AMRITSAR: More than a dozen antique pistols and revolvers which were on display in Maharaja Ranjt Singh Museum at the Rambagh here have been quietly removed and put into the “safe custody by the authorities owing to the “security reasons it reliably learnt.
Dating back to the 18h century, the rare small weapons which along with other arms and amour of the Maha -raja period, were the proud possession of the museum bill recently, are no more than there for the visors to see.
According to informed sources, these country made pistols and revolver of great historical valve were shifted to an undisclosed place following a reported “theft attempt at the museum recently.
A few weeks ago, the museum authors had found that the glass enclosure, in which the pistols and revolvers were displayed, was bro ken by some unidentified visit to Whether or not any of the museum objects was stolen is unknown.
At bough the museum has five Security personnel, the State Department of Culture, Archeology and Museum considered it prudent to remove the small weapons of yore “in view of the prevailing law and order situation, The weapons have now been replaced with the spears arrows and other traditional arms of the Sikh army of that period.
The officer in charge of the museum, Madan Lal, confirmed the “shitting of pistols and revolvers but effused to divulge their exact number and the place where these were being kept Housed in the erstwhile summer place of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the museum a treasure house of rare alas has not escaped the ominous shadow of the present tum, Wit its priceless and rich collection of paintings, arms and amour, manuscripts and coins, the museum is a window to the glorious period of the Si history in the 1eth and 9th centuries.
The upkeep of the museum leaves: mucho be desired. Some of the rare documents and manuscripts have been eaten up by moths. The ” Sher Singh Namath? And Yang Namah Lahore both mid nineteenth century original documents, are in bad shape. The department has paid scant at tension towards giving, chemical treatment to the manuscripts and antique weapons protect these from moths and rust. The museum staff has brought the “damage” to the artifacts to the notice of the higher authorities from time to time.
Recently, the department drew up plan for the expansion of the museum by utilizing the basement, the rest while retiring place of the Maharaja It has also initiated a move to acquire the bathing tank, victim of neglect It has been converted into a stow by the Municipal Corporation.
With a staff of three employees it is all the more difficult to main the museum.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 15, 1991
