New Delhi: Dressed in a black Jodhpuri coat, chest out, left arm half in the air and head gently bowed, the silicone statue of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, almost accurately, renders him in the midst of his unique gait.
A few meters away, former CM Vasundhara Raje stands with folded hands and draped in a bright yellow leheriya sari, often worn by the real Raje. And not far away, former Rajasthan CM and Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat stands in a black Nehru jacket, his arms behind him and his lips indicating a subtle smile, while former Assembly Speaker Parasram Maderna stands in front of him with folded hands.
And if not for this museum, which will soon be thrown open to the public, many would never know that former CM Hari Dev Joshi wrote with one hand, or a fiber about the Bhagat movement and the events of distant Mangarh Dham. Achieved political heights through establishment.
The interactive museum seeks to uncover “unheard political narratives of Rajasthan through 30 immersive galleries”. Involving technical media and statues, it also seeks to “immortalise the contribution of great leaders and political heroes of Rajasthan”.
Inaugurated by the then Chief Justice of India N V Ramana this July, the ‘Museum on Political Fiction’ will be thrown open to the public next month. The idea behind the museum is not only to act as a political archive, but also to bring people face to face with the tallest leaders of the state through their sculptures, as well as the politics, law and major events of Rajasthan Have to add.
The interactive museum seeks to uncover “unheard political narratives of Rajasthan through 30 immersive galleries”. Involving technical media and statues, it also seeks to “immortalise the contribution of great leaders and political heroes of Rajasthan”.
The museum employs 3D projection mapping, animated dioramas, interactive kiosks, holograms, virtual reality, talk-back studios, on-screen movies, mechanized art and dynamic installations to deliver its many messages.
Assembly Speaker CP Joshi on Friday underlined the importance of the museum, located inside the assembly premises and spread over two floors. Joshi said that the new generation should know about parliamentary democracy as well as the changes and progress in it.
“If they do not have information about it, I believe they will not be able to effectively play their role as citizens within a parliamentary democracy. That’s why we got this museum built.’
Joshi said, “Since we want the new generation to know about it, the entry of children to the museum will be free for one month from November 14.” Thereafter, the museum will be thrown open to the public for which the entry fee and rules are still being finalised. It will be open on weekends and closed on a weekday.
The museum is a project by Jaipur Smart City Limited and has been developed over an area of 26,000 sq ft at a cost of Rs 15.62 crore by Ahmedabad-based Vama Communications Pvt Ltd, which will also operate and maintain it for a period of five years. ,
The main attractions of the museum are the silicone busts of the 13 Chief Ministers of the state, as well as busts of all the Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies till date, apart from their political and life stories. Apart from Raje, former Speaker Sumitra Singh is the only other woman among the statues.
Speaker CP Joshi said, ‘By using old photographs and compiling information, we have tried to portray the personality of the leaders accurately.’ According to Joshi, CM Gehlot himself was contacted to gather information about the presence of some leaders for his statues. However, Joshi agreed that some idols “may not be completely similar to what you experience.”
The last gallery, No. 30, is a miniature replica of the Assembly, complete with the Speaker’s chair, green members’ chairs, and the floor.
