July - 2014 Odisha Review Dr. N.K. Sahu Museum : A Departmental University Museum of Western Odisha Bhagawana Mahananda Museum is the repository of the relics representing are for study and research for the students, history and culture of the nation. It is an institution scholars and the teachers of the university. This with permanent exhibition where objects either is one of the University Museums of Odisha where man made or natural are collected and preserved teaching in Museology and Museum Management and it is open to the public for entertainment and is imparted to the students of Post-Graduate with knowledge. Museum brings out the history of the help of museum specimens. A large number man showing how he built up his knowledge, how of visitors from different parts of Odisha visit the he developed his family life, his skill in art and museum regularly because the famous Hirakud crafts, his culture and civilization. It has various Dam, Samaleswari temple, Siva temple of Huma, duties to perform such as collection, Sambalpur are very near to the museum. The documentation, storage, display, security, students of various schools and colleges also come conservation and dissemination of knowledge.1 to the museum for their practical study. It preserves the cultural heritage of a country. The Dr. N.K. Sahu Museum was According to International Council of Museum established in 1970 when the first session of (ICOM) “Museum is a non profit making Odisha History Congress met in Sambalpur being permanent institution in the service of the society hosted by the P.G. Department of History, and its development and open to the public for Sambalpur University. Since then the museum is the purpose of study, education, enjoyment, developing rapidly. Within a short span of time it material evidence of man both tangible and has made considerable progress. It has become 2 intangible and its development.” a repository of a large number of valuable Odisha is proud of possessing a good collections comprising excavated materials, pre- number of museums like multipurpose museums, historic tools, sculptures, inscriptions, coins, arts specialized Museums, University Museums, and crafts, war weapons, palm leaf manuscripts Natural History Museums, Science Museums, etc. Recently the museum has been named as Temple Museums etc. The present Dr. N.K. Dr. N.K. Sahu Museum after the name of its Sahu Museum is a University Museum which is founder Prof. N.K. Sahu, the first Professor and essentially a teaching institution located at the P.G. Head of the Department of History, Sambalpur Department of History, Sambalpur University. University. The Department has conducted The main objective and emphasis of this museum excavations at various sites and the excavated 79 Odisha Review July - 2014 materials of some excavations have been Bhaumakaras, Somavamsis, Imperial Gangas and displayed in the museum.3 The museum has ten the Bhanjas. A stone inscription belonging to King sections namely : (i) Archaeology, (ii) Epigraphy, Jajalladeva has been brought from Bamragarh to (iii) Numismatics, (iv) Icons and Sculptures, this museum. The Dasapalla Copper Plate of (v) Armoury, (vi) Arts and Crafts, (vii) Tribal Life, Satru Bhanja and the Copper Plate Grant of Vinita (viii) Portraits, (ix) Palm-leaf Manuscripts, Tunga have been preserved in the epigraphy (x) Archival Records. section of the museum. 7 The museum also preserves stone inscription issued by a Governor Archaeology : of Bhanudeva I, Sirkatmufi Copper Plate issued The N.K. Sahu Museum preserves by Narayana Singh, the Chauhan Raja of antiquities dating back from the pre-historic period Sambalpur, Ambapua Grant of Dandi Mahadevi, in continuous sequence up to the present day. a stone inscription of the time of Ramaideva, Among the pre-historic antiquities, stone tools and plaster casts of the Ananta Vasudeva Temple artifacts belonging to Palaeolithic age have been Inscription of Chandrika devi etc. which are very collected from Sundargarh and Sambalpur important for the research scholars and the districts. Interesting palaeoliths have come to light students of history. on Jyoti Vihar along with large number of Numismatic : microliths and neoliths tools. Microlithis have been found at various sites in the Tel, Ang and Jira river The museum since its inception has been valleys. Some of these collections have been a storehouse of numismatic findings. The coins in th preserved in the museum alongwith a copper the collection cover the period from 4 century th bangle of Chalcolithic Period.4 B.C. to the 20 century. There are a good number of punch-marked coins collected from Asurgarh The Department of History undertook and its neighbourhood in Kalahandi district of excavation works at Asurgarh in 1973, at Odisha. A few Puri-Kushana coins from 5 Ganiapali in 1978 and at Manamunda in 1981, Purusottampur and Bhillingi are also exhibited in at Deuli in1992, at Lekhamunda in 1995. These the museum. 8 Other important collections which excavations brought to light valuable antiquities enrich the numismatic gallery are the gold coins particularly potteries, coins, sculptures etc. ranging of Sarabhapuriya King Prasannamatra, a copper th from 4 century B.C. to the early centuries of coin of Ramagupta, gold fanams of the Imperial Christian era. The Muchhalinda Buddha, big lion Gangas, gold coins of the Mughal Period and image, one headless warrior riding on horse, one some silver Mughal coins. Besides, temple token small image of Ganesha and several hero stones commemorative medals and foreign coins have commemorating the heroic death of warriors also been preserved.9 attract the attention of the visitors.6 Icon and Sculptures : Epigraphy : This section has very important The Epigraphy Gallery preserves the specimens of cult icons of different periods ranging epigraphic records viz. copper plate grants and from the 3rd century A.D. to the 19th century A.D. stone inscriptions covering a period from 4th representing Brahmanical, Buddhist and Jaina century A.D. to the 19th century A.D. The Pantheons which have been collected from inscriptions throw light on the families of the different parts of Odisha. The Brahmanical icons 80 July - 2014 Odisha Review have been classified under three heads- Saivite, Art and Crafts : Vaishnavite and Sakta. Some votive images of A large number of art and crafts objects Lord Siva found in Prachi Valley are among the have been procured from various parts of western important collections of the Saivite specimens. Odisha. The collections include the measuring The Ganapati images in various postures covering unit made of brass and bronze, the silver the period from 8th to century 17th century A.D. ornaments of both heavy and light varieties, a adorn the gallery on Brahmanical icons. Among good number of Puja lamps, lamps for Arati, the Vaishnavite images mention may be made of domestic lamps used at night, utensils and many the icon of Lord Krishna flanked by two Gopis other things of daily use, betel box, coin box, etc. assigned to 9th century A.D.10 The section reveals the style of living of the people of this area. The most attractive piece is copper The museum has preserved some bangle having Saivite icons and symbols. representative specimens of Mahisasuramardini Probably this type of bangle was being worn by Durga, one two armed found in Prachi Valley, one the Saiva Acharya in ancient and medieval four armed from Saintala, one six armed from period.12 Belkhandi, one ten armed from Hemgiri and there are twenty armed from Salebhata represent the Tribal Musical Instruments ; evolution of Durga icons in Odisha. The visitor The museum also preserves various types cannot miss the figure of a hero forcibly carrying of musical instruments which are used by the tribal away a lady belonging to enemy’s camp. The people of Odisha. The section contains the museum also contains some Buddhist and Jaina collections of drum, flute, tabla, nishan, mahuri, icons which eloquently speak of the plastic art in nagara etc. which attract the attention of the ancient Odisha. Some brass images of Ganesha, common visitors. Bhadrakali, Child Krishna, standing Krishna with Palm-leaf Manuscripts : flute reveal the high standard of metallurgy and The museum has a palm-leaf manuscript craftsmanship. library as an independent wing. This library Armoury : contains more than 1500 manuscripts on Sruti and Smritis, Epics and Puranas, Kavya and Alankaras, The various type of war implements Ayurveda and Tantras, Grammar and Lexicon and preserved in the museum are of great significance the Astronomy and Astrology. Most important from the stand point of national resistance against among these is an illustrated palm leaf of th the British in the 19 century A.D. War weapons Bhagavata Vol. VII and IX collected from the like bow and arrow, guns, swords, dagger, spear, village Bhillingi in Ganjam district. It reveals for double edge and single edge swords, battle axe, first time that Brajanath Badjena, the celebrated shield of both offensive and defensive type have author of Samara Taranga was an artist and painter been kept in the museum. These war weapons of high rank.13 Besides, the museum has acquired are said to have been used by Veer Surendra Sai some plaster cast and fibre cast of representative and his general Janardan Singh and Hathi Singh. sculpture of India and plaster fibre cast of coins The weapons remind the people of their of famous royal dynasty as visual aids of the predecessors who had fought for the curricular academic programme of the independence of their motherland.11 Department of History. 81 Odisha Review July - 2014 Archival Records : completion of their research work. To attract more The Department of History has visitors and tourists new display techniques are developed an Archival Cell for the benefit of the being adopted like renovation of galleries, students and research scholars.