Special exhibition at Government Museum

CHENNAI: To mark the ‘Madras Day-2011’ celebrations, the Government Museum has organised a three-day special exhibition beginning Monday. VK Jeyakodi, Tourism and Culture Secretary to the state government, in the presence of Commissioner of Museum SS Jawahar, inaugurated the special exhibition, being organised at the Centenary Exhibition Hall on the Museum premises.The special exhibition titled ‘Cultural imprints of old Madras’ hosts artefects related to the old Madras from all sections of Chennai Museum and will be on display for three days to mark the Madras Day celebrations.Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the exhibition, Jeyakodi said, “Museum is a very important place where people, especially students, would be able to know more about the heritage and culture.” Wood carvings from the Temple car of Kurungaleeswarar of Koyambedu, a model of the State Gun of Hyder Ali and Tipu, megalithic pottery remains unearthed from Kilpauk excavations, two models of water cart, Emden bomb, models of Army carriage, a coat of Madras Sheriff, SS Irwin Ship, Indo-British coins, First-Day covers, ancient balance and weights, old and new post boxes, paintings of old buildings of Chennai drawn by artist SS Manian, photo of Charnockite rock of Madras, a plan of old St George Fort and portraits of Edward Green Balfour, the first officer-in-charge, and Dr Frederic Henry Gravely, former superintendent of the museum, are the exhibits on display at the special exhibition.For the first time since the special exhibition is being conducted at the Government Museum for Madras Day celebrations, an old map of Madras in Braille format is on display at the exhibition for the visually challenged and differently-abled visitors.The exhibition will be opened till Wednesday, from 9.30am to 5pm on all days. According to Museum officials, school students from across the city can witness the history of the old Madras by visiting the exhibition.