NEW DELHI: Antique shawls from the 116-year-old Shri Pratap Singh Museum at Srinagar, are being dried outside on the pavement with dogs trampling over them- this is just one tragic instance of the scale of devastation the deluge caused in Jammu and Kashmir. So now, apart from trying to save and rebuild the broken lives and properties of the people of the state, a second massive rescue mission is being mounted by conservationists and activists to retrieve and restore as many of the damaged priceless historical documents, artefacts and art as may be possible.
TOI reports that the staff at Srinagars Shri Pratap Singh Museum have declared their collection of 6th century Gilgit manuscripts, over 30 antique shawls and about 100 pieces of papier mache objects “irretrievable”. But conservationists in Delhi believe nothing should be written off, “not even a packet of powder”.
A three-member expert team, headed by the National Museum director (conservation), left for Kashmir on Wednesday, 8 October, for what National Monuments Authority member Saleem Beigh says is “initial fumigation” and “assessment”. An INTACH survey reveals that callous handling of damaged items may have compounded the losses.
At the Institute of Music and Fine Arts, sculptor and faculty-member, Sukhjeet Singh Kukkal, grabbed whatever he could save, headed for the attic where he stayed put for the next four days. “He rescued works by M F Hussain, Bal Chhabra, Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, J Sultan Ali and G R Santosh but large numbers of modern and contemporary art are now gone,” says artist Veer Munshi.
Artists, theatre-persons, academics, the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust and the Press Club of India came together in Delhi on Wednesday to rally support for the rescue mission.
The SPS Museum’s collection included much that is historically significant. “It had the richest collection of writing in Sharada script and it’s badly damaged,” says Beigh. “Islam came to Kashmir in the 14th century but there’s a 16th century decree using both Sharada and Persian showing Sharada was still used for 200 years. It had some of the finest antique shawls including the one presented to Queen Victoria. The museum itself was established in 1898.”
“The silver lining is most of these can be substantially recovered. We need the platform of the National Museum and the best of conservation practices from across the world,” Beigh added.
“Our response can’t be emotional,” says Joyoti Roy, conservationist with the National Museum. “The first step is isolating the damaged object and preventing it from sticking to others. This requires space and specialised man-power.”
The less damaged items should be tackled first instead of the most damaged. “For wet organic materials such as paper, we instinctively put them outside. This can be devastating. It can leave the paper chemically weak and make it disintegrate. Some items can be saved by immediate freezing – you can use meat vans,” Roy said.
But this is only “5% of the rescue”. Experts who’ll take on the job are looking at years of work. Every step of the way, every rescue intervention, however ad hoc, will have to be documented and it has to be ensured that the collection survives digitally, Roy explained.
“The documentation will help in disaster preparedness,” she added and also suggested that museum associations be brought on board as well as private institutions with the necessary expertise. Theatre director M K Raina suggested a task-force of experts be formed.
The appeal for help has been signed by dozens including historians Romila Thapar, Irfan Habib and Mushirul Hasan, theatre persons Raina and Amal Allana and photographer Ram Rahman. He adds a fund for donations will also be established. On the brighter side, Beigh pointed out, “The climate of Kashmir is suited to conservation.
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