157.37.187.246: /* Exhibits */

2021-04-09T22:26:48Z

Exhibits

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{{Orphan|date=April 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox museum
| name = Children's Museum, Siri Fort
| image = Replica of Shalabhanjika.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = A replica of [[Shalabhanjika]] from the Pratihara period of 9–10th century from [[Madhya Pradesh]], in the posture of ''dvibhanga'', known as "Indian Monalisa"
| map_type = India Delhi
| map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|28.5518964|77.2163258|display=inline}}
| established = 2011
| dissolved =
| collection = 30 replicas
| location = [[Siri Fort]], [[New Delhi]], India
| type =
| visitors =
| director =
| curator =
| publictransit =
| website =
}}
The '''Children's Museum, Siri Fort''', established by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]] (ASI) is a museum specifically created to educate children on the cultural, archaeological and historical heritage of India through replicated sculptures created from the existing well known sculptures in various museums and heritage sites in the country. The museum houses 30 such sculptures created by students of the [[College of Arts and Crafts, Patna]], under the direction of K. K. Mohammed, an archaeologist who had formerly worked as Superintendent Archaeologist of ASI's Delhi circle. The museum is located in a lane adjoining the [[Siri Fort]] Auditorium and Siri Fort sports complex in [[South Delhi]], [[New Delhi]].<ref name=Replica>{{Cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/ASI-replica-museum-needs-reprieve/articleshow/52115050.cms|title=ASI replica museum needs reprieve|date= 5 May 2016|accessdate=8 June 2016|newspaper=Times of India}}
</ref><ref name=Tripathi>{{Cite news|last= Tripathi |first= Shailaja |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/recreating-the-past/article6231856.ece|title=Recreating the past|date=21 July 2014|accessdate=8 June 2016|newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref><ref name=Art/> A unique life-size sculpture created and exhibited in the museum is of [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] [[Emperor Akbar]] which is not found anywhere else in the country.<ref name=Replica/> There are also statues of [[Emperor Ashoka]], and [[Shah Jahan]]; these three statues were added when the museum was opened for public viewing in May 2011 and are located in the garden surrounding the museum.<ref name=Time>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/education/patna-students-recreate-history/story-wTvC18ZzMM58Mrnt2UjeWP.html|title=Patna students recreate history|date= 1 May 2012|accessdate=8 June 2016|newspaper=Hindustan Times}}</ref>

==History==
The plan to create this museum was first initiated by the ASI by acquiring a building which was under the control of the Delhi Development Authority Officer’s Club. The ASI acquired it in 2003 after a case filed in the court by Ajeet Cour, writer and [[V. P. Singh]], late former [[Prime Minister of India]]. The conceptual plans prepared in 2008 for creating the museum to house 100 exact reproduction of sculptures from India and another 100 from the heritage sites in the Asian region, is attributed to the [[National Museum, New Delhi|National Museum]] and K.K.Muhammed who was then the Superintending Archaeologist of the Delhi Circle of ASI.<ref name=Tripathi/> The purpose was to show case at one place replicated sculptures from different places and of different historical periods. As the funds allotted for this project was limited, only 30 replica sculptures could be made and displayed in the museum.<ref name=Art>{{Cite news|url=http://m.deccanherald.com/articles.php?name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.deccanherald.com%2Fcontent%2F222385%2Fart-replicas-excite-children-artists.html|title=Art replicas excite children, artists|accessdate=8 June 2016|newspaper=Deccan Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170115063949/http://m.deccanherald.com/articles.php?name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.deccanherald.com%2Fcontent%2F222385%2Fart-replicas-excite-children-artists.html|archive-date=15 January 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The sculptures were replicated by the students of the [[College of Arts and Crafts, Patna]] only from photographs of the original sculptures, as none of them had seen them at their original locations.<ref name=Replica/>

==Exhibits==
{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = Fasting_buddha_at_lahore_museum.jpg
| width1 = 190
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| image2 = Replica of fasting Buddha.jpg
| width2 = 175
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| footer = Left:Fasting Buddha in [[Lahore Museum]] in [[Pakistan]], Right:Replica of fasting Buddha displayed at the Children Museum, Siri Fort, New Delhi
}}
Some of the important original sculptures of different periods in history replicated and displayed in the museum are of: [[Descent of the Ganges (Mahabalipuram)|Arjuna’s Penance]] (sculpture of the 7th century) at [[Mahabalipuram]] a part of the [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]] of the [[Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram]]; Ugra Narasimha at [[Hampi]] of the Vijayanagara era temples; [[Gommateshwara statue|Gomteshwara]] ([[Jain]] [[Tirthankara]]) of 983 AD by the [[Western Ganga Dynasty|Ganga dynasty]]; Jesus Christ on the Cross of sixteenth century from [[Goa]]; [[Gudimallam|Gudimallam Shivalinga]] from the first century BC from [[Chittoor]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]]; "Ravana Shaking Kailash" from the 5th century Dashavatara caves from [[Ellora]]; [[Trimurti]] from the [[Elephanta Caves]] of the [[Chalukya dynasty|Chalukyan]] [[rock-cut architecture]]; Rudra Shiva seventh century AD from Tala, in [[Chhattisgarh]]; Gyaraspur [[Yakshi]] from [[Madhya Pradesh]] of the [[Mauryan period]];<ref name=Replica/> [[Shalabhanjika]] from the Pratihara period of 9–10th century from [[Madhya Pradesh]], which is a voluptuous image of a woman without hands sculpted from buff sandstone in the posture of ''dvibhanga'', known as "Indian Monalisa";<ref name=Tripathi/> a [[Greco-Buddhist art|Gandhara art]] form of fasting [[Buddha]] in a skeletal form from the [[Kushan Empire|Kushan period]] of 3rd Century AD (the original sculpture is in [[Lahore Museum]] in Pakistan);<ref name=Tripathi/><ref name=Time/> Preaching Buddha of thirteenth century from [[Sarnath]] of the Gandhara School of Art, Didarganj Yakshini from [[Bihar]] which unearthed in 1917 from the bank of [[Ganga River]] in 1917 and presently exhibited at Patna Museum, a drunken woman from [[Mathura]]. These sculptures represent many schools of art and architecture that existed in the past.<ref name=Replica/><ref name=Tripathi/><ref name=Time/><ref name=Bihar>{{Cite web|url=http://news.inbihar.org/replica-museum-in-delhi-crafted-by-patna-artists-times-of-india/|title=Replica Museum in Delhi crafted by Patna artists – Times of India|date=10 May 2015|accessdate=8 June 2016|publisher=News in Bihar Organization|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829022132/http://news.inbihar.org/replica-museum-in-delhi-crafted-by-patna-artists-times-of-india/|archive-date=29 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The sculptures on display are made from [[fibreglass]]. There is also a gallery where photographs of the original monuments, before and after renovations done by ASI, are displayed.<ref name=Tripathi /> The artists who created the replicas have made improvements on the original sculptures such as in the case of Deedarganj Yakshni in the [[Patna Museum]]. The original sculpture had its nose and a hand damaged which was rectified in the replica. In the same manner, a replica of the [[Pillars of Ashoka|Ashoka pillar at Sarnath]] is now made with the "wheel with four lions seated back to back", while the original does not have this feature.<ref name=Time/>

There are plans to make and exhibit replicas of art works from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Burma and Sri Lanka for display at the museum.<ref name=Art/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:Buildings and structures in New Delhi]]
[[Category:Museums in Delhi]]
[[Category:Archaeological museums in India]]
[[Category:Art museums and galleries in India]]
[[Category:Decorative arts museums in India]]
[[Category:Art museums established in 2011]]
[[Category:Ministry of Culture (India)]]

Children's Museum, Siri Fort - Revision history

157.37.187.246: /* Exhibits */