Allahabad
Museum was formally inaugurated in 1947 by India's first prime minister,
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The collection, both reserve and on display, is
large and varied and spreads across 18 galleries. The objects on view
include prehistoric and Indus Valley antiquities, stone sculpture,
terracotta, bronzes, seals, beads, coins, inscriptions, miniature
paintings, Buddhist thankas, textiles. weapons, medieval/irman'i and land
grants, documents and the personal effects of Nehru and material relating
to the freedom movement.
Beautiful stone images, intricately
carved temple pillars and lintels dating from the 3rd century BC to the
12th century AD, represent important dynasties, both ancient and medieval.
There are antiquities from renowned schools of sculpture like Gandhara,
Mathura, Kausambhi and Sarnath as well as important archaeological
discoveries from Bharhut, Bhita, Kausambhi and Jhusi. The outstanding
objects include the tasselled head of Shiva arojecting from a stone linga
which rortrays the classical purity of Gupta art a blue schist bodhisattva
in the image of the Greek god Apollo depicting the syncretisation of
Indo-Greek styles and the bejewelled dancing yakshi from Jamsote.
The
terracotta collection is one of the largest in India and dates from the
Indus Valley onwards. Exuberant folk lifestyles are captured in dancing
and amorous scenes, bacchanalian feasts and hunts. There are a number of
toys like clay carts, animals and birds. An interesting piece from
Ahichchatra depicts an episode from the Mahabharata, the killing of
Pralamb. Other exceptional pieces are a figure of the goddess Ganga
(Gupta) and a 5th century AD Shalabhanjika.
The coin collection
has outstanding Kushana and Gupta gold coins, while the manuscripts,
mainly in Sanskrit, date from the 16th century onwards. Also on view are
some 19,000 beads which were in use from prehistoric times till the Gupta
period.
Allahabad Museum
Chandrasekhar Azad Park
Allahabad
Timing: 10.15 am to 5.00 pm
Closed on Mondays and
government holidays.
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Allahabad Museum, Allahabad
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