New Delhi:
Jewels spanning from the Indus Valley civilisation to the 20th century are showcased at 'Alamkara' the permanent jewellery gallery at the National Musuem, which is set to reopen after a decade in Delhi.
Featuring a total of 255 jewels housed in 25 glass cases, the gallery aims to give visitors a peek into ornaments that bear the stamp of regal splendour as well as the ones used in common households.
Jewellery historian Usha Balakrishnan has curated the collection, which comprises necklaces, bracelets, pendants, bangles, earplugs, needles and girdles among others.
The National Museum founded in 1949 had a jewellery section, which had a decade ago closed and the objects moved to a vault inaccessible to the public.
Museum director general Venu V said the comeback of the gallery was due to a long standing demand of heritage lovers.
"History should ideally portray the life of people across social strata. The ornaments at Alamkara are suggestive of the sense of beauty of the regal classes to common folk over the years," he said.
Museum officials said the number of objects have now increased and "have also become better in quality."
A catalogue of spectacular objects includes hair ornaments, plaques, marriage pendants, armbands and belts.
Ornaments used in average households are also featured.
"In India, we have very little details about jewellery in public domain. It is more so with non-royal families, as the general tendency is to hide them in vaults," says Balakrishnan.