The Government Museum, Chennai, was established in the year 1851, with 1100 geological specimens. This Museum has now developed into a multipurpose museum with various sections like Archaeology, Numismatics, Anthropology, Botany, Zoology, Geology, Chemical Conservation and Children's Museum. It also includes Education, Design and Display, and Chemical Conservation and Research Laboratory as supporting sections. In order to preserve art, culture, and natural heritage and to impart museum education throughout the state of Tamil Nadu, 20 district Museums have been established in the districts. Collection, registration, preservation of objects, display, research, and publications are the major objectives of these museums.
There are ten galleries in the Archaeology section, like- New Extension Gallery (stone Sculptures), Hero Stones, Inscriptions, Hindu Sculptures, Amaravati, Jain gallery, Saivite Bronzes, Vaishnavite, Jain and Buddhist bronzes, Metal-ware, Wood carvings,
The World-class limestone sculptures of Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, displayed in the Government Museum, Chennai, since 1897, rank with the art of the great cultures of Egypt and Mesopotamia, and were embedded on the walls of the Amaravati gallery. Most of the limestone sculptures were affected by salt action due to leakage and seepage in the walls of the gallery. In situ preservation has not yielded desired results. A central Government Team inspected the building of the Amaravati Gallery and gave a preliminary report to the Government. Based on the report, an application was prepared and sent to the Government of India, Ministry of Culture, and obtained sanction of Rs. 50 lakhs, and the Government of Tamil Nadu has given its share of Rs. 12.50 lakhs. A committee was constituted to monitor the progress of the work, consisting of the Commissioner of Museums as Chairman, Thiru R.Balasubramanian, Curator, Archaeology as Secretary, Dr.V.N.Srinivasa Desikan, Retired Asst. Director of Museums, Thiru. K.T.Narasimhan, Retired Superintending Archaeologist, Temple Survey, ASI, Dr. T.Satyamurti, Retired Superintending Archaeologist, Chennai Circle, ASI, and Thiru. Narayanan, Assistant Executive Engineer, Department of Archaeology, as members. The work was entrusted to PWD.
After getting the opinion of the Technical committee, works were started in April 2009. All the listed sculptures were carefully removed from their original setting, new supports and brackets erected, and systematically mounted on new showcases. Labels were prepared and kept in the showcases.
On obtaining funds from the Government of India, the electrification works started, and metal halogen lamps were used to light the gallery. Moreover, the entire hall has been air-conditioned. I wish to place on record the efforts taken by Thiru R.Balasubramanian, Curator, Archaeology Section, in compiling this guidebook. I also wish to acknowledge with gratitude the support given by the technical committee in aesthetically rearranging the new gallery. My thanks are also due to Thiru. G. Ramesh, Photographer, for providing pictorial assistance. I am sure the refurbished gallery will provide solace and satisfaction to all lovers of Buddhist art and will be a milestone in the annals of the Government Museum, Chennai. I hope this Guidebook will help the students and researchers to understand and enrich their knowledge of the art of South India.
The famous Amaravati Stupa was discovered by Colonel Mackenzie in about the year 1801. In 1830, some of the sculptured slabs were brought to Masulipatnam to beautify a pettah named after Robertson, the District Collector. During the course of his visit to this place in 1835, Sir Frederick Adam, Governor of Madras, saw the slabs and ordered that these should be sent to Madras to be preserved in the Museum of the Madras Literary Society. Dr.Balfour, soon after taking charge of the Madras Central Museum, began his efforts to get the slabs to Madras, and the first batch arrived here in 1856. In 1859, most of them were sent to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for India and lodged in the India Museum. Other batches of sculptures were secured during Bidie's time, and they were set up in their present location in the Museum.
Buddhism was prevalent for several centuries as a very popular religion in South India, particularly in the Andhra area. The collection of Buddhist antiquities in the Government Museum, Chennai, came from over a dozen sites, most of which are in the valley of the Krishna River, and of these, Amaravati is the most important.
HISTORY OF AMARAVATI:
Amaravati occupies a preeminent position in the history of Indian Art. Beginning in the 3rd Century BC, the school of Amaravati Art unfolds its chapters through the sculptural wealth that once adorned the Mahachaitya, the monument of Buddhists situated in Amaravati, with its history extending over a period of a millennium and a half.
ORIGIN OF CHAITYA:
The Mahasanghikas probably first settled in Amaravati with an initial memorial stupa or Chaitya for their worship. There are three categories of Chaityas: Dhatugarbha (Containing the relics of the Buddha), Paribojaka (With one of the associated objects of the Buddha), and Uddesika, a memorial. The Mahacaitya in Amaravati was a Dhatugarbha containing the relic of the master from a subsequent period.
HISTORICAL:
As of date, Amaravati, locally known as Dipaldinne or Hill of Lamps, is a tiny town 35 km north of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. Its antiquity dates back to the time when man was in a primitive stage of existence. Stone Age tools such as handaxes, cleavers, discoid and scrapers have been discovered in the region.
The recorded history of Amaravati begins from the time of Asoka, the famous Mauryan emperor who ruled from 272 to 235 B.C. The site has yielded a quartzite pillar bearing an inscription of Asoka. After the decline of the Mauryas, the later Satavahanas chose Dharanikota or Dhanyakataka near Amaravati as their capital. The Satavahanas were eventually replaced by the Ikshvaku rulers. At a much later date, the Pallava kings had their capital at Dharanikota before they migrated to Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu.
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