On the 15th day of the workshop on “Manuscriptology and Paleography” the participants today visited the state Archeological Department Mubrarak Mandi where Dy Director Archeology and Museum deliver a thought provoking lecture on Museum and Archeology. The workshop is being organized by the cin collaboration with National Mission for Manuscripts. Dy Director Archeology and museum Peerzada Ashraf in his detail lecture threw light on the meaning of Archeology and said that this word has been drawn from the Greek language which means “Deposition of Historical documents, Research , Survey and conservation”.
He informed that in State’s Archeology department many documents of Urdu and Persian had been saved from 1724 to 1947. He said that in state’s Archeology deptt had saved ten lakh documents which are very important i.e. why the research scholars from abroad comes to Jammu and benefitted by these documents. He informed that in 1928 Maharaja Hari Singh reorganize the state’s Archeology department and appointed its 1st Director. He said that there are many manuscripts in the state’s Archeology department by which hundreds of Research Scholars are benefitted every year. He further informed that state’s Archeological department had saved near about five lakhs files of secretariat and said that filed written in secretariat during the Militancy period are still to be saved. He further informed that Maharaja Hari Singh made compulsory education for every one in 1928.
He said that near about 12 thousands of Manuscripts in Sanskrit are saved in Raghunath Mandir and Archeological department had collected a data of near about 10 lakhs Manuscripts. He said that every individual should try his best to save the cultural heritage of state as well as India which are in form of Manuscripts. The participants of the workshop visited Dogra Art Museum where they witnessed Cushion Coin, Trikuta Heads from Abran, Phadi and Dogri Hookas. Three Headed Shiva of 19th century, General Zorawar Singh Sward , Maharaja Pratap Singh’s rear Paintings, Dogra Traditional Jewelry and other traditional dresses of Jammu region. The participants also visited Sansar Chand gallery where they witnessed some of the rear paintings of Master Sansar Chand. The participants were accompanied by HOD Urdu Prof. Shohab Inayat Malik, Asstt Professor Dr Chaman lal. Prof. Shohab in his address thanked Dy Director Archeological department for delivering a meaning full lecture to the participants and extend his full support for preserving the Manuscripts. He said that a Manuscripts Lab would be constructed in near future in the department of Urdu where some old Manuscripts would be displayed and preserved. Dr Puesh and Kirpal Singh of Archeological department were also present on the occasion. The participants who visited archeological department included Mohd Maqeem, Ashaq Hussain, Osaf Ahmed Qureshi, Shehnaz Akhter, Nazam-ul-Nissa, Zaheer Ahmed, Mohd Asif Malik, Mukhtar Ahmed, Layaqat Ali, Zahoor Din, Barkat Ali, Mohd Ashraf, Mushtaq Ahmed, Ramneek Kumar, Akhter Ahmed, Mohd Akram, Ajaz Hussain Shah, Balbir, Sunil Kumar, Mohd Ali Shabaz and Muzafar Iqbal . Later the vote of thanks was presented by Dr Chaman lal, Asstt Professor of the department of Urdu.