PARKASHPUR (H.P): In Himachal Pradesh, the state museum at Shimla and another at Chamba are administered and promoted by the Ministry of Art and Culture, but the BBN Museum has no such patronage and policy for its expansion and promotion, nonetheless the administrative and financial control on Baba Balak Nath temple is exercised by the Ministry of Culture, Government of Himachal Pradesh.
Proclaimed as one of the most ambitious projects for the restoration and preservation of heritage wealth of Baba Balak Nath and keeping in mind the global importance of temple museum, Dr PC Sharma, a prominent scion, has exhorted the Chief Minister Mr. Jai Ram Thakur for constituting an advisory of experts for redeveloping and redesigning the museum upgradation plan in terms of enhancing and strengthening of collections; and other civil and engineering services with an independent dedicated block.
It is pertinent to mention that the outstanding contribution of the present descendant of Sankhyana dynasty Dr PC Sharma, in the promotion and propagation of art, culture, heritage and science by creating many museums is too well known across the country. He has also conceptualized to set up rural museums across the heritage-rich Badsar Assembly Segment which attracts lakhs of devotees and tourists due to the presence of globally known ‘Sidhpeeth’ to educate them about the posterity, related apparatus and relics of the area.
Considering that the piety and splendor history of world-famous ancient cave shrine of Sidh Baba Balak Nath traces back to 8th century, the first of its kind historical temple museum showcasing the artefacts and archives pertaining to birth, life, time, travels, travails, yogic sidhis, preaching, writings and genealogy of Shiva’s incarnational deity Baba Balak Nath was established with great enthusiasm at Deotsidh Sidhpeeth in district Hamirpur of Himachal Pradesh about four decades ago. The Baba Balak Nath Museum was later customarily unfurled by the former Education Minister and noted educationist Mr. ID Dhiman.
The museum exhibited precious artefacts thematically connected with the great sidhas and nathas besides historical paintings on abdhutas and was received with huge applause. A religious library containing rare books and other publications on the subjects of religion, history, art, culture, architecture, archaeology, sanskrit, vedas etc. was also created as an integral component of the temple museum. Furthermore, the local luminary scions under the aegis of Sidhpeeth had also founded a fleet of elementary and higher educational and vedic institutes in the area prior to the temple nationalization in the year 1987.
Dr P.C. Sharma, an internationally renowned museologist and founder- creator of the BBN Museum and library with his vast multifarious expertise and experience had then envisioned inception of state- of- the art multi-thematic museum galleries and library sections, aimed at understanding museum visiting as a cultural phenomenon, in order to develop ways of widening museum audiences, is nevertheless, disheartened to observe the utter state of dormancy over the years in the ambitious educational, museological and literary projects of lakhs of devotees, tourists, historians, teachers, pupils and researchers attracted to the spiritual institution from world over with multiple spiritual and research pursuits. The museum although was planned to muster various heritage sections mainly historical, artistic, archaeological, cultural, literary and geological aspects related to the ancient cave temple but the ambitious plan for exhibition, restoration, preservation and documentation of such relics is now in doldrums due to dispassion and high-handedness of bureaucracy governing the temple affairs, anguished Dr PC Sharma, a well - known hereditary heir.
The museum galleries present a state of neglect for all these years with plaster peeling off, windows left ajar, unattended artworks and its once pristine glory now presents an abandoned appearance, deplored some Indian diaspora who were on their pilgrimage from Canada and England. Some of them expounded that the area should be developed as a happening heritage retreat on account of global audience of Sidhpeeth besides historical significance.
The brainchild of over one dozen public and private multi-thematic museums Dr PC Sharma, mulled that museums are more germane today than it has ever been. Amidst addressing pivotal historical and socio-cultural issues to metamorphosing how we see the future; the modest museums have the power to mirror and shape our society. We need museums now more than ever as technology and digitization discern us becoming more and more globalized. Such institutions bid a welcome reminder of the achievements and discoveries detected adjacent to home, cultivating communities together.
Museums can also herald masses in conjunction in a more literal way, through public events, interactive talks, workshops, lectures, seminars, symposiums, colloquium and conferences. Advances in technology have also made museums more accessible than ever. For those who might strife to attend an institution in person, museums and galleries are progressively sharing their collections online. Virtual reality, digital guides, downloads, apps and digital trails are all becoming persistently available to all and sundry. We need museums because their prospective is so full of potentiality and purview; and more people than ever can access them, averred Dr Sharma.