Termites, water seepage destroy prized artefacts at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar museum
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum struggles with staff shortages, structural decay, and stalled conservation efforts
A museum in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has lost several valuable artefacts to water seepage and termite infestation, as chronic underfunding and a shrinking workforce hamper essential upkeep. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum, which houses nearly 3,000 antiquities from the Satavahana period and attracts around 40,000 visitors each year, is now removing exhibits from display to prevent further deterioration, officials said.
The museum was established in 1999 after history scholar Dr Shantilal Purvar donated his extensive collection to the local municipal corporation. Among its holdings are Satavahana-era coins and what is believed to be the only known portrait of Maratha commander Ibrahim Khan Gardi, a key figure in the Third Battle of Panipat.
Honorary director Shriprakash Purwar told PTI that termite damage has compromised much of the furniture, with chemical treatments conducted only sporadically over the years. “We are now forced to remove some items from display because of damage from water seepage and termites. We have already lost a few medieval paintings and a leather shield due to rainwater,” he said.
A museum in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has lost several valuable artefacts to water seepage and termite infestation, as chronic underfunding and a shrinking workforce hamper essential upkeep. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum, which houses nearly 3,000 antiquities from the Satavahana period and attracts around 40,000 visitors each year, is now removing exhibits from display to prevent further deterioration, officials said.
The museum was established in 1999 after history scholar Dr Shantilal Purvar donated his extensive collection to the local municipal corporation. Among its holdings are Satavahana-era coins and what is believed to be the only known portrait of Maratha commander Ibrahim Khan Gardi, a key figure in the Third Battle of Panipat.
Honorary director Shriprakash Purwar told PTI that termite damage has compromised much of the furniture, with chemical treatments conducted only sporadically over the years. “We are now forced to remove some items from display because of damage from water seepage and termites. We have already lost a few medieval paintings and a leather shield due to rainwater,” he said.
Staff shortages have compounded the problem. The museum, which once had 10 employees, now operates with only three. Purwar said even basic tasks require additional temporary workers, but no appointments have been made.
He added that a planned sound-and-light show on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj never materialised, and its control room is now infested with termites. Wooden stands supporting two cannons, each weighing around a tonne, have also weakened to the point of posing a safety risk to visitors. The building itself has been painted only once since its inauguration.
The museum lacks both a storage facility and a conservation laboratory, amenities that Purwar said should be provided by the civic body. A research centre dedicated to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, approved in 2016 with a budget of Rs 1.6 crore, has made no progress beyond the installation of a signboard on the premises.
A city engineer with the municipal corporation said a detailed project report for the museum’s modernisation and furniture repairs has been submitted to the state government, but funding is still awaited. “We are planning to repair the galleries. The issues of staff shortage and other maintenance work will also be taken into consideration,” he said.