Apathy, Ignorance or Natural Death? Present State of Museums in West Bengal, India and its Implication for Anthropological Study of Culture and Policy

Abstract

West Bengal, one of the eastern states of India has the oldest museum in the country apart from housing probably the highest number of museums in India. These museums are showcases of the rich cultural heritage of the country and its development during prehistoric and historical times, artistic and innovative skills of the people, colonial connections and national sentiments. In spite of such a glory and apparent prosperity, the museums in the state are facing a number of problems. It is revealed that many of the museums exist only in name being seldom visited by the common people barring a few connoisseur and researchers. These are run by individual effort and financial support leaving little scope for proper maintenance of objects through appropriate methods of conservation and display. The state neither has a definite policy for the museums, nor does it have any up-to-date data on the number of the museums in the state. It may be said that there is an apathetic attitude and lack of awareness on the both sides of the state and the people residing there. This situation leads to the virtual death of museums when it fails to run its business. What are the reasons behind this situation in which so many museums exist but cannot function up to expectation? How can the interest or involvement with the museums be inspired or inculcated or at least be generated within the people in general? The present paper attempts to find an answer to these questions touching the frames of Foucauldian concept of power and cultural heterotrophy. The discussion deals with numbers, distribution and typology of museums in the state, their historical development and the factors that have contributed to the development of museums in the state, the multifarious roles museums perform and people's engagement with museums. By way of this discussion, the paper tends to focus on how people conceive of museum and how the cultural artifacts of museum become a site for anthropological study of ontology of culture. The paper ends with a pragmatic note suggesting a museum-policy for the state.