Government Department

Culture, Archaeology & Museum Department

Introduction

The Department of Culture Affairs, Archaeology and Museums, Punjab has been set up to promote the art & culture in state and to preserve the cultural heritage of the Punjabi in particular the Punjab Department of cultural affairs, Archaeology and Museums, Punjab was sat up in the year1974 alongwith tourism department. At that time the tourism and cultural affairs wings were functioning under the public relations department, and Archaeology & Museums was under the Education Department. The department took the present form in 1981 when Tourism was separated. The present concept was assigned to the department when tourism was separated in 1981.

Objectives

Cultural Affairs Unit: This unit looks after the cultural activities such as : Revival of Folk songs/dances, recording of voices of folk singers for reference and record, sponsoring of cultural tropes within state, interstate and at International level, sponsoring of candidates for training the theater arts at National school of Drama, Giving grant -in- aid to the institutions/organizations engaged in the promotion of art & culture in the state, Holding of musical and cultural festivals, melas, seminars and conference, holding of school/college level competition in the field of poetry, short stories paintings and performing arts i.e. dance, drama and music. Renders grant-in-aid to north zone cultural centre, Patiala.

Archaeology Unit: This unit deals with the explorations, excavations, conservation and preservation of cultural heritage of the state with the following three sections:

Explorations and Excavations : To accelerate and to keep the record of the work relating to village to village survey of the ancient and historical sites and conducting excavations to unearth the antiquities to establish links with other cultures. Statistical information is kept in detailed reports and published for scholarly and other purposes.

Conservation : The conservation of ancient and historical monuments is done as declared under the Punjab Ancient Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1964. There are about 63 protected monuments and sites in the state which are being looked after by this unit on archaeological principles. The works include repairs, conservation, watch and ward, landscaping and beautification of the monuments etc.

Preservation : An archaeological Laboratory has been set up at Patiala to give chemical treatment to the antiquities discovered during the course of explorations, excavations and to other art objects kept in the 12 state museums established at different places. Transplantation of wall paintings, chemical conservation of ancient historical buildings besides newly acquired and donated art objects are restored and preserved by the Laboratory.

Museums Objectives: This unit looks after the improvement in the display work of existing Museums, setting up of new Museums and holding of exhibitions on various concepts, themes and subjects.

Thrust Areas

Cultural Affairs Unit: Since culture is the social behaviour of a man in all aspects of life, therefore, the main thrust areas of the culture unit are kept to preserve, revive and project (in audio and visual forms) in its different forms and to revive the vanishing folk art forms and to create cultural awareness among the people by holding cultural festivals, seminars and conferences. The culture wing creates infrastructure for cultural activities in the state, offers financial assistance to voluntary organizations engaged in the promotion of art and culture and formulates the plans to encourage inter state exchange of cultural troupes. This unit started its cultural activities in 1975, after the formation of state drama Repertory company. This repertory played and produced plays like Parai-Kukh-Lok-Udassi and Mukat Dhara. These plays were appreciated in the rural and Urban areas. The state Drama Repertory was attached with the Public Relation Department in 1977.

Archaeology Unit: Archaeology was declared as a concurrent subject by the Govt. of India and in the year 1985 the central Archaeological Sites and Remains Act was enacted. Accordingly the Punjab state established a archaeological cell under the Director Archives and curator Museums in the year 1963 with the creation of one post of Assistant Archaeological officer in the state, "The Punjab ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological sites and Remains Act, 1964 " was passed by the Punjab Legislature. Later on some technical posts were sanctioned. About 200 archaeological sites including mounds & ancient and historical monuments were explored. As per provisions of " The Punjab Ancient And Historical Monuments And Archaeological sites and Remains act, 1964. "From the year 1970 till to-day 63 monuments of ancient and historical importance have been declared protected which consists of Kos Minars, Sarais, Palaces, Temples, Tombs and Quilas such as sheesh Mahal and Quila Mubarak Patiala, Aam Khas Bagh Sirhind, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Summer Palace, Dewan Khana and Marble Baradari in Sangrur, Mughal Sqrai Shambhu and Doraha, Tombs of Ustaad and Shagird, Village Talania in Fatehgarh Sahib District, Dera Mian Meer, Sirhind, Mosque Bhagat Sadna Qasai, Sirhind Moorish Masjid,Kapurthala, Ancestral House of Lala Lajpat Rai at Jagraon and Shaheed Bhagat Singh at Khatkar Kalan.

Museums Unit

1947 : When India was partitioned in 1947, artifacts in the Lahore Museum were divided between India and Pakistan in a 60: 40 ratio. Immediately after partition these artifacts were displayed at Shimla.

1950 : The Lahore artifacts were shifted to Qila Mubarak, a 200 years old fort in the heart of Patiala city. For 20 years, Qila Mubarak was the only museum in the state.

1970 : An art gallery was established in the Sheesh Mahal Complex of old Moti Bagh  Palace in Patiala.

1971 : A museum was established at Hoshiarpur to house artifacts discovered from Dholbaha.

1972 : The Sangrur Museum was established for objects collected from the rulers of the princely state of Jind was created .

1978 ; The Anglo-sikh war Museum was set up at Ferozeshah.

1977 : A museum devoted to the age of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was established at Amritsar.

1981 : A museum commemorating Shahee-E-Azam S. Bhagat Singh was established at his ancestral village, Khatkar Kalan.

1983 : Sri Guru Tag Bahadur Museum was established at Anandpur sahib. It contains paintings especially commissioned from Punjabi Artists, depicting episodes from the life of Guru Tag Bahadur.

1989 : A library-cum-museum in the memory of Lala Lajpat Rai was established at Jagraon.

1990 : An archaeological museum on the modern techniques was established at Ucha Pind-Sanghol- to display artifacts excavated from the village.

Renovation work in these museums has been a continuous process and budget allocations have been made for the purpose every year since 1950. The Museum wing has organised many temporary and traveling exhibitions which have toured the state and the country. Some of these exhibitions have been sent abroad also.

Major Achievements

Cultural Affairs Unit:The cultural wing of the department has successfully achieved the following targets:

The inter state Exchange of cultural troupe scheme was introduced by Government of India and is being implemented through Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi. The expenditure incurred on such programmes, 80 percent is borne by the Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi. Cultural Troupe of each state visits three states and cultural troupes of three states are received on reciprocal basis in a calendar year.

Punjab Government has established Punjab Arts council under which three academies namely Sangeet Natak Academy, Lalit Kala Academy, and Sahitya Academy are successfully functioning. The department allocates funds through grant-in-aid to Punjab Arts council to meet with the expenditure to Cultural Programs organized by its constituent units. North Zone Cultural centre also organized cultural programs with the connivance of this department.

In 1994 the state Government has also introduced a Punjabi Film Policy under which subsidy to the extent of Rs.12 Lac is being paid to the Punjabi film producers against the completion of one Punjabi film. Under this Scheme Punjabi films work completed such has pratgya, Raab Dian Rakhan, Sardar, Truck Driver, Dulla Bhatti, Mela, Suche Moti Lali, Lawaris, Mahoul Theek Hai, Punjab Kaur.

Archaeology Unit: To start with excavations were carried out at Sanghol in the year 1968 which yielded fruitful results and 1395 antiquities relating to the periods (late Harappan to the medieval period were discovered. Traces of Buddhist Stupa was also found. Excavations at this site continued until 1973 and again during the year 1978 to 1980. Excavations were conducted in 1970 at Chandigarh in collaboration with the Panjab University. Harappan culture remains were excavated 250 antiquities were found. In the year 1976-77 & 1977-78 excavations were conducted at Ghuram during which Greyware, Black slipped and painted Greyware remains were found. As per Dasham Granth of Guru Gobind Singh Ghuram belongs to the Ramayana period (Lord Rama's mother parental place was here). Besides Audumbara coins 749 antiquities were discovered from Ghuram.  In the year 1981 to 1983 excavations were carried out a Pre-Harappan Site Rohira in District Sangrur. The remains of other cultures like Harappan, Late Harappan, PGW, Greyware, Black slipped Greyware, Sungh, Kushana and Medieval period were discovered. Total antiquities found from this site were 2404. During 1983-84 excavations were conducted at Sunet in Ludhiana District which was ruled by Yaudheyas a tribal republic of Punjab. Large Number of coins moulds. Seals and Sealings with Brahmi inscriptions were unearthed during excavations. Structures of the Kushana period and 748 antiquities were found from the site.

In the year 1984-85 department started excavations afresh at Sanghol to yield more results and expose Buddhist Stupa. The remarkable achievements of the decade in the field of Archaeology in Punjab, is the discovery of 117 beautifully craved voluptuous sculptured pillars of the Mathura Art of second centuary A.D., Buddhist Stupas and monastery complex. Sanghol excavations also provided historical material from late Harappan (C. 2000 B.C)  painted greyware period (C.1000 B.C) Black-slipped ware period (C. 600-B.C) earlier historic period and medieval times. The discovery of the said railing pillers , however, has been regarded as the greatest art treasures of the century. The Exhibition of selected pieces was arranged in National Museum, New-Delhi which was inaugurated by the President of India, and was appreciated all over the world. Catalogue of Kushana Sculptures was published by the Department with fund of Rs.2.20 lac borne by the National Museum. Excavations at this site continued upto 1990 jointly with the Archaeology Survey of India and 14629 antiquities were discovered.

In the year 1988-89 excavations were carried out at Nagiari, in Distt. Ropar an important painted Greyware and Kushana period site. 886 antiquities were discovered. During 1990-91 Dholbaha site in Hoshiarpur District was excavated. The site of Dholbaha is very important on Sculptural art point of view. The famous Vishnu Head was discovered from this site alongwith many more sculptures presently displayed in the Archaeological Museum at Hoshiarpur. Temples of the early medieval period also exist at the site. 171 Antiquities were recovered from Dholbaha.

In the year 1991 excavations were started at the ancient mound Brass in the Fatehgarh Sahib District. The surface explorations indicate to the Harappan culture and painted greyware alongwith later cultures. Excavations continued at this site till 1997.  1957 antiquities have been discovered from the site.

Museums Unit: An International Exhibition on the rare artifacts of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was arranged on 6-12-1980 which was also organised in Delhi on 24-4-1981 and at Chandigarh and Patiala. An Exhibition of Life & Times of Baba Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was arranged at Chandigarh on 3-5-1984. Silver Jewelry Exhibition was arranged at Chandigarh on 6-3-1985. Miniature Paintings and Sketches Exhibition was arranged at Chandigarh on 9-2-1986. An Exhibition of Antiquities, red and sand stone sculptures and a scholarly seminar was arranged at P.A.U. Ludhiana in 1987. During the periods from 1985-1991 Sanghol sculptures were sent to U.S.A. Germany, France, Russia, Vienna where Festivals of India were arranged by the Govt. of India.

Right from the year 1950 renovation work in the different state unit museums were done on the year to year basis on priority lines as per the available provisions sanctioned for the purpose. Blowups from museum objects have been got prepared and travelling exhibitions were arranged in different parts of the state and at the National and International levels.

Publications of the Department

Major Schemes/Projects

Cultural Affairs Unit:The department aptly sponsored students, to 3 years diploma course in Theatre Arts at National School of Drama. New Delhi. The cultural wing operators following five schemes :

Archaeology Unit: Some of the monuments have rare murals/wall painting of various arts. Quila Mubarak, Patiala is  with wall paintings. Conservation works are being done on priority basis as per budget provision besides the annual maintenance and land-scaping of all the protected monuments. In view of the decision of the Hon'ble Punjab and Haryana High Court dated 16-8-93 Special conservation works are being done for the maintenance of Quila Mubarak, Patiala. Rs. 90 lac were spent in the year 1995-96 for the conservation and preservation of protected monuments and Rs. 180 lac have been allocated for the year 1997-98. Chemical Conservation Laboratory has been set up at Patiala for the preservation of murals, paintings, embalished in the monuments, art objects displayed in the museums and antiquities encountered during excavations. From the year 1975 to date Special conservation works have been done as per archaeological principles on the monuments, such as Aam Khas Bagh, Sirhind, Mughal Seria Shambhu and Doraha, Quila Androon/Quila Mubarak and Sheesh Mehal, Patiala, Moorishmaszad, Kapurthala, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Summer palace, Amritsar, Dewan Khanna Qadim and Marble Baradari in Sangrur, City Gates Patiala and Anglo Sikh War Memorials. Reference Library has been set up and about 7000 books on art & culture have been purchased for the Library.

Museums Unit :The museum unit has successfully launched the following scheme to establish the below mentioned subordinate units:-
 

Registration Scheme
Antiquities and Art Treasure Act was enacted in the year 1972 by the Govt. of India. For the implementation of this Act Registering Officer with supporting staff were appointed under the control of State Govt. for which cent percent financial aid is given by the Govt. of India. The act was implemented in the state of Punjab in the year 1975-76. Under this Act art objects such as sculptures, paintings, manuscripts, and engravings are registered to avoid theft, smuggling of the art treasure. Antiquities are being registered as per norms and the information is sent to the Govt. of India regularly. A total number of 14147 antiquities have been registered till today.

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