Museum Place

Museums of Punjab possess some extensive variety of sculptures and paintings by modern Indian artists and also an assortment of Indian miniatures of the Rajasthani, Mughal, Pahari and Sikh schools. These museums also exhibit a number of arm and armours, medals and items of princely states with sections on Anthropology, Archaeology, Tribal and folk arts portraying diverse scopes and concepts in thepatterns of culture and art. One of the prominent museums of Punjab is the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum, Amritsar. The museum was the summer palace of former king; Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It is now changed into a magnificent museum. Ram Bagh is the name of the very beautiful garden which surrounds the Museum. Maharaja Ranjit Singh is a significant figure in the Indian history. This museum puts on show various objects relating to Maharaja Ranjit Singh, like, outstanding paintings, arms and armour and centuries old manuscripts and coins.

A majority of the paintings displayed in the museum present the camp and court of the king and the most noteworthy is the image of Lahore showing its various structures. Maharaja Ranjit Singh had revealed an admirable character of secularism and it is visible on the coins on display in the Museum. The manuscripts which are preserved in this museum deal with the tradition and history of the Sikh province, mainly belonging to Maharaja Ranjit Singhs period. Among the major items on display in this museum is a parwana to the Raja of Kapurthala by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and it also bears the seal of Ranjit Singh. Belief is that the Sikhs are very courageous and daring and therefore the museums arms and ammunition section exhibits a wealthy collection of weapons, which were common at the time of the great warriors. A celebrated personality of the medieval period in India, Maharaja Ranjith Singh holds a significant place in the spirit and mind of the people of Punjab as well as other parts of India. The Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum, Amritsar is a legitimate effort to portray the great heros life of yesteryears.

Another major museum of Punjab is the Museum of Rural life of Punjab. It is situated inside the campus of the Punjab Agricultural University. The culture of Punjab is exhibited in this museum in the most delicate manner. The museum gains its significance with the change in time since change of pace of rural Punjab is very fast. The old customs and traditions are quickly loosing ground due to the new technology. Women with gaggars to fetch water in the villages are not to be seen any more. Primitive bronze dishes are now old-fashioned pieces and there is no more spinning of cotton for clothes is done in the villages. New technology has replaced the Charsa and Dhingli by mechanical threshers in the fields. Each and every traditional item of Punjab is preserved in the university museum.

The credit for building this museum is given to Dr. M.S. Randhawa, the first Vice Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University. He visualized the idea and started the project. A suitable design was planned by him and he also arranged from small villages and towns, various old objects to be preserved in the museum. Situated at the rear of College of Home Science of Punjab Agriculture University, it charges an entrance fee of Rs.2 per individual. The museum is open for the public on all Punjab Agriculture University working days from 9 A.M. to 1.00 P.M. and 2 P.M. to 5 P.M.

Archaeological Museum, Ropar, Punjab is located almost 40 kilometers north-east of the city of Chandigarh. This is positioned on the Rupnagar-Chandigarh highway alongside the Sutlej river. The museum was opened for public on 1998. It possesses several archaeological relics of the unearthed site near Ropar. It is the first Harappan site unearthed in Independent India. The diggings exposed a cultural progression from the Harappan to the medieval times. The major items of display in this museum are the antiquities of Harappan times, coloured grey ware culture, Saka, Gupta, Kushana times such as Vina Vadini, copper and bronze implements, yakshi image, steatite seal, ring stone, gold coins of Chandragupta. Apart from these, people visiting the museum can see the protected monuments of Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and World Heritage monuments. The museum remains open from 10.00 A.M. to 05.00 P.M. and it remains closed on Friday. It takes an entrance fee of Rs.2 per individual and children up to the age of 15 years are not charged.

Museums of Punjab have preserved the rich culture and tradition of the state. Some of the museums possess several excavated items of the Indus Valley Civilization, tribal and folk arts, anthropological elements, etc. They prove to be the major attractions of Punjab for the scholars and artists and also the general tourists. A visit to the museums in Punjab will provide a vast idea in a nutshell about the glorious past of the land.