At Birla Science Centre, get a peek into historic specifics of South India

Birla Science Centre hosts an exhaustive display of artefacts, sculptures, manuscripts, miniature paintings, decorative arts

Hyderabad: Famous for its collection of unique archaeological objects from the prehistoric to the modern period, the archaeological museum of Birla Science Centre hosts an exhaustive display of artefacts, sculptures, manuscripts, miniature paintings and decorative arts, among other objects, all arranged in chronological order.

The famous Science Centre in Hyderabad conducted excavation works at three different areas in South India — Veerapuram (Kurnool), Vaddamanu (Guntur) and Hasmathpet (a suburb of Secunderabad) — and unearthed some ruins and objects of historical importance.

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The excavated and acquired collection of the museum includes woodwork, bronze works, manuscripts from the late medieval period and temple ware.

One of the popular collections in the Archaeology Department of the Birla Science Centre is the skeletal remains of a hydrocephalus child dating back to the Neolithic age (1500-1300 BC). It was found during the excavation at Veerapuram in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.

Also on display are the Ganjifa cards (playing cards) found in Maharashtra and Telangana’s Adilabad district during an excavation carried out from 1978-80. C Seshagiri, the curator of the Archaeological Museum at the Birla Centre, says the collection displayed here is sourced from different periods in history.

“We have a vast collection of unique archaeological objects, including porcelain, ivory and glass materials, from the prehistoric to modern age. Most of the objects were personally collected by Nirmala Birla, wife of late GP Birla, from different countries,” he says.

One of the most interesting parts of the museum is the arms and armoury section as it gives a glimpse of a unique katar with a first-aid kit. In addition to the katar, the arms and armoury gallery also has a collection of weapons such as swords, shields, daggers, guns and pistols.

It also houses a vast collection of porcelain products that were collected by Nirmala Birla from all over the globe. Other fascinating objects of the museum include ivory tusks carved with Ramayana and Bhagavatam themes, a lord Ganesh idol made of betel nut, Buddhist and Jain galleries, stone sculptures and objects, ancient beads and hairpins, wood carvings and ancient pottery — which deeper insights into history.

“Children and history buffs can learn about history, art, culture, and the world around them by visiting our Archaeology Museum. It offers unique educational and visual entertainment experiences to schoolchildren and the general public. The galleries are arranged in a chronological order to showcase history in a temporal sequence,” assistant curator G Sravanya says.