Tum jiyo hazaaron saal

What structure in Mumbai is inspired by the Vimala Vasahi temple in Mount Abu Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur Taj Mahal in Agra and the wadas of Nashik It is the Prince of Wales Museum todayrsquos Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sangrahalaya designed by Scottish architect George Wittet whose understanding of Indo Saracenic architecture principles led to regional influences finding their way into the plan of this building commissioned by the Bombay Government This was over hundred years agoMotifs like the swastika reverse and straight and trident trishul created by craftsmen on the back faccedilade enhance the Indo Saracenic influenceAs the institution inches towards its centenary celebrations a conservation restoration of the structure has wrapped up When we meet Sabyasachi Mukherjee CSMVSrsquos Director General on the museum lawns the scaffolding on the central dome is in place ldquoCredit must be given to Wittet whose deliberate attempt to introduce elements of Hindu Jain Islamic and Western influences make this structure what it isrdquo he says The restoration plan kicked off in 2019 by UNESCO awardwinning conservation architect Vikas Dilawari and team and was executed with a Rs 25 crore sponsorship from Tata Consultancy Services ldquoRs 21 crore is for the building conservation and the rest covers the digitisation of 70000plus collection of objects and a book about this collection that I am cowriting with architect Rahul Mehrotra and Manisha Nene Director Galleries and General Administration CSMVSrdquo he adds Dilawari says that a fabric status report revealed that a cohesive interior refurbishment was never done ldquoso we took advantage and aimed to respect these creations including its colour scheme and detailsrdquoWe tread carefully over two floors with Dilawarirsquos team and Joyoti Roy head of strategy and marketing CSMVS to navigate a spiral iron staircase until we reach the terrace to come face to face with the piece de resistancemdashthe grand dome This was Dilawarirsquos biggest challenge The 180degree panorama from the roof offers neverseenbefore views of Elphinstone College Rajabai Tower and the Maharashtra State Police Headquarters But itrsquos the dome that takes our breath away ldquoThere was an uncertainty about its structural health since it was a centuryold concrete dome Ms Sterling Engineering Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd were appointed as structural consultants for the audit When we referenced archival images we learnt that the dome was made of steel sections ie ribs similar to the General Post Office dome These were strengthened in the late 1960s and early 1970s by engineer JG Bodhe this intervention was found to be in good condition which reassured usrdquo When the scaffolding was finally constructed around the dome its grand scale was palpable ldquoThe domersquos top to bottom measure is the scale of an eightstoreyed buildingrdquo Dilawari exclaimsNatural light from the central dome dresses the interiors of the museum Wittet integrated the original wooden arched pavilion brought from a royal wada in Nashik as a circular railing on the first floorTheir priorities to match the colour scheme of the dome to complement its Indo Saracenic character and to light it up appropriately Lighting consultant Suresh Koke ensured no shadows were created While natural light thanks to the central dome is the showstopper artificial lighting has been used to enhance Wittetrsquos vision on the main stairs At the museum office Mukherjee dips into his notes for the upcoming book to share some anecdotes Previous proposals for a museum were rejected by the Bombay Government but finally in May 1904 a resolution was passed at the Town Hall by prominent citizens to erect a museum to honour the visit of the Prince of Wales ldquoWhile the Bombay Presidency and Bombay Municipal Corporation donated Rs 3 lakh and Rs 25 lakh respectively the rest was raised by public donations Some of the chief benefactors were Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola former city mayor Sir Cowasji Jehangir philanthropist and industrialist and the Nawab of Junagadhrdquo Mukherjee shares reiterating that the museum was a true example of community participation300seater underground audi to come up around museumWith fresh itineraries and new galleries including an ambitious intervention to create a cultural complex on the existing site 2022 will flag off exciting times aheadThe first exhibition in 2022 that visitors can look forward to is a tribute to the Tanjore Thanjavur school of paintings This collection was a gift to CSMVS from the late Kuldip Singh veteran town planner and architect He donated 350 paintings of which 60 will be on display when the exhibition opens on January 11Sabyasachi MukherjeeSabyasachi Mukherjee is particularly excited about a collaboration between the British Berlin and Mexico Museums where 12 masterpieces from these three institutions will be showcased at a special show backed by the Getty Foundation In November 2023 the Ancient World Gallery will open to the public again with support of the Foundation Mukherjee says it will be the first such gallery in India and showcase the Indian connection with the rest of the world since ancient timesTwo more galleries to watch out for are the Bombay Gallery which will be a tribute to the city and the Sacred Art Gallery which is be a celebration of artworks sourced from all the worldrsquos religionsHe also speaks of plans to build a cultural complex on the site It will include a 300seater underground auditorium and a 1600 sq ft modern and contemporary art gallery designed by architect Rahul Mehrotra ldquoWe will have evening itineraries held here so that more Mumbaikars can attend CSMVS should become a community and culture hub for all ages and interestsrdquo