সাংস্কৃতিক ঐতিহ্য ব্যবস্থাপনায় সংগ্রহশালার ভূমিকা
The
Role of Museums in Cultural Heritage Management
At one time, museums were merely storage rooms where various artifacts were collected and stored. Later, the idea of preserving these items emerged, and today, public exhibition has become one of the primary responsibilities of museums. Therefore, from the beginning, the role of museums has been to preserve the cultural assets of a country and nation. Back then, the term "heritage" referred only to cultural assets. Natural assets like rivers, seas, and mountains were not yet considered part of heritage.
Heritage can be divided into two types: natural and cultural. Cultural heritage includes ancient architecture, sculptures, paintings, archaeological remains, coins, scripts, folklore, folk dances, languages, scripts, customs, and traditions. Cultural heritage can further be divided into tangible and intangible heritage. Tangible heritage includes material assets like architecture and sculptures, whereas intangible heritage encompasses languages, scripts, and other non-physical elements.
The role of museums in preserving both tangible and intangible cultural heritage is undeniable. Museums first identify heritage objects, then collect, document, and finally arrange for their proper exhibition to acquaint people with their heritage. Tangible heritage items that are immovable, like the Taj Mahal, cannot be stored in museums. In such cases, arrangements are made to preserve them in their original locations. However, museums play a significant role in preserving movable heritage. Although heritage items are more authentic when kept in their original places, they cannot be left exposed to the elements. This necessitates the existence of museums.
Preserving intangible heritage presents a significant challenge for museums. The unique folklore, folk songs, folk dances, languages, dietary habits, housing, and clothing of a community constitute its intangible cultural heritage. For example, West Bengal's intangible cultural heritage includes Baul songs Chhau dance etc. Many of these are gradually disappearing, as there are fewer Chhau dancers, and the younger generation is losing interest in such traditions. To preserve intangible cultural heritage, museums adopt the following methods:
1. Collecting
folk songs, stories, and languages using tape recorders.
2. Recording
folk dances, plays, and various religious and cultural events with video
recorders.
3. Capturing
rare moments of intangible heritage through photography.
4. Preserving
physical objects related to folk dances and songs, such as Chhau dance masks,
costumes, and musical instruments.
5. The
most effective method for preserving intangible cultural heritage is through
training. Arranging for old, skilled artists to train the new generation
ensures the living preservation of traditional culture.
Museums
have also introduced innovative methods for exhibiting intangible cultural
heritage. They arrange for skilled artists to perform folk traditions in their
own auditoriums or open stages. This not only provides artists with a source of
income but also showcases local heritage to outside tourists. The Janapada Loka
Museum in Karnataka, for instance, celebrates various festivals year-round and
hosts related folk songs, dances, and customs.
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