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Dogra Art Museum, Jammu

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Type
  
Heritage centre

Founded
  
18 April 1954

Collection size
  
7216

Dogra Art Museum, Jammu

Established
  
18 April 1954 (1954-04-18)

Location
  
Mubarak Mandi Complex, Jammu, India

Key holdings
  
Pahari painting, Shahnama & Sikandarnamain Persian

Collections
  
Dogra costumes,Sculptures, numismatics, manuscripts etc.

Address
  
Panjtirthi, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir 180001

Hours
  
Closed now Thursday10AM–5PMFriday10AM–5PMSaturday10AM–5PMSunday10AM–5PMMondayClosedTuesday10AM–5PMWednesday10AM–5PM

Similar
  
Mubarak Mandi Palace, Bahu Fort, Amar Mahal Palace, Raghunath Temple, Baag ‑e ‑Bahu

Royal dogra palace of palace jammu


Dogra Art Museum, Jammu previously known as the Dogra Art Gallery is a museum of Dogra cultural heritage housed in the Pink Hall of the Mubarak Mandi complex, Jammu, India. The main attractions of the museum are the Pahari miniature paintings from Bhasoli.

Contents

About

Dogra Art Museum, Jammu is a government museum and the biggest in Jammu region, one of the three divisions in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The museum is unit of Directorate of Archives, Archaeology and Museums, under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Jammu and Kashmir Government. The building was erected in commemoration of the visit of the British Monarch Edward VII when he came to Jammu as the Prince of Wales in 1875. This building housed the Public Library as well as the Museum.

History

In its initial days it was known as the Ajaib Ghar, an Urdu term for the word "Museum" (Urdu used to be the court language then) and was housed in a mini hall having some collection of arms and old photographs where now the Assembly hall has been erected within in New Secretariat, Jammu. It was the first step towards setting up of a museum in the erstwhile Princely State of Kashmir and Jammu. After the states' accession with the Union of India, a committee - in the year 1954 - was organized under the president-ship of Shri Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, the then Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq, Education Minister, Shri G.L.Dogra, Finance Minister, Master Sansar Chand Baru famous Artist and Prof.R.N.Shastri (now Padamshri) were the members of the committee. Some space in the Gandhi Bhawan Hall adjacent to New Secretariat was allotted to this committee for housing and display of artifacts. The Museum was inaugurated by the first president of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad on April 18, 1954 at the Gandhi Bhawan, Jammu as the Dogra Art Gallery. It was upgraded to a full-fledged museum and shifted to, its present building, the Mubarak Mandi Complex,Jammu. Master Sansar Chand Baru was appointed its first Curator(Head).

Collections

The museum has a collection of 7216 objects of historical and cultural importance. Among the collections are the Rasmanjari series of the famed Basohli miniature paintings and some rare manuscripts like the beautifully illustrated Shahnama and Sikandernama in Persian.

Terracotta heads from Akhnoor, Sculptures, numismatics, manuscripts, Dogra costumes, jewellery, arms and armours, metal objects and artifacts related to Decorative arts. The intricately decorated marble jharokhas with inlaid work of semi precious stones in the marble hall further embellishes the charisma of the museum collection. However, what the museum is known all over for is the Pahari miniature paintings from Basholi. A gold plated bow belonging to Mughal emperor Shah Jehan and a stone plate with inscriptions in Takri Script are among some of the most prized possessions of the museum.

Visitors Information

The museum is open from 10 O'Clock in the morning till 5 O'Clock. It remains closed on Mondays. Minimal entry fee is required to enter the museum premises.

References

Dogra Art Museum, Jammu Wikipedia