Red Fort Archaeological Museum

Coordinates: 28°39′16″N 77°14′36″E / 28.654494°N 77.243445°E / 28.654494; 77.243445

The Red Fort Archaeology Museum is currently housed in the Mumtaz Mahal

The Red Fort Archaeological Museum is currently located in the Mumtaz Mahal of the Red Fort in Delhi, northern India. The museum contains paintings, artifacts, calligraphy, fabrics and other objects dating from the Mughal era.

History

Originally known as the Palace Museum, this museum dates back to 1911[1] when it was located in the Naubhat Khana. It was later moved to the Mumtaz Mahal,[2] originally used as a mess by the British occupiers. The museum is now under the aegis of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Most of the Mughal belongings and jewels of the Red Fort were looted and stolen during Nadir Shah's invasion of India in 1747 and again after the failed Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the British colonialists. They were eventually sold to private collectors or the British Museum, British Library and the Victoria and Albert Museum. For example, the Koh-i-Noor diamond, the jade wine cup of Shah Jahan and the crown of Bahadur Shah II are all currently located in London. Various requests for restitution have been rejected by the British government.[3] The museum, therefore, is only able to show a very small fraction of Mughal property and heritage.

Exhibits

Marble chair used by emperor Bahadur Shah II
Chessboard and cushions used by the court

The objects are displayed thematically in six galleries belonging to the Mughal period.

The first few showcases have articles belonging to Emperor Akbar I and his successors which include miniature paintings, manuscripts, stone inscriptions, farman (royal orders) etc. One of the showcases has 17th century brass astrolabes which were used for astronomical calculations. The next gallery has porcelain, celadon and jade objects, textiles and glazed tiles. The most distinctive of the Mughal jade objects are the hilts of swords and daggers. Curtains, carpets, pillows, cushions and dresses are also on display.[4]

The Bahadur Shah Zafar gallery houses objects belonging to the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah II and his queen such as dresses, powder horns, rose water sprinkler, toilet box, etc. Two specimens of calligraphy ghazal (poems) of Bahadur Shah II with his pen holder, inkpot and scissors can be seen. An ivory miniature painting believed to be of Zinat Mahal and a photograph of the last days of Bahadur Shah in the prison at Rangoon are also displayed.[4]

The arms used in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 by the then Nawab of Pataudi, arms used by Bahadur Shah and field glass used by Brigadier-General John Nicholson during the siege of Delhi are part of the collection. Portraits of the last Mughal rulers and contemporary personalities like court poet Mirza Ghalib, maps and lithographs depicting scenes of Delhi and Bahadur Shah's letter to Queen Victoria with the thumb impression of his son Mirza Jawan Bakht are some of the other pieces on display.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Smith, R.V. (2011-08-29). "Of Mumtaz, a mahal and a museum". The Hindu. Retrieved 2014-02-08.
  2. ↑ Murray, John (1911). A handbook for travellers in India, Burma, and Ceylon (8th ed.). Calcutta: Thacker, Spink, & Co. p. 198. ISBN 978-1175486417. Retrieved 2014-01-25.
  3. ↑ Nelson, Sara C. (21 February 2013). "Koh-i-Noor Diamond Will Not Be Returned To India, David Cameron Insists". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
  4. 1 2 3 "Mumtaz Mahal Museum, Red Fort". Archaeological Survey of India. 2011. Retrieved 2013-12-09.

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