Tradition comes alive at Dharohar museum

Amid a buzz of activities and fast-paced life at Kurukshetra University, the Dharohar Haryana Museum on the same campus serves as cultural institution preserving and displaying the rich Haryanvi culture and various aspects of Haryanvi traditions. Established in 2006 and expanded in 2013, the museum showcases the cultural heritage, rural culture, art and rare artefacts.

As per information, over 1.75 lakh people visited the museum in the last academic year and over 30 lakh have visited it since its inception.

The museum has many rare artefacts. There is the world’s biggest operational hookah, trunk of the Nawab of Kunjpura, decades-old cots, trunks, time measuring devices, a unique ‘Paani Ki Ghadi’ traditional Haryanvi costumes jewellery, handicraft, toys, storage containers made of brass and copper, farming tools including porna, jailee, jham and wooden ploughs, wooden carts and paintings in different galleries.

It also houses musical instruments, including been, badi sarangi, jogia sarangi, nagada, tassa, and gharua. Interestingly, about 90-95 per cent of the artefacts and items have been donated by people of the state. These were donated by over 900 people, and people keep contacting the university authorities to donate more items such as decades old cots, ploughs, utensils and other things.

The museum has also dedicated a section to the Indian Army, showcasing pictures of martyrs belonging to Haryana. There is a collection of rare and old coins of various periods, swords and daggers and various other kind of arms, means of transportation including bullock cart, tonga, Victorian baggi, and gadda that attract the visitors. Besides this, one section has been reserved to showcase the journey of Kurukshetra University since it was established in 1956.

Professor in-charge of the museum, Professor Vivek Chawla, who enthusiastically shares the history of the museum as well as the artefacts displayed there, says that Dharohar is the only museum of its kind, having carved a distinct identity both nationally and internationally. Representatives of more than 100 countries have visited the museum over the years. The idea behind establishing the museum was to connect the younger generation and students with the Haryanvi roots. Kurukshetra University is the only university in the country to have a museum and that too a self-sustaining one.

“A large number of people have worked hard in preserving and bringing all these beautiful artefacts and items under one roof, and the interesting as well as important thing is that over 90-95 per cent artefacts were donated by the people. There are items that can fetch lakhs of rupees in the auctions, but people of Haryana trusted Kurukshetra University and donated those to us so that these items can be preserved and displayed here. It is a matter of pride for us, and the university has been making all efforts to live up to the expectations of the people of Haryana who want to see the younger generation connecting with the rich heritage of Haryana,” he said.

The museum takes the visitors back in time and gives them a feel of being in Haryanvi village. The life-sized mannequins have infused a life in the museum. One of its galleries is a big open mud kitchen with containers, utensils, and a woman cooking food. Another section showcases people involved in daily chores, traditional craft, business activities and occupations. The visitors are left awestruck by the unique designs, precision, creativity and functioning of the items displayed in nearly 50 sections of the museum.

Professor Chawla further said “The visitors appreciate the university for preserving the heritage. The museum also gives you an opportunity to witness how rich, diversified and colourful history Haryana has.”

Kurukshetra University Vice-Chancellor Professor Som Nath Sachdeva said the KU was the only university in the country that had established a museum to preserve and showcase the culture of the state.