50,000 antiquities to be documented

BHUBANESWAR:  The State is a storehouse of antiquities and most  of them are in the possession of private collectors who are not aware of their value. Under the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities, it  has decided to document more than 50,000 such objects with antique value in eight months  in  the State. The project which began in July is being undertaken by the Archeological Survey of India.  Under the mission, as many as 40 scholars have been trained for recognising and documenting the objects. This apart, they have been trained to create awareness  about value of the objects. These include coins, paintings, furniture, utensils, sculptures which are at least 100 years old.  “We will collect a database and send it to the ASI, which will now maintain a record of all antiques so that trafficking of sculptors or items cannot take place. The project also involves promoting  public participation at the grassroots level,” said Sadashiv Pradhan, the state co-ordinator for the project. Accordingly, a data sheet or template with 22 points including an identification number for each object will be prepared. The database would also include facts on the material used in making the objects and their socio-cultural relevance.   Even as the State Museum, State Archaeology Department, Orissa Maritime Institute, South East Asian Studies, Utkal University, Sambalpur University, have been roped in, the State chapter of Indian National Trust  for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) has been entrusted to collect antiquities from private collectors.  Former DG and founder-member of the State chapter of Intach, Amiya Bhusan Tripathy, said Intach has so far documented 600 antiquities in the last two months in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. “At present, documentation process is on in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts and southern Orissa will be covered soon,” Tripathy said. Tripathy said private collectors should come forward voluntarily for documentation.