I remember my visit to ‘Rani chi Baag’ as a kid on a school trip. Exited and eager, we all rushed into the garden to meet roaring lions and chirping birds, ignoring the silent museum at the corner completely. It took many years for so many of us to realize that the equally important museum has a lot to say.
Rani Baag (previously known as Victoria Gardens and now Jijamata Udyan) is a garden with Zoo and a City museum located right in the middle of buzzing city at Byculla, Mumbai. The curious visit to the ignored silent museum revealed that the place has lot more things to see than the greenery, birds and animals; it presents you the whole city of Mumbai along with it, making the place incomplete without visiting it.
 |
| Facade of Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum (source- Chinmay P.) |
Being the oldest the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum opened to the public in 1857. It is the erstwhile Victoria and Albert Museum, Bombay. As it was the first colonial building to be built for the specific purpose of housing a museum, the building is one of the most important historical sites of the city. Bombay, then the richest mercantile town in India, was considered the Gateway to the East or Urbs Prima in India, the first city of India, and had the honour of exhibiting to the world the country’s rich cultural traditions. A little more than a hundred years later, on November 1, 1975, the Museum was renamed the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum in honour of the man whose vision and dedication enabled
its establishment. Dr. Bhau Daji Lad was the first Indian Sheriff of Mumbai, a philanthropist, historian, physician, surgeon and secretary of the Museum Committee when it was first instituted.
Recently, it was restored and pulled out from the state of disrepair by INTACH. The brilliant restoration of this Mumbai City museum grabbed the attention of the people and reconnected it to the city.
The Museum building was conceived to dazzle the citizens. During the efforts to raise funds by public subscription, it was presented as a ‘Hall of Wonder’, as most of the citizens had never seen a museum. The original design was conceptualized by George Birdwood. The design included all the basic features of the building visible today- a long hall, Doric pillars, galleries on either side of the building and large windows for light and ventilation. The design was sent to London for approval, and later modified by the local British PWD engineer to rival the best in the world. However, the engineer died before the plans could be implemented and Scott McClelland & Co. architects completed the plans with further modifications though they retained most of Birdwood’s specifications.
As soon as you enter inside, the grand double height large hall with beautifully carved ceiling and large marble statues at the center takes you back in the colonial period. The impressive displays inside the museum bring the history back to you. The clay miniatures showing the diverse communities of the city in their traditional garb (both the natives and the migrants), lithographs, dioramas, rare books, photographs and decorative art objects such as miniature clay models that document the rural life of India and city life during the 19th and 20th centuries in Mumbai are simply magnificent. The first floor has the history of Mumbai with many ship models on display. Through the various maps & models it documents everything about the city of Mumbai – the islands that came together to make this iconic city.
 |
| Clay miniatures |
 |
| Mumbai Devi I |
 |
| model of Parsi colony scheme |
Surprisingly in small showcases, it documents the traditional professions and games of the city like basket weavers, potters, barbers, cowherds, bangle seller, dyers etc. Thus, truly preserving and presenting the culture for future generations. Along with that there are mythological scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharata. There are models of all important pilgrim places showcasing the holy side of the Indian culture and the city.
 |
| View from the First floor |
The unique structure has a Palladian exterior. The interior is a rare example of High Victorian design in India. The grand wrought iron palisades, staircase railings and arched supports, as well as the Corinthian capitals and columns which are the defining features of the building were imported from England. The richly coloured details, the intricate woodcarving, the Minton tiled floors, the etched glass and gold gilding make it a unique example of 19th century architecture in the country. Near the main entrance, there is a splendid clock tower which is rich in architecture and aesthetics known as David Sassoon Clock Tower. The style of the tower is Italian; 12 feet square at the base by about 75 feet high. The base plinths are in trap stone, the body of Porebunder-stone, with ornamental tile panels occasionally introduced.
 |
| The impressive David Sassoon Clock Tower |
The garden has an Ornamental Gateway and a curved design screen. It is enriched with a building in Greco-Roman style. Several trees of rare origins give the visitors shade and relief from the busy running city. As soon as you enter, on the left hand side there is one with interesting story. It is the stone statue of King Edward VII (as the then Prince of Wales) mounted on a horse that was built by Jewish businessman and philanthropist Albert Abdullah David Sassoon, it was initially located near the Jehangir art gallery in fort area of Mumbai and this was the reason the area got its name Kala Ghoda meaning Black Horse. Later this statue was removed from the precinct in 1965 and subsequently placed inside the Jijamata Udyan and for many years the place Kala Ghoda was without its identity & name. The area is still known as Kala ghoda and one of the most famous art Festival i.e. Kala Ghoda Art Festival is conducted every year at the same place. The popularity of the festival increased over the years and recently in January in 2017, the 'Kala Ghoda' under the name ‘Spirit of Kala Ghoda’ returned to the area with a new statue of a similar looking horse without a rider, being commissioned by the Kala Ghoda Association. The statue, titled 'Spirit of Kala Ghoda' was designed by architect Alfaz Miller and sculpted by Shreehari Bhosle.
 |
| Garden entry |
 |
| Statue of King Edward VII |
 |
| Sculpture of Rajmata Jijau & BaalShivaji |
At the center of the park, there is a statue of Veer Mata Jijabai guiding Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (BaalShivaji, in his childhood days) is one of my personal favorite sculptures, depicting a perfect motherhood as Rajmata. The zoo has a wide variety of animals including crocodile; hippos etc. and depict the natural wealth of India very well. But we intentionally entered inside to see the most awaited and new members of the city: penguins. at the one end of the garden there is a separate structure built recently named ‘Humboldt Penguin Section’ where they have
kept penguins in an controlled atmosphere.
This iconic museum stands in the midst of the Rajmata Jijabai Udyan, which is one of grandest and oldest zoos in India. This 52-acre, landscaped zoo and garden, is perhaps the only zoo in the world which stands right in the middle of a business metropolis like Mumbai. Over 150 years old, this museum is the oldest in Mumbai and the third oldest in India. It is the only city museum to win the UNESCO 2005 Asia Pacific Award of Excellence. By highlighting Mumbai’s cultural heritage through rare fine art, the museum does not only bring back the history of the city to you but it also celebrates the diversity of the city.
If you haven’t been here I feel you should add it to your wish list of Places to visit in Mumbai. There are many more astonishing elements in the museum for everyone. Rather mentioning here all I will let you discover it yourself. The most interesting part to me that the place is so calm but vibrant at the same time as it silently throws numerous surprises. The place is a living space with exhibitions, workshops, and even some courses. Apart from the permanent collection, the museum regularly organizes exhibitions of Indian contemporary artists. It gives you a reason to come back to it making it a thriving cultural space of Mumbai. As a true Mumbaikar, one must visit the museum, especially on weekends when there is a free tour by the curator.
DR. BHAU DAJI LAD MUSEUM
91 A, Rani Baug,
Veer Mata Jijbai Bhonsle Udyan,
Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Marg,
Byculla East,
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400027.
India.
Phone:
+91-22-23731234
+91-22-65560394
Visiting Hours:
10.00 am to 6.00 pm (Tickets sold upto 5:30 pm)
Closed on Wednesdays and certain public holidays
Tickets:
Adults Rs. 10
Children (5 to 15 years) Rs. 5
Students Rs. 2
Children (Under 5years & accompanied by parents) Free
Foreign Citizens Rs. 100
Children (5 to 15 years) Rs. 50
Children (Under 5years) Free
Bibliography:
http://www.bdlmuseum.org/about/museum-story.html http://www.vimlapatil.com/vimlablog/mumbais-iconic-bhau-daji-lad-museumrecommended-
by-new-york-times-as-one-of-mumbais-five-must-visitmonuments-
even-if-the-visit-is-only-for-36-hours/
The Bombay Builder: An Illustrated Journal of Engineering Architecture dated July 5,
1865 (pg.14).
No comments:
Post a Comment