Eight years on, digitisation of antiquities at Bengaluru museums remains incomplete

Bengaluru: The digitisation of antiquities at the Government Museum and Venkatappa Art Gallery in Bengaluru, which began in 2016, remains incomplete.

According to the latest report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), as of June 2022, only bronze artifacts, metalware, stone sculptures, and sandalwood items had been digitised. The Department of Archaeology, Heritage, and Museums has cited ongoing renovation work as the reason for the delay.

The CAG report, presented during the winter session of the state legislature in Belagavi, examined the preservation and conservation of state-protected historical monuments and antiquities in Karnataka between 2017 and 2022.

D Smitha, Director of Museums, acknowledged the delay, explaining that private partners brought in for the task had inspected and digitised some of the museum's artifacts.

Darshan Kumar YU, Deputy Curator at the National Gallery of Modern Art, said digitisation is a delicate process. “Certain objects present unique challenges and rushing the process risks damage. The timeframe depends on the type of antiquity being documented,” he explained.

The CAG report noted that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had, in late 2016, urged the digitisation of antiquities as per a uniform format under the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA). This format mandates documenting 21 details for each artifact, including type, dynasty, style, material, identification marks, condition, and dimensions.

To meet this requirement, 16 museums across Karnataka were instructed to submit detailed documentation. However, the audit revealed that, despite over five years of effort, digital documentation at the Bengaluru Museum remains incomplete.