Bhubaneswar, May 18: The state government will come up with a gallery in the Odisha State Museum dedicated to the life and achievements of Biju Patnaik. Plans are on to inaugurate the gallery this year to commemorate the birth centenary of the leader.
The gallery will house photographs of the leader and articles that were used by the former chief minister. A number of video clips and audio messages of the politician will be put up for the visitors.
"Biju Patnaik is an international figure. Many people visiting the museum enquire about the prominent personality of the state, so, the gallery will provide an insight into his life," said Jayanti Rath, superintendent in charge of the museum.
The museum will also shortly come up with a section dedicated to the freedom fighters of the state. Plans are on to set up a cafeteria and install lift on the premises of the museum.
"We want to make the museum experience a memorable one for the visitors. We have also planned to install air conditioners in the main galleries and renovate the toilets," said culture minister Ashok Panda.
Lack of proper security arrangements has become a major headache for the authorities. Despite many rare items such as old coins and sculptures are lying in the storehouse of the museum. Rath said that there was an urgent need for CCTV cameras and intruder detection mechanism.
"Unless there is a strong security system in place, we cannot display all the items. We have sent proposal to the state government. We are hopeful that funds will be sanctioned fast so that we can begin work," she said.
Two galleries that had been under renovation were opened to the public today on the occasion of International Museum Day. The archaeology and natural history galleries, which have been revamped, are now accessible.
The exhibits of the newly renovated archaeology section are displayed in three big halls . Buddha and Jain sculptures apart from crude Naga and Yaksha images are also part of the collection of the gallery.
A photo exhibition depicting the lifestyle of six primitive tribal groups was also set up. The paintings showcase tribal communities engaged in household chores, agricultural practices, cultural activities and many more.
Last year, two galleries displaying musical instruments and ornaments were opened to public.
"The exhibition will continue for a month. Visitors will get an idea about the tribal traditions of our state through the exhibition," said Rath.
A workshop was also organised where 150 school students depicted their creations on terracotta artifacts and created tribal art using white clay. A seminar on the theme of this year, museum and cultural landscapes, was also conducted.
