NAI exhibition celebrating India's rich architectural heritage opens in Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 11 (PTI) From ancient structures to medieval temples and Mughal-period marvels to modern era buildings, an exhibition celebrating the wealth of India's architectural heritage opened here on Tuesday to mark the 135th foundation day of the National Archives of India (NAI).

Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurated the NAI-hosted exhibition at the Ambedkar International Centre here.

The exhibition -- 'Indian Heritage through Architecture' -- showcases India's rich cultural heritage as reflected in its diverse architectural marvels, spanning thousands of years and encompassing a variety of styles, influences, and historical periods, the Culture Ministry said in a statement.

From the structures dating to ancient Indus valley civilisation to medieval temples, and Mughal-period monuments to colonial-era structures, Indian architecture narrates the "nation's spiritual, cultural, and historical evolution", the ministry said.

To provide a comprehensive exploration of Indian heritage through its architectural landmarks, the exhibition has categorised these sites into thematic clusters, allowing for a deeper understanding of their historical, cultural and spiritual significance, officials said.

The exhibition is one of a kind, as visitors can see and read material from panels on display and if anyone has deeper interest, a QR code scan will provide access online to full relevant documents as well.

"A selection of original documents, drawn from the archives, is part of the exhibition, including official government files, private papers, correspondence of eminent personalities, archaeological excavation records, UNESCO documents, and rare books from the NAI Library," an official said.

The panels display images and details of sites such as Mohenjodaro, Dholvira, and Nalanda university ruins, among other exhibits on ancient architecture.

"A satellite image of 'Ram Setu', references to epic Mahabharata in context of an ancient temple, and image of Bet Dwarka in Gujarat along with accompanying texts are also part of he exhibition. A model of Nalanda university ruins has also been put on display," said the official.

The exhibition, which also features Ajanta-Ellora caves in Maharashtra and Red Fort in Delhi, will run till March 16, the officials said.

Speaking on the occasion, Shekhawat emphasised that it is essential to conserve archival documents for the future generations.

He also said that the NAI is currently working on the world's largest digitisation program, conserving over six lakh pages in a month and digitising lakhs of them daily. He further said that the success of this digitisation programme has inspired the launch of the 'Gyan Bharatam Mission', a visionary initiative aimed at expanding access to India's vast repository of knowledge.

The NAI, an attached office under the Ministry of Culture, was originally established as the Imperial Record Department on March 11, 1891 in Calcutta (now Kolkata).

Following the transfer of the capital to Delhi in 1911, the present NAI building, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, was completed in 1926. The complete transfer of records from Calcutta to New Delhi was finalised in 1937.

The NAI also serves as the nodal agency for implementing the Public Records Act, 1993, and the Public Record Rules, 1997.

Currently, the NAI holds over 34 crore pages of public records, including files, volumes, maps, treaties, rare manuscripts, cartographic records, parliamentary debates, censuses, travel accounts, proscribed literature, and government gazettes. A significant portion of its oriental records is in Sanskrit, Persian, Odia, and other languages, the ministry said.

"On the occasion, the NAI also launched a book titled 'Thumb Printed: Champaran, Indigo Peasants Speak to Gandhi Volume III'. This volume contains 423 testimonies, including 143 principal testators, among whom five were women, 11 were minors, 76 signed the documents, and four had no signature or thumb impression. This third volume in the series focuses on the historic Champaran Satyagraha," it said.

The 135th foundation day celebrations highlighted the NAI's ongoing commitment to preserving history, enriching public engagement, and fostering research. Through its continued efforts in digitisation, archival conservation, and public outreach, the NAI remains dedicated to safeguarding India's documentary heritage for future generations, the ministry said. PTI KND KVK KVK