NEW DELHI, June 16: A museum dedicated to the country’s 5,000-year maritime history will be set up at the Archaeological Survey of India protected Indus Valley civilisation site at Lothal, about 60 kilometres from Ahmedabad, in Gujarat, by the union ministry of culture in collaboration with the shipping and port ministry. Official sources said the two ministries signed a Memorandum of Understanding for ‘Cooperation in Development of National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal, Gujarat’ on Wednesday.
According to a statement from the Culture Ministry, the world-class facility would be developed in the vicinity of the NMHC which would be promoted as an international tourist destination where the maritime heritage of India — from ancient to modern times — would be showcased and an edutainment approach using the latest technology would be adopted to spread awareness about the country’s maritime heritage, it said.
The NMHC project has been taken up under the unique and innovative projects category of the Sagarmala programme under MoSPW. The Government of Gujarat has transferred 375 acres of land in Saragvada village on lease for 99 years at a token rate to MoSPW.
“The complex will be showcasing the thousands of year old maritime strength of India,” said Culture Minister Prahlad Patel.
Renowned architect Hafeez Contractor has been selected as the Principal Project Consultant to prepare a master plan and requisite design and engineering documents for inviting EPC tenders and project management consultancy.
NMHC would be developed in an area of about 400 acres with various unique structures such as the National Maritime Heritage Museum, lighthouse museum, heritage theme park, museum-themed hotels, maritime-themed eco-resorts and maritime institute among others which would be developed in a phased manner.
The unique feature of NMHC is the recreation of ancient Lothal city, which was one of the prominent cities of the Indus valley civilization.
“NMHC is to be developed as a first of its kind in the country dedicated to the legacy of the maritime heritage of India, to showcase India’s rich and diverse maritime glory,” Mansukh Mandaviya, the Minister of MoPSW said during the signing ceremony.
The museum is set to be completed in three years from the date the project commences.
As a part of the museum, 14 galleries have been proposed to exhibit the evolution of India’s maritime heritage during various eras.
Key galleries include mythologies and wilderness of Indian Ocean, Harappans: The Pioneer Master Seafarers, Indian Ocean: an Interactive Sphere, India’s contact with the Roman World: The Quest for the Spice, Trade, Commerce and Cultural Interaction with China and South-East Asia.
Other notable galleries that have been proposed are Age of Emporia Contact, Landing of Vasco da Gama/The Arrival of the Europeans, Maratha Naval Power, Emergence of Indian Navy, Maritime Traditions of Gujarat, Traditional Ship Building and Navigation Techniques of India, Heritage of the Coastal Communities of India and Indian Shipping: Post Independence (Shipping Industries, Sagarmala, contemporary Ports, Port Association of India).
It is also proposed to have a pavilion for each coastal states and union territories at NMHC to showcase the artefacts and maritime heritage of the states and union territories.
The Culture Ministry will facilitate the fundraising for NMHC through National Culture Fund (NCF). The services of NCF shall be used to receive funds by way of grant, donation, CSR and foreign contribution.
Artefacts from Lothal and Dholavira, a Harappan site in Kutch district in Gujarat, will also be displayed at the NMHC complex.
(Manas Dasgupta)