PANAJI: Union minister for finance and corporate affairs Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the revamped national museum of customs and GST at Panaji on Saturday and dedicated it to the nation as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav week of the ministry of finance that is being celebrated from June 6 to 12.
“Great work in having this heritage building dedicated to the nation as Dharohar. It is well curated and represents the evolution of Indian Customs. Good to dedicate this year — the year of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav,” she stated.
India’s only customs museum, inaugurated in 2009 — the two-storeyed ‘blue building’ earlier known as Alfandega during Portuguese rule in Goa — has been standing on the banks of the Mandovi River in Panaji for more than 400 years.
Its interiors now wear a refurbished look with better display, added artefacts, seized items and a new GST gallery.
The prized artefacts seized by customs officials around the country include metals and antique coins from the ancient, medieval and modern eras, to ivory, stone and endangered wildlife with everything from huge African elephant tusks seized from a family in Goa, to an elephant molar, reindeer horns, a vanity bag and belt of King cobra skin and shark jaw teeth still sharp enough to tear into prey.
The renovation work began around seven months ago and the museum is now looking at having more engagement with the public.
“The museum is planning many outreach activities in order to engage the public,” curator Anusha Samant said.
Its most popular section is the ‘Guardians of economic frontiers’ depicting techniques unsuccessfully used by smugglers to con customs officials.
“We have to appreciate this section because officers at the time detected the smuggled items without any metal detectors or laser machines, in the pre technology era,” she added.
Among the museum’s notable displays are the manuscript of Ain-i-Akbari intercepted by the Indian Customs at the Indo-Nepal border at Raxaul, replica of the Amin pillars from Kaurkshetra and medieval period astronomical instruments.
There will be periodic rotation of artefacts at the museum, Samant said.
Minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary, and transport minister Mauvin Godinho were present at the inaugration ceremony.
“Great work in having this heritage building dedicated to the nation as Dharohar. It is well curated and represents the evolution of Indian Customs. Good to dedicate this year — the year of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav,” she stated.
India’s only customs museum, inaugurated in 2009 — the two-storeyed ‘blue building’ earlier known as Alfandega during Portuguese rule in Goa — has been standing on the banks of the Mandovi River in Panaji for more than 400 years.
Its interiors now wear a refurbished look with better display, added artefacts, seized items and a new GST gallery.
The prized artefacts seized by customs officials around the country include metals and antique coins from the ancient, medieval and modern eras, to ivory, stone and endangered wildlife with everything from huge African elephant tusks seized from a family in Goa, to an elephant molar, reindeer horns, a vanity bag and belt of King cobra skin and shark jaw teeth still sharp enough to tear into prey.
The renovation work began around seven months ago and the museum is now looking at having more engagement with the public.
“The museum is planning many outreach activities in order to engage the public,” curator Anusha Samant said.
Its most popular section is the ‘Guardians of economic frontiers’ depicting techniques unsuccessfully used by smugglers to con customs officials.
“We have to appreciate this section because officers at the time detected the smuggled items without any metal detectors or laser machines, in the pre technology era,” she added.
Among the museum’s notable displays are the manuscript of Ain-i-Akbari intercepted by the Indian Customs at the Indo-Nepal border at Raxaul, replica of the Amin pillars from Kaurkshetra and medieval period astronomical instruments.
There will be periodic rotation of artefacts at the museum, Samant said.
Minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary, and transport minister Mauvin Godinho were present at the inaugration ceremony.
