Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee
Museum
Museums
are important, because they not only preserve the past but also are one of the
means of cultural exchange, which leads to enrichment of cultures and
development of mutual understanding. This in turn brings peace among peoples.
Every
year World Museum Day is celebrated around 18 May. It is heartening to note
that participation in International Museum Day is growing. In 2016, more than 35,000 museums all over
the world participated in the event in some 145 countries. (To know more
see: http://network.icom.museum/international-museum-day)
The
theme chosen for 2017 is ‘Museum and Contested Histories: Saying the
unspeakable in Museums’. The theme is important and relevant in present times
in India as myth tends to replace recorded history. In a situation like this,
museums work as vanguards of truth.
India
is perhaps one of the largest repositories of tangible heritage in the world. A
major part of this heritage is preserved in her monuments, sites and
antiquities of varied nature. The range of such relics, from the past is vast
and covers a long span of time: prehistoric to colonial times. But ironically
we have very poor sense of history bordering almost on apathy. That is the
reason why we need to have more awareness for building, maintaining and
enriching museums to preserve our heritage.
Indian Museum, Kolkata, established
in 1814 is the oldest and the largest museum in India. there are many unique museums in India. From Rail Museum in
Mysore and Delhi to Toilet Museum in Delhi (run by
the Sulabh International, which is dedicated to the global history of
sanitation and toilets) the list is impressive.
But
even as Archaeological Survey of India, State Archaeology Departments and other
bodies are trying to preserve they can only do
little looking at the scale of the things. Moreover most of the
artifacts have not been documented in a uniform format which can provide a
common platform to the scholars, researchers and planners for reference,
research and its management in a diligent manner.
To
address these issues, National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) has
been set up by Government of India with the objective to document unprotected
monuments and sites from both secondary sources and antiquities from primary
source in a prescribed format. There are various available sources for
documenting this heritage which needs to be utilized and collated through a
Mission approach to create a credible National data base. This will take shape
of State wise as well as National register of unprotected monuments, sites and
antiquities. (To know more about NMMA
see http://nmma.nic.in/nmma/antiquity_event.do?method=news)
Another
important initiative is The National Portal and Digital Repository for Indian
Museums. Developed and hosted by
Human-Centred Design & Computing Group, C-DAC, Pune as per the agreement
with Ministry of Culture, Government of India it has developed JATAN: Virtual
Museum software which is used for creating the digital collections in various
museums and digital archival tools that are used in background for managing the
national digital repository of museums.
Presently
as a part of the digitization efforts of the Ministry of Culture, Government of
India the digitized collections of 10 selected Museums, are placed in the
digital repository for Indian Museums and also on the National Portal developed
by C-DAC, Pune in consultation with the Ministry of Culture along with
technical help from the Art Institute of Chicago in the first phase. The ten
museums are: Allahabad Museum, National Museum, New Delhi, Indian Museum,
Kolkata, Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata, Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, Goa
Museum, ASI, Nagarjunakonda Museum, ASI Hyderabad, NGMA, New Delhi, Mumbai and
Bengaluru.
The
plan is to subsequently make available the digitized collections of the
remaining museums under the Ministry of Culture/Archaeological Survey of India
also on the National Portal. (To know more see http://www.museumsofindia.gov.in/repository/page/about )
We
must know the past. There lies the key to the future.
Soft drinks
These days soft drinks are considered hep.
Where ever you go, any social do, you are offered soft drinks. Thanks to the
television advertisement urging the youth to drink soft drinks, kids are
guzzling it by gallon. The grownups usually indulge the kids.
Soft drinks impact our health in more ways than
we tell ourselves. It impacts our tooth enamel. It affects the functioning of
the kidney. It makes us fat. It increases risk of diabetes. It impacts heart
and reproductive organs.
Despite everything we continue to guzzle
aerated soft drinks. I am beginning to believe that we are a race with suicidal
tendency.
Cognitive dissonance
You have often heard this: Cognitive dissonance is growing in
modern times. Cognitive dissonance is a fancy term for mental disharmony or a
lack of peace of mind. If we consistently fail to do what we know is right,
and/or keep doing what we know is wrong, we will lose peace of mind and
experience cognitive dissonance.
Because we can't stand living this way, instead of correcting
our behavior, we repress and deny our feelings, rationalize our behavior,
justify our actions, start believing our own lies—and end up with a hardened
heart and dead conscience. It is a dangerous course to follow, which leads to
self-destruction.
Therefore do what your conscience says is right.
Tail piece: Kim and Trumph
North Korea Premier
Kim
Jong-un announced in a news conference that North Korea would be sending a man
to the sun within ten years!
(Courtesy: Social
Media forward)
Tailpiece
Meine
Sapne Me Bhawanji Se Puchha- Tumne Roti Ko Insaan Se V Kyun Bada Banaya…..??
Bhagawan Ne Kaha- Meine Toh Insaan Ko Hi Bada
Banaya Thaa, Magar Insaan Ne Bhukh Ko Bada Bana Diya…..Bhukh Ke Chalte Roti Toh
Kya, Daaru-Saaru, Meet-Murga, Rokda-Paisa Sab Mahan Ban Gaya…!!
(
Courtesy: Sudhansu Deo)
***
The columnist, a
journalist-turned media academician lives in Dhenkanal, a dist HQ town n
Central Odisha. He can be contacted at mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com
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