New Delhi/Patna, Aug 4 (PTI) A new extension wing of the 96-year-old Patna Museum building, housing two modern galleries -- one of which tells the story of the evolution of the famed ancient city of Pataliputra -- is set to be inaugurated on August 7.
Sources said the 'Ganga’ and ‘Patali’ galleries are likely to be jointly inaugurated by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Also, a 200-million-year-old fossilised tree trunk, one of the prized possessions of the museum, will soon be moved from the old building to a new gallery in the extension wing, they said.
"All old artefacts which were earlier displayed in the old building of the Patna Museum have been moved to a modern storage in the northern flank of the new extension wing, and conservation of the old building will now be taken up," a source told PTI.
The two new galleries are housed in the western flank of the extension wing, located just behind the old museum building, the source said.
"The two galleries are planned to be inaugurated on August 7. Visitors will first enter the museum from the new wing and they will get to understand the story of the Ganga and the evolution of civilisation on its bank in the context of Bihar. They will then move to the 'Patali’ gallery," a senior official said.
The 'Patali' gallery will offer an “immersive experience” with ancient artefacts, architectural models -- made of reinforced fibre plastic, and an interactive medium to tell the story of the Magadha region, focussing on Rajgir and Pataliputra.
Rajgir in today's Nalanda district was the ancient seat of the Magadha kingdom and the capital was later shifted to Pataliputra -- the region being current day modern Patna.
"An original piece of a wooden beam that was excavated at Kumrahar archaeological site in the early 20th century will also be displayed in the gallery," the source said.
Architectural models depict old fortifications of ancient Pataliputra which saw its heydays under Mauryan ruler Emperor Ashoka, and a relief work represents Buddhist council meetings that took place in the ancient city.
“The fossilised tree that was earlier mounted on a wall in the old museum will also be soon shifted to the new wing. IGNCA has been asked to do its conservation and shifting,” the source told PTI.
Delhi-based Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) which falls under the purview of the culture ministry, is also working on the conservation of the artefacts at the old museum.
"We have already set up two conservation labs, one each for textiles and paintings; and papers and manuscripts. A third one will be set up for catering to natural history," a senior official from its conservation department said.
The IGNCA team at the Patna Museum is currently working on shifting the fossilised relic, which has been dismounted from its previous position.
It is a 200 million years old “silicified tree trunk", and 58-ft long, which was found near Asansol (in West Bengal) in 1927 and presented by the Eastern Railway, according to a wooden information panel originally mounted near the relic.
"It will be shifted from the old building to the new ‘Ganga’ gallery of the museum. Here, it was clamped with iron braces, but at the new location, it will be kept on stainless steel bars and clamped with stainless steel braces," the official added.
The tree trunk consists of "various fragments" with pieces ranging from 8 inches to 3 ft, a team member, working on this project, said.
The historic Patna Museum, also home to a collection of rare paintings, Tibetan thankas, Daniells aquatints, sculptures, coins, and other rich artefacts, has been closed for visitors since June 1 last year for the revamp project, whose foundation was laid by the Bihar chief minister in August 2020.
Kumar had recently visited the museum to carry out an inspection of the galleries and other work.
The celebrated British-era landmark in the Bihar capital endowed with Indo-Saracenic architecture and fondly referred to as ‘Jadu Ghar’ by locals was completed in 1928 with two identical ornate gateways — the ‘In Gate’ and the ‘Out Gate’.
Designed by Rai Bahadur Bishun Swarup, it was opened in March 1929 by the then Governor of Bihar and Orissa Sir Hugh Lansdowne Stephenson.
The old heritage gates of the museum were recently demolished and replaced with new gates built in a similar style, sparking criticism from various scholars and heritage lovers.
In May, a fire was reported in its new wing, but officials had then said that no major damage had occurred.