MATHURA  MUSEUM

The 140 year old Mathura museum plans to open a separate gallery to showcase statues of Sri Krishna-Radha amidst all the local flora and fauna. Statues from different periods and varying styles will be on display, according to museum director AK Pandey.

"This project is part of Braj Heritage City plan submitted to the central government, by the district administration," he said.

Mathura has been chosen by the Narendra Modi government under a plan to conserve heritage cities.

The state government museum at Mathura, founded in 1874 by Sir FS Growse, is presently being given a facelift to attract visitors whose falling number has been a matter of concern.

The Mathura museum was in public focus some two months ago when a group of miscreants vandalised Queen Victoria's statues on independence day.

The museum director AK Pandey has asked the state government for more funds to construct toilets for men and women, facelift the guest house in the premises and instal an RO plant to provide drinking water.  Officials at the museum said work has already begun. Security has been tightened and CCTV cameras will be installed soon.

The Mathura museum is unique as it is the only institution that has in its possession rare sculptured statues of Buddha. It houses artefacts, pottery, paintings and coins found in the Braj region, as also collections of eminent archaeologists like Alexender Cunningham, Growse and Fuhrer. Sculptures dating back to 3rd century BC as well as those of the Kushan and Gupta periods have been well preserved here. A stamp was released on October 9, 1974, commemorating the century of the museum's existence.

But its a pity that of the millions of pilgrims who annually visit Braj mandal, only a few thousands come to see the museum.  This is due to lack of publicity. Most people do not even know about its existence.

Ashok Bansal, author, who produced a documentary on Mathura Museum "Boltey Patthar"  told TOI "this is the biggest in Asia. Historial records say Buddha met Lord Mahvira who was his contemporary, in Mathura. This place is a confluence of Buddhist, Jain and Hindu cultural traditions. Two statues of Buddha, full man-size are special. One is in the museum, the other in the Central hall of parliament. These were found during excavation of the Jamalpura Teela where you have the Katcheri today. If you look at this statue you will be surprised to see an exquisitely carved and sculptured stone statue so transparent that you can see the extremely thin cloth that is wrapped around  Buddha's body."

Bansal said it was unfortunate that not many people come to see the museum which has the largest collection of statues of a glorious era of Indian history. "For want of resources or mismanagement, or the lethargy of the culture department thousands of statues are lying in the godowns. The roofs need urgent repairs. More foreigners particularly from Japan and Germany visit the museum than the locals or even school or college going students. So much for our heritage and culture."

The collections were shifted to the present building in Dampier Nagar in 1930. The building also displays a wide range of terracottas, inscribed bricks, clay seals, bronze objects and paintings that collectively came to be described later as the Mathura school of art and sculptures, of 3rd century BC to 12th century AD, during which the Great Kushan and Gupta emperors attained the peak of glory. "Its the best place to study pristine Indian art and iconography. One can learn a lot about the designs and structures of hair dressing and contemporary fashion from the statues on display here," says Paras Nath Choudhary, a retired scholar of South Asia Institute specialising in Indology.