Artefacts, paintings go missing in Dharamsala

Lalit Mohan

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Dharamsala, December 21

A painting by AW Hallet, an English painter who spent most of his life in Dharamsala, used to adore the walls of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra. The wall size painting illustrated the Dhauladhar mountain ranges and life of gaddi tribals. The valuable painting has now gone missing.

Sources here said the painting went missing when the new secretariat was constructed in Dharamsala during the stint of the BJP government from 2007-12 and the office of deputy commissioner was shifted to new building.

Valuable heritage being lost

• Sources said valuable paintings and artefacts, including British-era furniture, and cutlery have been stolen
• The state might be slowly losing its valuable heritage as no record was being kept for artefacts and paintings lying in various government offices
• Conservationists had expressed concern over the theft of idols from temples located in remote areas of the state

The paintings of Hallet, who lived in Dharamsala, are considered very valuable.

Like the painting of AW Hallet many artefacts of British-era that were lying in government Circuit Houses and offices are slowing disappearing and the authorities have no record of these.

Kangra DC Nipun Jindal when asked, said that he has enquired about the missing painting of HW Hallet but nobody has any knowledge about it.

Vijay Sharma, a Kangra art painter who is also working for conservation of state heritage, while talking to The Tribune, said that many artefacts of British era have gone missing from the Circuit House, Chamba.

He said the artefacts have either been stolen or destroyed as the people handling them have no knowledge about their value.

He said previous secretary, languages art and culture, Upma Chaudhary had issued orders that artefacts lying in government offices and buildings should be handed over to the museums. However, the order has not been implemented.

Ritu Mankotia, curator of Kangra museum, when asked, said no artefacts or paintings from government offices have been handed over to the museum.

The museum does accept paintings and artefacts gifted by government offices or private individuals. However, in Kangra no artefacts till date have been handed to museum by the officials, she said.

The sources here said that valuable paintings and artefacts, British-era furniture, and cutlery have been stolen. Since no record was being kept for artefacts and paintings lying in various government offices the state might be slowly losing its valuable heritage.

Conservationists had also expressed concern over the theft of idols from temples located in remote areas of the state. There were many temples located in remote areas which have valuable artefacts and pieces of art and were under the control of local committees.

The state does not even has complete documentation of artefacts lying in various temples and other buildings, the sources here said.