Museums are the places where we can connect the history by exploring the historical artefacts along with relevant information set on a proper display. These museums not only give us a lot of information but also encourage us to find out more about a certain period or people or legends of certain era. They introduce us with the culture and arts of ancient period in our country. One such place is Salar Jung Museum situated at Darushifa on the southern bank of Musi River in Hyderabad in the State of Andhra Pradesh.Established in the year 1951 this museum is the third largest museum of India and is one of the three National Museums of India. With a collection size of one million articles this museum exhibits the artefacts and other items collected by one man. Now you can imagine how much this man was fond of collecting such articles. The museum showcases various sculptures, paintings, carvings, textiles, ceramics, artefacts, carpets, furniture pieces, manuscripts and many more. The furniture displayed here is from different countries like Japan, China, Nepal, Persia, Egypt, Europe, North America and India also. All the articles displayed in the museum are brought in from the Salar Jung family’s property.The credit for this vast and precious antiques’ collection of historical objects goes to Navab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III (1889 – 1949) who was the former Prime Minister of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad. He was so much fond of collecting precious items that he spent a large amount of his income in a period of thirty five years on this prized collection. It was actually his life’s passion to collect such valuable objects. In his lifetime he collected 43000 artefacts and over 50000 books and manuscripts. The collection in the museum belongs to different time period ranging from first century to eighteenth century and all that are due to efforts of a single man. Initially it was a private museum in the ancestral palace of Navab, Diwan Deodi. The Navab Mir Salar Jung III left his prized collection behind after his death.The collection was displayed here in the private museum inaugurated by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in the year 1951. Later on in the year 1968 the museum was shifted to its present location in Afzalgunj. Some people of that time believe that the collection at the present museum constitute just half of the original collection of Salar Jung as many articles from his collection were secretly taken away by his employees and other people. Salar Jung III was not married and thus no one was there to look after his collection except his employees. The current museum is managed and administered by Board of Trustees along with the Governor of Andhra Pradesh under the Salar Jung Museum Act 1961.The entire museum is divided into thirty eight galleries depending on their subjects. There are twenty galleries on the ground floor while eighteen galleries are on first floor of the building. Unfortunately the museum displays only a part of original collection. Each gallery is huge and has a collection of hundreds of artefacts and other articles. Each gallery has items depending on the subject separately arranged.Some of the Collection at the museum includes the following:
- The paintings of legendry Raja Ravi Verma
- Sword of Aurangzeb
- Jade crafted daggers of Emperor Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Noorjahan
- Wardrobe of Tipu Sultan
- A Tiffin box made of gold and diamond
- Furniture collection belonging to Louis and Napoleon (14th – 17th century)
- The turbans and chair of Tipu Sultan
- Furniture from Egypt
- Beautiful Sculpture of Veiled Rebecca by G. B. Benzoni (Italy 1876)
- Double figure wood sculpture
- Layer wood cutting paintings
- Porcelain work of second century
- Rare Quran collection from around the world in different designs
- Quran written in gold and silver
- Ancient religious books and manuscripts in Persian, Arabic and Urdu languages
- Mughal Miniatures
- Japanese silk paintings
- Magnificent collection of clocks from France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Britain
There is a reference library, a reading room, publication section, education section, chemical conservation lab, sales counter and a cafeteria in the premise. There is free service of guide available in the museum to guide you but there are timings of this service. Thus it is suggested to enquire before visiting the museum so that you can avail guide service. This exceptionally extraordinary museum is a not to miss place in the Hyderabad as you have a lot to explore here. This museum is an institution of National importance as declared by the Indian Parliament in the year 1961.Timings of MuseumFrom 10.00 am to 5.00 pmOpening daysThe museum is open on all days except on Fridays.Entrance feeRupees 10/- per head for IndiansRupees 150/- per head for foreign NationalsAddressSalar Jung Museum, Nayapul, on the banks of River Musi,Hyderabad, Andhra PradeshWebsite: www.salarjungmuseum.inRUCHI MAHAJAN