G20 summit: Gandhara sculptures, Chola bronzes to be showcased at NGMA exhibition for spouses of heads of state

A special exhibition is set to debut at the NGMA on September 9, featuring nearly 400 artefacts that include treasured Gandhara sculptures, Chola Bronzes, and scarce manuscripts. This exhibition is organized to welcome spouses of various heads of state who will gather here for the G20 summit..

The remnants of a chariot, originating from the historical period of 2500 BC to 1800 BC, were discovered by a team of archaeologists in 2018 at the Sanauli excavation site in Uttar Pradesh.

Additionally, a collection of rare Mexican scrolls will be presented in a thematic exhibition, highlighting India’s abundant cultural heritage and its interconnectedness with G20 member nations and invited guests, according to official sources.

The visiting guests will also inaugurate the exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), they said.

The exhibition, ‘Roots and Routes’, explores India’s civilisational heritage, ethos and its inter-connectedness. It traces cultural marvels through Indian sagas based on archaeological artefacts, literature, numismatics, epigraphy and paintings, weaving a narrative that is truly diverse and rich, officials said.

“The project was conceived in the last several months and nearly 80-85 per cent of the artefacts for the exhibition were sourced from cultural institutions outside Delhi. The most prized display perhaps are the Gandhara and Mathura art pieces, Amravati friezes, and Chola bronzes,” a source said.

Artefacts have been sourced from Indian Museum in Kolkata; Government Museum in Chennai; Government Museum in Chandigarh; Asiatic Society in Kolkata; Government Museum in Mathura; National Museum in Delhi; NGMA; National Library in Kolkata; and Archaeological Survey of India site museums at Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh, Nalanda in Bihar, Nagarjunakonda in Andhra Pradesh and Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh; and Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts in Delhi.

“The continuous dialogue between ‘roots’ and ‘routes’ takes centre stage in this exhibition, presenting voices, thoughts and relatable stories,” the source said.

The British-era Jaipur House, home to the NGMA, was recently renovated and is being decked up to welcome the VVIP guests. Security personnel have been deployed at the gallery, which will open to the public again after the summit ends on September 10.

Spouses of heads of state will also be treated to a special lunch at the iconic Jaipur House, sources had said earlier. The menu will also include millet-based delicacies, they had said.

The G20 Leaders’ Summit will take place on September 9-10 at the newly-built international convention and exhibition centre — Bharat Mandapam — at Pragati Maidan.

The ‘Roots and Routes’ exhibition will take up almost the entire space of the two-storey Jaipur House and in the space beneath the rotunda, lotus-themed exhibits will be displayed. Lotus is also part of the G20 logo.

The other themes include roots, Sanskrit, beauty and ‘shringar’, language, India’s world outreach and maritime outreach, among others.

A rare over 200-year-old lithograph on musical instruments will also be on display. It contains artistic images of many instruments which are now presumed lost. Over 100-year-old glass plate negatives depicting Amaravati and Taxila archaeological sites will also be part of the exhibition.

“For the glass plate negatives, we have sourced about 24 of them from the ASI, they contain rare images of Amaravati and Taxila archaeological sites, Ajanata caves, Sanchi Stupa and Martanda temple. Many of the images are of structures which exist no more. So, it is rare in that way too,” the source said when asked about the glass plates and their condition.

The exhibition will seek to engage G20 priorities, the essential tenets of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family), the core values of which are supremely universal. The chosen themes reflect the ethos of respect for nature and environment, democratic spirit, gender equality and education, officials said.

The G20 country connect unravels too as part of shared global traditions. Subjects like ‘shringar’, ‘sangeet’ and ‘prakriti’ that are transnational are taken to portray the nuanced legacy of the Indian story. How Indian literature and art mirror each other completes the experience, a senior official said.

The ‘routes’ part, the outreach, through different mediums like language, philosophy, religion, literature, sculpture and paintings, the overland and maritime routes have been curated after diligent research, he added.

“It is not usual for India’s great antiquity to come together in such quantity and in such great diversity. The selection of the artefacts was carefully undertaken with a focus on historical significance, artistic merit and thematic relevance.

“The curatorial challenge of bringing together these priceless artefacts from all across India was made possible through close collaboration with all partners and meticulous logistical planning,” the official said.