Despite CM’s assurance, Panipat museum neglected
Mukesh Tandon
The Panipat museum that houses the artefacts of three historical battles is in a neglected condition. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had announced in 2016 that the museum would be shifted to the Kala Amb war memorial near Ugrakheri village in Panipat city but no efforts had been made in this direction.
The footfall of visitors at the museum is very low because it is located along a lonely road around 5 km from Panipat city. It is situated in the canal rest house (a British era building) of the Irrigation Department on the banks of the Delhi parallel canal near Binjhol village, around 6 km from the main bus stand of Panipat city. Moreover, its signboard is also damaged.
The Battles of Panipat Memorial Society had established the museum to highlight the major events that took place over 200 years and made Panipat a place of historical importance. The then Governor, Babu Parmanand, had inaugurated it on November 10, 2000.
The sculptures of warriors at the museum are dusty because they haven't been cleaned for a long time. The sword of a warrior's sculpture is broken and termites have eaten up a hand of another warrior’s sculpture. The paint of the sculptures has faded and there is no one to care about it.
The antiquities, inscriptions, sculptures, arms and armours, pottery, old and valuable documents, jewellery, art and craft objects displayed in the museum were to create awareness among visitors and students about the three battles of Panipat, which prominently figure in the history of India.
The museum has nine galleries displaying the significant developments in all three battles of Panipat through paintings, sculptures and models. The cultural heritage of Haryana in the form of dresses, ornaments, utensils, agricultural implements, household goods etc. in the museum is an attraction.
On June 18, 2016, the Chief Minister at a function organised by the Yodha Smarak Samiti had announced to develop the Kala Amb war memorial as a tourism hub and also shift the Panipat museum there. Sources say that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) that looks after the Kala Amb war memorial has refused to provide land on its premises to accommodate the museum. The Yodha Smarak Samiti is now searching for a new site for it near Kala Amb.
Satish Kumar, an assistant in the museum, says that around 40 persons visit the place every day. The Public Works Department had repaired the flooring and lighting in the museum recently, he adds.
Rajesh Goyal, member secretary of the Yodha Smarak Samiti, says that it is not easy to shift the museum to the Kala Amb war memorial that the ASI maintains it. “We are planning to develop a big memorial to all three historical battles at one place near Kala Amb. It will have a light and sound show, an open theatre, historical sculptures, artefacts, and statues of warriors, and great men and other monuments,” he says.
“We are searching for land adjoining the Kala Amb war memorial so that visitors could visit both places," adds Goyal.
He says that all these sculptures made up of some fiber were situated along the National Highway-1 in Panipat city and were shifted to the museum around 12 years ago when the construction of the elevated highway started, he adds.
The sculptures had been lying in the open for many years. We pursued the issue with the government and a shed and lights were set up there, says Goyal, Prant Pracharak of the RSS.
“We are hoping that the work on the museum will start in a month or two and it will become a unique storehouse of three historical battles of Panipat,” he adds.
Unfulfilled promise
On June 18, 2016, the Chief Minister had announced to develop the Kala Amb war memorial as a tourism hub and also shift the Panipat museum there. The Archaeological Survey of India that looks after the Kala Amb war memorial has refused to provide land on its premises for the museum.
