Kashmir.
Meeras Mahal
Museum : a seat of Kashmir’s Heritage
On the outskirts of a sleepy town of Sopore, some 36
Kms north of Srinagar, lies a wealth of cultural and traditional heritage. Albeit,
often in news for all the wrong reasons, the town of Sopore which is also known
as the apple orchard of Kashmir, houses within its bosom a massive ethnographic
collection depicting the richness of Kashmir’s cultural and civilizational past.
The remnants of the most mighty kingdoms and beginning of the most profound
religions along with the antique objects of a commoner’s use have been interred
into the soil of Kashmir’s cradle. Some part of this invaluable treasure has
been preserved in the shape of a very young museum rightly named as The Meeras
Mahal Museum, or the Heritage Palace Museum, Sopore. From intricate ancient
wood and stone works , implements and tools used approximately more than 1000
years ago or so to the most prosperous and affluent expensive as well as
inexpensive ornaments used by the residents from all over Kashmir complete the
spectrum of this museum.
Meeras Mahal is the brainchild of the affection and
constant dedication of Ms. Atiqua Bano, who is not only the patron of this
museum but also a scholar and an educationist in her own right, serving the socio-cultural
landscape of Sopore and all of Kashmir throughout her life. She has single
handedly, with the help and assistance of the local residents of Sopore, led
this initiative to safeguard the traditional objects and knowledge which is now
withering at tremendous pace under political as well as natural plight. In wake
of the devious floods that devastated not only the residential complexes in
Srinagar and adjoining areas, there was large scale destruction that displaced
and destroyed the artefacts in the Museum of Kashmir University. The house of late
kashmiri poet Agah Shahid Ali in Srinagar also was destroyed and an immense
loss of old manuscripts was reported. Given these examples, one realizes the
sheer importance of education centres like a heritage museum and its careful
preservation, conservation and documentation.
The magnificent collection being preserved under the
aegis of Meeras Mahal was established in the year 2001 and is a registered
institution under public trust. What is highly impressive is that Atiqua Madam
has as an individual dedicated all her efforts to preserve and flourish this
collection with more additions and more knowledge. She has to the fullest of
her capability been able to establish this institution as a potent centre for
historical learning and research.
________
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Museum as a concept is not at all a modern one. It has
been known that museums in their earliest forms have existed ever since the
Vedic and Greek periods. Museums therefore are an integral and indispensable
part of a culturally conscious people. Various experts of Museology state that
the chronological progress of human civilization depends entirely on
accumulation and dispersal of knowledge.(p.15)[1]
This traditional knowledge is alive as a deposit that has been and will
continue to benefit the future generations in intellectual as well as material
advancements.
The fundamental aim of a museum is to inculcate
voluntary as well as involuntary initiatives to garner greater reach among scholars
and civilians. This has to be done while engulfing in its scope the subject
area to its best potential. The policy of this scope is to serve the
intellectual and scholarly growth of the community. This is the backbone that
builds the concept of a museum.
Kashmir is a rich land which has witnessed various ups
and downs, advents and declines of many great civilizations. It has been a
melting pot of numerous cultures and a seat of higher learning since ages. Some
remains of such a past rendered invaluable by archaeological and historical
discoveries have been rescued and collected in Meeras Mahal Museum, Sopore.
Some aims that Meeras Mahal strives to work for are
presented as follows:
1) To acquire objects as the
museum specimens.
To allow the museum grow by leaps and
bounds and to ensure that it accumulates a wide ranging array of ethnographic
knowledge, it is needed that there are timely and constant additions of new
specimens. Interaction with other local and state level museums and collectors
should be made possible for Meeras Mahal in order to benefit from exchanges.
2) To Conserve the Specimens
The items in the possession of the
museum are tangible heritage objects that are perishable with time unless
appropriate measures of conservation and preservation are employed. There has
to be strict observation of humidity levels, temperature that must not decrease
or increase to a certain extent and impeccable measures of cleanliness and
fire-safety put in place. Meeras Mahal aims to safeguard its wealth in
accordance with international standards of museum keeping.
3) To Display for
Communications.
The undeniable motive of any museum
world over is to display its objects now and then to the wider community.
Meeras Mahal envisions the involvement of the museum with the local community
and others on a deeper level for larger social progress. Timely exhibitions and
displays with school and college students visiting often to learn about our
ancient past can bring about enlightened and tolerant citizens and future
leaders.
4) To make Arrangements for
Research
It is imperative to let the flow of
knowledge from the museum be directed towards higher research and scholarship.
Therefore, Meeras Mahal anticipates an influx of research students and scholars
in the field of Culture and Anthropology to foster a readership that can avail
the academic analysis and inferences in form of research papers, published
essays and journals.
5) A clean and Good
Administration
To make all of the above possible and
fruitful, it is necessary to build an internal administrative body of efficient
staff that feels responsible and is duly accountable with regards to various
duties pertaining various museum activities. It will be a dream come true for
the Museum if local residents and community members from Sopore are trained in
inclusive field research and data collection.
About the
Patron
The town of Sopore prides itself either on its
magnificent apple orchards or the number of colleges and educational
institutions, showcasing its prosperity in not just material wealth but in
intellectual development as well. Even though such an environment is conducive
and attentive to cultural heritage, The existence of Meeras Mahal Museum could
not have been possible without Madam Attiqa Bano. Her life history has been
that of an achiever and being a lady of stern determination she declined
marital life so as to dedicate all her time to philanthropy. Born into a family
of educationists who ran maktabs way
back in Sopore, the influence upon her towards social uplift was immense. She
defied all social norms and went on to complete a double M.A in Urdu and
Economics by 1958. Soon after, she left Kashmir for Rajasthan’s Banasthali
Vidyapeeth University where she came under the guidance of Mridula Sarabhai, the
great freedom fighter, educationist and social worker. She worked hard and with utmost sincerity to
carve out a niche for herself in a severely male oppressed society. With an
unblemished professional record, Attiqa ji progressed to become Chief Education
Officer for Baramulla district in 1977. Eventually she retired as the Director,
Libraries and Research, Jammu and Kashmir in 1997. Given such a prolific career
in the field of Education, she maintained a zest and keenness for cultural
artefacts and over time her mundane assortment of odd objects grew in size and
significance too, which came to be known as Meeras Mahal Museum, Sopore.
What Attiqa ji has been able to achieve is incredible
in terms of individual initiative and generating community involvement. The
result has been in the form of this fabulous collection that provides one with
the glimpses of Attiqa Bano’s dream. She confesses to harbour a vision to see
Sopore as “mini-Kashmir”, a functional prototype of an ideal town, a revered
and welcoming seat for all kinds of cultural diversity that Kashmir once
possessed.
Categorization:
To gain a better picture of the sprawl of objects in
the museum, a general classification and description can serve a great deal for
their study. Following are the ways they have been categorized:
1. Wood Crafts
Kashmirs wood work has proved its
worth globally, be it in terms of aesthetically appealing crafts or utilitarian
object of sport as a willow cricket bat. Walnut wood work is something that
Kashmir takes immense pride in. But what is not known is that the knowledge of
carving the wood into finest intricate patterns existed in Kashmir ever since
the reign of king Zain-ul-abidin. Badshah Zainl ul was one of the most noble of
kings to have ruled the land of Kashmir. He encouraged the artisan class to
reach their zenith. Kashmiri wooden architecture is also famous for its
elaborately carved wooden balconies which find their vernacular name, Zena Dub,
derived from Zail ul Abidin’s name. In the wood crafts section of the Museum,
we can find a large variety of objects ranging from the carved wooden joinery
jaali bereft of nail work of the balcony, door panels, big and small kitchen
utensils complete with accompanying spoons. One can also find intricately carved double
sided combs made of Chikri wood. Other traditional folk wood craft items
include ladles or chonchas of various
sizes, rise measure balance or longuras,
plain and decorated wooden sandles or khravs,
the spinning wheel or yinder, and all
kinds of children’s toys, cradles, walkers and carts. One can also find a
separate collection of traditional musical instruments like rabahb made in
exquisite wood.
2. Ethno-botanical collection (hay and grass ware)
Human being has been able to develop
a deep bond with nature in a way that is magnificent in its own self.
Especially knowledge about the flora and fauna has been able to enrich the store
house of knowledge allowing human civilizations to progress. Ethnobotany is the
scientific study of this relationship between humans and plants. Meeras Mahal
houses in its premise a rich collection of this traditional knowledge in form
of tangible heritage. They possess a wide variety of items in their
ethno-botanical section such as wood, wicker, straw and hay items. All Kashmir
enthusiasts would for sure fondly recount the warmth of a Kangri, a quaint
earthen fire pot that is held in the frame of decoratively woven willow. This
traditional heater is usually slipped under the firan or a warm tunic worn by
men and women during winter months. Meeras Mahal houses a myriad variety of
these kangris. There are many decorative
bridal kangris as well which are carried by newly wed brides while they take
off to their in-laws houses. The traditional basketry of Kashmir is one of the
most famous ones and Meeras Mahal has a rich variety of baskets in all shapes,
sizes and designs woven in many different kinds of grasses and straws.
Traditional hand fans, or the waavij
crafted in the most delicate ways is a popular item that can still be found in
houses in hot months of the year. Willow from the Ganderbal forests is very
popular for making the waggu mats.
The reed mace is also collected from the edges of Nigeen lake to makes these
mats. These mats have been collected in the museum with several designs that
have been used by people from every religions. One can also find the footware
called as Palahru or straw shoes that
seem to have origins from the Kishtwar region that were used to brave wet and
slippery terrains.
3. Stone Items
Stone work: cavring and chiselling of
stone is one of the oldest indicators of human civilization to record time and
animate an inanimate object like a stone. Study of stone work can provide
massive information about the past heritage and history. The most ancient types
of stone and mortar or kajveth can be
found in the museum collection. These are still used in their most simplest of
forms. The collection also contains a stone item carved with Buddhist
inscription. Stone has frequently been frequently used in Ladakh to carve huge
figurines or text on rock faces or a votive offering at crossroads and other
conspicuous places. The Neolithic age saw people of Kashmir engage in stone,
carving out various kinds of tools, each one unique in their own way, helping
them hunt and dig the earth for farming etc.
Most of the collection in the museum
comprise of kitchen ware and utensils, tools, and vessels, stone seal cutter
etc. There are several monumental remains that seem to have been excavated from
Semthan, Bijbehara, Fatehghar, Parihaspora in Mattan and from the ruins in the
neighbouring Pattan. It is known by scholars now that the advent of Mughal
brought with them their archaeological wonders especially in black marble.
There seem to be several cooking pots in the collection made from the same. At
the same time, workmanship of these stone artefacts are worth appreciation even
in the present times after ages have passed. The cooking pots called lungto and its variants can be seen in
the museum.
4. Metal work
The museum has a wide and amazing
variety of metal objects that are replete with intricate hand work, with
paisley and almond motifs. You can also see find beautiful patterns of
serpentine, Chinaar leaves and flowers and birds inscribed on the surface of
the metal ware of all kinds. Copper was locally mined during medieval times and
is reported to have been extracted from Lolab valley in Kuphwara district.
During the Mughal era metalwork
gained by grew in its aesthetic value, even though most of the craft was
concentrated to swords and shield making. Consequently, the hereditary skill of
the Kashmir metal workers was directed towards ornamental vessels such as aftaba, surahi and other such items of domestic use. The shape of these
vessels denote Indo Persian tradition, while the motifs are usually Kashmiri.
Ornamental tumblers, teliwar, isbandsoz, majma, chamcha and choncha, and newer pailanor and batta chalan have been added to the traditional items. The museum
collection includes magnificent looking ancient and huge locks, weighs,
balance, chonche(spoons), utensils
like somavars (kahwa tea containers)
and digchis(huge cooking pots) mugs
or khosa(tea cups), oversized
buttons, naas dabba(or naswar were
used as local inebiratives)and tobbaco boxes, jewellery boxes, large taveez
etc. The museum also has a modest collection of metal objects like gedva, ghanti etc that were used by the
Pandith community in religious ceremonies. These are found in copper and brass
metal works.
5. Earthen ware (terracotta )
The bond of human civilization with
his or her earth, their soil has deepest of root. baking of clay after being
moulded on the potter’s wheel has been one of the earliest inventions giving
shape to human civilization itself. The site of Mohenjo daro is bridled with terracotta artefacts, seals
and tablets. Kashmir is rich in a variety of clay eminently suitable to the
potter’s craft which has been practiced in the valley since Neolithic times.
While potters from Kashmir and Jammu use the potters wheel, the ones from
Ladakh mould the lay objects with their own hands with the help of wooden some
equipments.
Meeras Mahal museum contains myriad terracotta
items that range from all kinds of kitchen utensils, cooking pots and water
pots that can be traced to the Gofkal and Burzahom sites of Kashmir. The most
significant achievement of the Neolithic period was the rough grey earthenware
with straw marks on its exterior. This is perhaps the period in Kashmir when
pottery emerged as a source of supplementing their economy. At the Museum one
can find several specimens of the grey earthen pot that are quite ancient and
intriguing at the same time. Terracotta miniature vases, incense burners,
rattles and ladles are other things kept preserved inside the museum. One can
also see present day math, deg, tsod (types
of pots) and other vessels which are almost replicas of pottery objects used
around four thousand years ago.
6. Numismatics or Coinage
The discoveries in Kashmir coinage
system reveal the circulation of coins ever since and during pre-Indo Greek
periods. The physical markers of the
coins of this age is that they are punched from a single side and the reverse
is kept blank. The museum’s collection of coins partly seem to be much older
than the Kushana periods. Some of the coins also represent the coinage system
from the Hun era. Both these kingdoms had copper coins in circulation and these
were not changed untill the advent of Muslim sultans. They brought with them
silver coinage with distinct Arabic
inscriptions. Copper and silver continued to remain main metals used for coins
even after the Mughal rule. It was the Durrani’s who inscribed Persian couplets
on copper coins as their addition. Sikhs
who succeeded the Durrani’s issued currency with Persian as well as
Gurmukhi characters. All this was possible because Kashmir has by now had it’s
own mint. It was only in the Dogra rule that paper money was introduced besides
coins.
The museum has specimens from almost
all of these eras trailing the rich history of Kashmir’s economic past.
7. Ornaments
The Collection of ornaments and
jewellery at the museum is truly spell bounding. One can see a wide range of
jewellery fully adorned on mannequins describing the wondrous ways Kashmir’s
culture and heritage is bestowed with. The intricately crafted ornaments find
their mention in Kalhan’s Rajatarangini in description of gold and
silversmiths. Kashmiri women, be they from Jammu, Ladakh or the Kashmir valley have
always believed in embellishing their unmatched beauty with the magnificent
ornaments made of gold and silver. The powerful reign of Queen Didda in the 10th
century AD allowed women folk of Kashmir to amass and experiment with jewellery
design and technology. The museum has to their best capability ensured that the
wear-ability of each ornament be showcased by displaying them on inanimate
mannequins to enrich us with an idea of the past glory.
The museum will provide with the
glimpse of the fabled kashmiri beauty, especially the uncommon gold and silver
caps, with ear ornaments suspended from both sides and covered with a
decorative cloth. The headdress is now common among gujjar women but is
mandatory for Pandith bride while the marriage ceremony is taking place.
Regarding a unique Pandith piece of jewellery, unseen in Kashmir at the present
times is Uthhoor and Dejhoor, worn by
married Pandith women and is well documented at the Museum. Another object that
is rare and fascinating enough are the splendid assortment of well designed
pins that older women used to attach to their clothes as an ornamental
addition. Some vernacular names of the jewellery are kann-vaji (earrings) suspended from the head. Halakband is the neck ornament that used to worn by rural women. Chaunk phool is a unique silver ornament
worn on the head under the veil. There are also many kinds of tawiz
or amulets of different shapes and sizes with Arabic inscriptions or
beautiful designs that are still worn to safeguard from evil eye. Gunus a thick bangle of solid gold and
silver with a snake or loin head at the two ends, has survived over the years.
There are also metallic shirt buttons and cuff links that are used for
ornamental purposes.
8. Textiles, Traditional Attires and Embroidery
World over, a Cashmere shawl or
sweater is known as a symbol of finest luxury. It is a woven textile in wool
that derives its name from Kashmir itself. The Kashmiri weaver works in the
most meticulous ways to produce works that are incomparable globally. The museum
has ensured that some colourfully bright glimpses can be provided to its
visitors.
The tapestry of the past rural glory
is showcased in its full regalia on the mannequins depicting the styles of
dressing in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir. The ways of dressing in Kashmir has been influenced by its rough climate and
larger rural population who believe in traditional way of life. Spinning yarn
on yinder wheel was a way of life for the older women
in every household. Kashmiri shawl are renowned for their intricate yet
mesmerizing patterns and motifs. The shawls from Gurez area use no dyes on
their wool, rather the wool from different kinds of sheep and and designs are
created from different shares already available, forming a kind of bold
patterned pattu shawl. Chadar etc are
also formed by these, making it useful as a warming garment laid either for
bedding or to be wrapped on the self. Kashmir’s most famous embroidery is the
crewel work and raffal , a finer
design work used on shawls. It is fascinating to know that the fabled Kani
shawl especially for it’s cheet misri work
follows a written codified notation that is known as Talim.
All aside, it is the Pashmina which
has been stealing all the limelight and is the secret behind the “cashmere”
shawls. The Museum’s collection of these items is seen worn on the mannequins
and one can notice that some of the bordering embroidery work has taken place
in pashmina wool. The firan worn by
women in the valley is a type of long gown. The women wore a fillet around
their heads known as the Kasaba by
Muslim women and Taranga by Pandith
women. A tilla firan is the one with
exquisite embroidery in gold or silver thread is worn by Muslim women whereas Pandith
women usually adorn the tilla shawl
after marriage. Stylised floral motifs and geometric patterns embellish the
garment. A Dogri woman on the other hand on her marriage dons a pair of salwar kurta that is replete with gota and sequin work in silver or gold. A
Ladakhi traditional dress is adorned with bead work and is warmed enough by the
use of Yak wool. The museum preserves a specimen depicting one of the yak wool
coats from Ladakh region.
9. Manuscripts, Rare books and Documents and Calligraphy
Literary development is Kashmir is
said to have taken place long before it was noticed anywhere else. Kashmir
witnessed a confluence of scholars from all faiths and disciplines and became a
revered seat of higher learning. The Museum’s collection of Rare books and
truly ancient manuscripts is an eye opener, a revelation that proves what exemplary
plurality existed in Kashmir ages ago. To give a brief description, in the
section of old manuscripts, one can find samples of Arabic and Persian poetry,
Masnavi by Maulana Jalaludin Rumi, old Fables like Mehraj-Nama, Pann Nama,
Gulistaan. Special mention goes to the presence of Islamic manuscripts like, Al
Hadith, Koran and History, Tib (Islamic Medicine and Grammar), Dala-il-Khairat
and other authentic Kashmiri fables. Mashkwaat, Seerat Pakh are other
manuscripts that can be understood as biographies.
There are also manuscripts from the
Hindu Baghwat Gita which is present in Sanskrit script. the museum also has
some astrology specific illustrations from the Gita which are amazingly labelled
in Hindi and Urdu, claimed to be around 150 or so years old. Other scholarly texts from the Hindu
manuscripts include Maansagar or an understanding of human psychology in
Sanskrit shlokas translated to hindi, and authored by Wahitacharya. The magical
Talim on which a folk weaver bases
his or her embroidery and dexterity is also present in its actual form. One can
also find some 50 to 75 years old Niqah and talaq namas as well.
In the rare books section, there is
of course Al Koran, Al Hadis, history and Poetry, Islamic and contemporary
Laws. It is spell binding to see the holy Koran in colourful bordering work
written in Arabic and Persian. This collection also has the Akbarnama and
Sikandarnama in Persian language. Scientific Islamic texts include a book about
Mathematics in Arabic language. Other books published around 1916-1919, at the
time of the Dogra rule, one can find some hard bound titles like
Stava-Chintamani by Bhatta Narayana and commentary by Kshameraja. The
publishing press used for these titles was either Kashmir Pratap steam Press in
the valley or through other publishers in Bombay.
In the collection of Manuscripts and
rare books, the museum is yet to identify the one in Sharda and Pali script. With
adequate influx of scholarship to Meeras Mahal, it shall be possible and
available very soon.
The Calligraphic art that can be
found in the Arabic, Urdu and Persian manuscripts is a magnificent one to
study. The images done in the calligraphic patterns have their origins in
narrating Koranic verses and the stories of animals and birds. It is a matter
of pride that Meeras Mahal mueum possesses a section of calligraphy about
Prophet Mohammad(PBUH) in 200 and more different styles. The Museum has been a
house to these rare gems and a source of great influence and inspiration for the
calligraphy center which is affiliated with the National Council for Promotion
for Urdu Languages, Delhi. The Calligraphy center is a separate sister
institution but has been able to benefit from the rich repository of
information from this textual archive of the Museum.
10.
Photographs and Paintings
The need to familiarize the present
generation with the past must not be limited to showcasing of arts and crafts
and tangible objects only. Information regarding the people who lived and made
their lives worth living by fostering the richness of Kashmiri culture are
deemed as necessary as other heritage items. These pioneers are the gems that
adorn the walls of one of the halls entirely dedicated to this sections. Most
part of the section are photograph of portraits of various luminaries that have
walked the land of Kashmir. There range from ancient black and white
photographs of long forgotten dancing royal courtesans complete in their
dancing poses and accompanist musicians. There are also pictures of artisans
doing tilla embroidery and engaging
in other crafts.
Kashmir valley and it’s mountainous
terrain has seen several wandering seers, saints and poets. Some of them like
Habba Khatoon, Lal Ded, Nund Reshi, Sultan Bab, Ahad Sahab, bhagwaan Gopinath,
shaivite scholars like Laxman Joo and many more are exhibited here in this
gallery. Prominent singers like Raj Begun, Kailash Mehra, Ritch Ded and
Shameema Dev Azad are among others displayed among the most melodious singers
of the community. The women of the valley have displayed tremendous zeal in all
fields of expertise, be it ruling the kingdom of Kashmir by Queen Didda or in
the modern day Administrative services by forerunners like first woman IAS from
Kashmir like Smt. Swarnalata Kachroo etc. Moving ahead one can see prominent political
leaders from Sheikh Abdullah to Shaheed Maqbool Bhat to Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Along with the political leaders there can be seen prolific social reformers
like Subla Naid, the one credited with the eradication of prostitution from
Kashmir. One can also find some prints of the ancient paintings from Babur nama
also displayed on the walls of this gallery along with a Buddhist thangka work
on cloth.
11.
Kitchen and Tools shed
It was felt that mere looking at the
objects would not provide the viewer
with sufficient knowledge to paint the picture of old style life in Kashmir. One
of the fascinating features of Meeras Mahal Museum is their unique kitchen and
tool shed. Reconstructed according to older times, and complete with mud choolha or the fire place, raised platform
for sitting and appropriately set wooden utensils on the kitchen shelves, from
smallest choncha to the biggest deegchi, this little shed is worth a
visit. The sitting area inside the kitchen has been maintained as per the
traditional ways, depicting how a kitchen in the past, untouched by modern
technological advancements functioned.
On similar thoughts, the shed
adjacent to the kitchen can be called a tool shed since it contains all the
heavy tools that were used by the local community people to spin yarn, plough
the earth, cut and dissect the meat, cutting timber, crush the spices etc.
These tools are assorted and maintained in the way they might have been or
perhaps still are in the most rural and remote parts of Kashmir. These tools
range from metal, stone to wood equipments used in the kitchen, or in the farm
etc.
12.
Museum Library
Every museum ideally must maintain a
reading section fostering a culture of knowledge gaining and research. Meeras
Mahal Museum also has a modest number of books to supplement the knowledge
house which is stored in form of tangible objects. The museum has limited but
variety of books that range from Museology, national and state level gazetteers,
encyclopaedias, books on Kashmir archaeology, ethnography and larger popular
culture including, crafts, music, natural flora fauna and built heritage. The
visitors can sit and skim or read through the various contents giving them an
idea of the historical background of the objects present in the museum. This is
an essential unit and it is hoped that it will grow by leaps and bounds as and
when more books are added pertaining fresher and older discoveries in and about
Kashmir.
IMMEDIATE NEEDS for the museum:
Even though the collection at the
museum is massive, there is a dire need to maintain the items as per the
standardised norms of museum keeping. Only then can one ensure a longer life of
the artifacts and successfully be displayed numerous times.
1) The collected artefacts in the museum are somehow
deposited into few rooms of a two storey building that shares its premises with
a primary school. To allow the museum to flourish, it is suggested that the
items be relocated to a spacious and separate building which might also have
the facility of a decent auditorium, seminar hall with ample projectors with
modern audio video and electronic facilities. This building must be built in
Sopore itself of accessibility and usability by local residents, students as
well as visitors from outside.
2) There needs to be proper categorization as per
historical research done in order to understand and study the various items in
the collection.
3) Experienced and learned staff in the field of
Ethnography, Anthropology, Culture Studies, Museology and Archive Studies is
the need of the hour at Meeras Mahal. But this is possible only if and when
enough funds and sponsors gather to nurture this institution.
4) No standardized and proper means of conservation
and preservation have been put in place to safeguard the items from day to day
wear and tear and climatic changes. Procurement of instruments that help in
regulating the environment inside the museum building need to be procured as
soon as possible.
5) There is some need to popularize the museum among
educational institutes of Kashmir and outside. The research in cultural fields
can find enough boost once the wealth of this young museum reaches the larger
audience.
Submitted by
Neha Tickoo (Zooni)
Contact: tickoo.neha@gmail.com
