"Treasures of history in a cultural hub"
Historical purposes are solved only there are testimonies to the good acts of the people within the present. Dungarpur Museum or the Govt Archaeological Museumin Dungarpur may be a richly decorated place in Rajasthan with a huge number of sculptures collected from the various era of the ancient and medieval period in North-Western a part of India. This town of Dungarpur had an upscale history of great rulers from the Rajput clans with the princely state being recognised by British Raj. When the archaeological department in Rajasthan collected a couple of items from its excavations, the number of sculptures gradually increased, warranting a separate museum for this purpose.
The city of Dungarpur is found within the district with an equivalent name, towards the southernmost a part of Rajasthan. Historically, this city came into existence in mid 14th century, when Rawal Veer Singh of Mewar dynasty found out his kingdom. These Rajput chiefs got the title of Maharawal and their descendants are within the seat of rule out Dungarpur since the 14th century till the time of British Raj. Even after independence, the king went on to become the elected member of Rajya Sabha and Rajasthan legislature. During his time, the govt archaeological museum was established. This beautiful city at the bottom of the Aravalli Hill ranges provides a serene climate and environment for tourists, who can find a good range of sculptures preserved within the Dungarpur Museum which is additionally referred to as the govt museum. the town is additionally documented for a variety of palaces and Havelis boasting of exotic designs with features like large jharokhas or windows.
The History and Origin of the Govt Archaeological Museum
During the year 1959, the Department of Archaeology and Museums of state of Rajasthan decided to line up a centre to display various sculptures excavated from the Vagad area of Dungarpur District. These sculptures were collected from village areas like Amjhara, Baroda, Galiyakot and few other villages of historic importance. Initially, for one year, these sculptures were displayed in Panchayat Samiti hall of Dungarpur, although in a collection of varied fragments and architectural pieces. By the late 1970s, a huge collection of sculptures was accumulated during this existing panchayat Samiti hall because the excavation of sculptures increased. A further addition to the structures was done by the contributions from the royalty of Dungarpur, many from the private collections of Maharawal Lakshman Singh and Dr Nagendra Singh. They donated to the gathering of such things, which were their personal belongings, family images and sculptures from the royal ancestry. It became, therefore, necessary to possess a separate building, that the land was also donated by the royal Dungarpur family. Within the year 1988, on 11th February, the building was officially inaugurated as the Rajmata Devendra Kunwar Government Museum or the Govt Archaeological Museum. This museum became famous within the region and is included within the tour itineraries of tourists from far and wide.
What are the collections found in Govt Archaeological Museum?
Dungarpur Museum primarily features a rich collection of varied sculptures, mostly brought together from excavations administered by the Department of Archaeology and Museum of Rajasthan Government. These things, along with side those donated by the royalty are the important constituents of this acclaimed museum. It’s believed that about 197 statues of gods and goddesses are present in three galleries, into which the whole museum has been divided. Additionally to the sculptures, there are 23 inscriptions belonging to different eras of Dungarpur rule. Aside from these findings, tourists also can see ancient coins, metal images and various articles belonging to the tribal populations of those areas.
Antiques made from metal and terracotta by the Motela and other tribal women are displayed here in Dungarpur Museum. Vagad area cultural symbols, musical instruments, marriage ritualistic items and various photographs from Baroda and Gaibsagar Lake are often found. Many of the statues excavated and displayed within the museum belong to the Gupta rule from the 6th century. A number of these are the Trantik Ganesh idol, Veena adorned Shiva, Harihar Statue, Kuber Statue and Vaishnavi over her ride and lots of such sculptures of gods and goddesses. Some Jain statutes are often seen within the galleries of this Museum.
From the collections displayed at Dungarpur Museum, it's clearly evident that the culture and non-secular practices of the people in Vagad area and present Dungarpur district are often easily known. Such collections are bound to provide a detailed peek into the life of this region and depict the life-style of the people also because of the erstwhile rulers.
How to reach?
If you are planning to visit Govt Archaeological Museum then it is common that you will be tensed about how to reach. There are several ways to reach this place. You can easily get buses from most of the major cities of the country. There aren’t regular flights for Dungarpur but there are two nearest airports. One is the Dabok airport and the other one is Ahmedabad airport. Dungarpur is also very well connected with other railways stations of major cities.
Timings and Tickets
Every Monday is the maintenance day. The place is open for all the visitors from 9:45 am to 5:15 pm. For Indians, the ticket price for an adult is 20 rupees and for students is rupees 10. For foreigners, the adult ticket price is 100 rupees and for students the about is 50 rupees. On special days like World Museum day etc., the entry is free. Entry fee for children below seven is free. Also, student’s ticket is issued on valid ids.
Nearby Places
There are several nearby monuments which you can explore on your tour. Among them, one is Archaeological site, Aamjhara which is also famous for its history. To know more one should visit and enjoy the history here.
These were some of the important things about Govt Archaeological Museum which one should know before visiting.
