Artefacts from india at national Museum
Muscat - National Museum of Oman inaugurated a ‘ Loaned Artefacts from India’ exhibition on Saturday.
The inauguration was held under the patronage of H H Sayyida Mona bint Fahd al Said, Assistant Vice-Chancellor for International Cooperation at Sultan Qaboos University, and vicechair of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum, and other high-ranking officials.
In his address at the inauguration, H E Amit Narang, Ambassador of India to Oman, informed that the precious artefacts are on loan from India’s National Gallery of Modern Art.
“It is particularly gratifying that these two exhibits were first announced at the National Day Reception of India on January 26 this year and have been on display at the National Museum since,” he added.
“It is often said, and correctly so, that India and Oman are maritime neighbours with 5,000 years of shared history. Indeed, our two nations are ancient cultures bound by the threads of history.”
He added that the two exhibits that were formally unveiled on Saturday are vivid examples of this shared history and cultural interchange across centuries.
The Tarikh-i-Kesari, which contains biographies of rulers in and around India, showcases the fact
that not only were the sovereigns of Oman well known in contemporary India, but that they were also well regarded.
The other exhibit, a painting of the iconic Fort Mirani by Thomas Daniel, is a reminder of the colonial links that bound the destinies of Indians and Omanis over the past two centuries.
“Most of all, what the two artefacts most vividly showcase is the shared tradition of peaceful exchange of goods, ideas and culture across the blue waters of the Arabian Sea that has characterised the relationship between India and Oman,” H E Narang said.
“This glorious tradition in turn contributed to the evolution of our respective cultures as modern societies well known for the value they place on the virtues of inclusiveness, openness to outside influences and universal tolerance. Just as Indians and Omanis take justifiable pride in their own culture and traditions, they have always kept their doors and windows open to winds of diverse influences from abroad.
“This has enriched our respective cultural fabrics, fostered social harmony and helped us collectively promote peaceful coexistence on the global stage.
“Today, as we celebrate these two artefacts, we celebrate this shared tradition. A tradition that is a reminder that the two countries share not only thousands of years of history, but thousands of years of friendship,” H E Narang added.