Intach Museum now a popular destination in Hubballi-Dharwad

Dharwad: The rich history of the district, coupled with its cultural heritage, is much celebrated among the people of Dharwad, most of whom are well acquainted with it. Until recently, here were few avenues for the uninitiated or outsiders to learn about Dharwad’s rich past, certainly that afforded a comprehensive picture of its history in a few snapshots.But this lack was remedied with an Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) Museum at the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) office building in Dharwad.
The museum is open to visitors from 11am to 2pm on all weekdays, and boasts in its collection rare stamps, coins and original manuscripts. Given that Dharwad has for long been one of the literary capitals of the state, among the many prized possessions at the museum are original certificates and manuscripts of the works of eminent writers such as Raa Ha Deshpande, Da Ra Bendre, VK Gokak and SL Bhyrappa. Visitors will also find at the museum reprints of Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings, not to mention photographs and paintings depicting Dharwad’s antiquity.
Inscriptions attesting to Dharwad’s tryst with the prehistoric period are likely to draw the eye of those looking to take a peek into the past. A bust of NP Bhat, retired commissioner of the income tax department who was instrumental in setting up the Intach Museum, donated by Lieutenant General SC Sardeshpande is a treasured possession housed in the museum.
The museum’s popularity has been growing steadily over the years, the number of visitors increasing. The number of articles on display too has been rising, with artifacts being donated and collected with zest by the museum’s administrators, and it is now filled with vestiges of the past.
Although Bhat’s unexpected death in December was an unexpected setback to the administration of the museum, his wife Prof Yashoda took over the reins and ensured that there was no roadblock. The managing committee of the museum was reconstituted with Brigadier SG Bhagawat named its convener. Rekha Katenahalli is the curator of the museum, while Geeta Dharwadkar is its assistant curator with Ningappa Sunkannavar taking care of the routine administration.