According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica
the word museum is derived from a Greek word
meaning 'Temple of Muses' - the muses being
nine goddesses of the Greek and Roman
mythology who are the patrons of different
branches of arts and sciences. The first
museum is said to have been established in
the 3rd century BC at Alexandria.
Pakistan's oldest museum - the Lahore museum
- is of course not that old. But it is
certainly a treasure to be valued. The book
under review is a catalogue of the exhibits
at the Lahore museum and a guide for readers
and visitors. As the book states, the Lahore
museum "was established in 1864 under the
name of Industrial Arts Museum of the Punjab
and was housed in a building known as
Tollinton Market. From there, the museum was
moved to its present premises in 1894".
But the present building is insufficient to
cater to the needs of the museum and, as
Ather Naqvi mentions in one of his articles,
more than 60,000 artefacts of different
categories and other objects of historical
and archaeological value are lying packed in
its godowns. And the few that are displayed
are jampacked on the shelves. This gives a
poor impression of the place. However, the
readers are informed that the museum will
move back to Tollinton Market after its
renovation and refurnishing. But, according
to Ather Naqvi, "even that will not be
enough".
Museums are the preservers and guardians of
the artefacts and excavated objects from
archaeological sites, some of which provide
vital links between the present and the past
of a nation. These can help researchers to
embark upon a journey of discovery into the
unknown by digging up the past and obtaining
valuable information about lost
civilizations. Objects dug up and excavated
from Moenjodaro, Harappa and Taxila have
provided valuable knowledge to researchers
and helped them explore millennium-old
cultures and civilizations of this region.
The book gives a comprehensive description,
with photographs, of a number of such
objects, which include sculptures, statues,
utensils, coins, tools, paintings, etc. Some
of these articles date back to thousands of
years BC, notably the fasting Buddha,
miracles of Saraswati, gilded head of
Buddha, birth of Siddharta, all of which
date back to 2-4 century AD. A very
important display is of a number of friezes,
panels and statues depicting the life story
of Buddha from his previous incarnations to
his death (that is Mahaparinirvana).
Pre-historic and proto-historic collections,
which take us as far back as millenniums of
years, are rare and of immense value. Stone
tools from the Soan valley date back to
5,000 BC, which are probably the oldest
collections in the museum. Pottery from
Mehergarh (4,000 - 3,000 BC) and Harappa,
bronze from the Indus Valley, bullock carts
from Moenjodaro, coins, seals, stone weights
and many more similar collections dating
back to 2,500 - 1,700 BC adorn the museum.
Museums in the developed countries are
treated as very valuable assets and receive
full support from the state as well as from
public bodies. It is most unfortunate that
in Pakistan museums suffer from neglect and
the indifferent attitude of the government
and the public alike. A glaring example is
the Lahore museum that even after about 140
years does not have a permanent building of
its own and has been moving around like a
nomad.
Museums should have sound financial backing
and sufficient funds not only to sustain
themselves but also to expand and organize
themselves according to international
standards. Well-established museums can play
an important role in promoting tourism by
attracting tourists and earning much-needed
foreign exchange. But financial support
should not be left entirely to the
government. The public, particularly the
philanthropists and the rich, should also
come forward and lend a helping hand through
donations and endowments. It should not be
forgotten that museums are the reminders of
our past. They open windows into the life
and times of our ancestors.
Hence this book will serve a useful purpose
by projecting some of the attractive items
which have enriched the Lahore museum. The
colourful pictures should provide an
incentive to readers to pay a visit to the
museum. |
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