Museums are the windows into the history. It might sound like a boring quiet place where all you see is artefacts from the earlier times. However, when you look closely each one has its story and importance. Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum is not a huge museum when you look at the building, but it stores around 3,500 objects revolving around Mumbai’s history. The museum has photographs, books, textiles, maps, lacquer ware, manuscripts, and weaponry and exquisite pottery which engulfs you into its beauty and craftsmanship. In the first part of this three-part series, we read about the history of Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, once known as the Victoria and Albert Museum. In this part, we focus on its revival and the renaming of the museum to its current name.
A Unique Public-Private Partnership
After India’s independence in 1947, the Victoria and Albert Museum never received the kind of attention it deserved. On November 1, 1975, the museum was renamed as Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum. Dr Bhau Daji Lad was the first secretary of the Museum Committee. He was also a philanthropist, physician, surgeon and a historian. It was his efforts and dedication to urge the citizens to donate freely to the museum. He was at the fore of raising funds for the museum and making this project a success.
The Stairs to the First Floor at Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum
In 1997, Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage (INTACH), a non-profit charitable organisation were looking for a place to set up their conservation lab and it was then that the officers of INTACH visited the museum. On seeing the sad state of this historic building they decided to work on it. They convinced the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to team up and raise funds to restore the museum.
Meet the Founders – Dr Bhau Daji Lad Portrait with other founding members
Two years later (1999), INTACH approached the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation to contribute to the project financially. In 2003, the MCGM, INTACH and the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation signed a unique public-private partnership along with the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum Trust to restore the museum.
Architectural Restoration
The museum building was in desperate need of architectural restoration because the exterior façade and the interior walls were in the dismal state. The presence of algae and plant growth were ruining the core of the building.
Iron Pillars at the Museum
Many of the iron columns were detached from the walls and the etched glass panes were broken. The lighting wasn’t enough to let visitors appreciate the beauty of the artefacts and the intricate designs on the wall were fading away. A lot of gilding and stencil work has gone into the restoration of the museum.
Restoration of the Artefacts
Most of the objects in the museum were in damaged and neglected condition. Many of them had fungus due to poor handling of the objects. INTACH decided to step forward and brought their expert conservators to restore around four thousand artefacts now showcased at the museum. INTACH also brought in some of the skilled craftsmen from Kashmir to restore the carpets.
Museum Organisation Plan
One of the primary changes brought into effect during the restoration of the museum was to bring in a unified theme. Earlier, the placement of the objects in the museum had no sense of storyline. However, during the restoration, the Museum Trust decided to present the objects in a completely new light. There are two main themes that emerge clearly in the museum. First is the evolution of Bombay from seven different islands into a cosmopolitan city. Second is the development of trade and industrial arts and the lifestyle of the citizens.
Global Recognition
In 2008, Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum was opened to the public after five years of dedicated restoration work. The combined effort of the MCGM, INTACH, Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation and Museum Trust has transformed this museum into Mumbai’s finest. The museum is exceptionally clean. The staff is friendly and courteous and the interiors are insanely spectacular. The Museum Restoration Project won the 2005 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award of Excellence for Conservation.
Enjoy the photographic tour of the Museum’s first floor:
The Grand Chandelier in the Founder’s Gallery
Look at the detailed work done here
Exploring the Museum interiors
One of my favourite pictures of all
I just love standing here among all those carpets and the grand chandelier
A closer view of one of the carpets
Portrait of Jagannath Shankarseth, an eminent businessman, philanthropist and an educationalist
I loved that nice little wooden window just above the stairs
The antique tiles and iron railing add to the decor.
The museum ceiling is just breathtakingly beautiful
A spectacular view of the long hall from the first floor.
The first floor of the museum is equally interesting as the ground floor.
The Kamalnayan Bajaj Gallery
I am in love with the design on the railings.
View from the First Floor
Exquisite Railings at the BDL Museum
The view of the statue and the stairs from the first floor.
The work done on the iron pillars is so fascinating
Foreign Communities in Bombay
The first thing you see on the first floor is the head wear collection. Different headwear of different communities in Bombay.
People playing indoor games in Bombay in the 19th Century
Music and Dance Collection
Actual musical instruments
The Palki Carriers (Palanquin Carriers)
Sweetmeat Vendor
The Vamana Avatar – Lord Vishnu incarnated as human placing his step on Bali’s head.
A replica of a temple
Mumba Devi a.k.a Mumba-Aai (The name Mumbai is derived from this Goddess).
A Selfie with the Goddess of the City
The Light Fixtures
The railing architecture
Atya Patya Game Played in Bombay
The traditional Danda Fugdi game played in Bombay
The most preferred mode of transport in Bombay
Tower of Silence. A structure made by Parsis for excarnation. The vultures sitting on the walls is done so finely.
A replica of the trade ships at the Bombay Harbour
Merchant ships at the Bombay Harbour
The foot soldiers of the British Indian Army
British Indian Army Cavalry
The Rajasthani Regiment Soldier
I’m sure you guys must have enjoyed the tour of the first floor of the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum. This was just a fraction of the items that are on display so make sure you do visit the museum and take a tour personally if you’re in Mumbai. Also, this is the second part of the three-part series, so coming up next is the tour of open areas of the museum. So stay tuned.
I would also request my readers to please checkout this 10-minute YouTube video by the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum authorities showcasing the restoration work done on the museum and the before and after shots of the museum. The video showcases 5-years of hard work done by INTACH, MCGM, the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation and the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum authorities.
7 comments
Sharukh, as always I love the history but since you switched to a website I can no longer get the i ages that go with your posts on my ipad. I will have to look later when I am on my laptop. I don’t know if it is large file content or cookies or what. I miss the photos…..😔I a off to work my grinding day! Hope yours has been good so far.
Hi Cheryl. I believe that the problem is with the iPad Safari browser. I was looking into this online and I see that users on iPad are experiencing this when they use Safari browser, but they are able to view the images fine using Firefox. In some cases, the issue has been resolved by deleting cache cookies and in some cases, users turned on the JavaScript settings. Are you experiencing the same when you are browsing the site on the smartphone? My day so far has been quite hectic. The rains and thunderstorm have led to electrical problems in the area and my internet connection is pathetically slow.
I missed this post last week, while traveling. I’m so glad I circled back to it today. This museum would be worth a long visit, even if it had nothing on display. It’s beautiful. When I first saw the photos, I was thinking how wonderful it is to have something survive for so many years. When I read that this beauty is the result of a restoration effort in this century, I was amazed. That’s a lot of work and investment in art, during a time when people seem much too focused on making and spending money, instead of preserving the past.
Great post!
I am glad you enjoyed the museum tour. If you ever come down to Mumbai I’ll take you here for sure. Yes, it is a unique partnership never heard before in Mumbai at least. It took five years to restore the museum and I must say they did a fine job here. The moment you step in the entire decor transports you back in time. They called in skilled labours and experts craftsmen to renovate the entire decor. I can bet many in Mumbai haven’t even heard of this museum which is why I decided to promote it on my website. I don’t want the money or credit for it, but if I can bring them some crowd I’ll be more than happy because I love history and art.
I remember reading part 1 of this series. This one is even grander and up close. Loved the detailed shots.
I’m glad you are liking it. I and Sarah work very hard for the photos and the content. History can become a boring topic without proper presentation.
The old world charm of Bombay reminiscent of a bygone era, grandeur and gothic infrastructure in the museum makes it a real treat for visitors. Thank you for writing this gorgeous piece and the fantastic picture. It’s bliss to read:)