NATURE’S TREASURE TROVE
Visit this intriguing museum-cum-learning centre in a 200-year-old fort to understand the various facets of wildlife and ecology.
Most dilapidated heritage structures are either restored for public visits or converted into hotels. Setting an example, the 200-year-old fort in Morni hills, about 45 kms from Chandigarh, has been converted into a natural museum-cum-learning centre to sensitise visitors about the region’s natural beauty and wildlife.
A NOVEL INITIATIVE
Narrow winding road leads you to the museum's gate, built on a hilltop. The setup highlights the bounties of nature in an artistic manner and helps tourists understand how development has left marks on the face of our natural environment. The museum opened for visitors in November last year under the aegis of the Haryana forest department.
Harvansh Dua, the brain behind the museum’s layout and design, says, “The senior officials of the forest department wanted the fort to be converted into a nature museum and it was indeed a tall task. The idea was to make it display driven and informative”. The plentiful figures depicting wildlife, caves, wall murals, domes, 3D artwork rendered in vehicular resistant paint took about eight months to complete.
VIRTUAL TOUR
The facility is divided into three parts—flora and fauna section, the academia wing and a room showing adverse affects of environmental changes. "There were three rooms and four attaris (enclosures of 15X12 sq feet) to be done up. We dedicated one room to flora and fauna and the attari behind it showcases animals in their natural habitat. A washroom was converted into a tiger’s den with a bird gallery alongside. The second room displays the projects undertaken by Haryana forest department to conserve forest and wildlife such asagro forestry and vulture breeding The third room gives a peep into the environment challenges such as population explosion, forest fires, degradation, acid rain and degeneration of natural habitat,” explains Dua. The climate change aspects such as population explosion have been represented in a subtle manner with 3D sculptures popping out of a wall.
The remaining three attaris have been converted into a plastic continent, an insectarium and a hub for the
endangered species respectively. “All these come with an underlying message. The plastic continent depicts the hazards of non-biodegradable waste, the insectarium teaches that insects are equally vital for environment protection and the hub is to save the endangered species from poachers," says Dua, adding that a map of migratory birds and signages— Fort to Museum—have been put up in an area of 1,500-2,000 sq ft. These signages are to educate the tourists on how one must not abuse the planet and follow simple ways to preserve flora and fauna. TOIL OF ARTISTS “More than 100 artists, modeller's and sculptors from Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh were summoned to customise the interiors of the museum instead of sourcing the models from outside,” says Dua. Chandigarhbased artist Manjot Kaur was actively involved in the project and says, “It was a unique experience to have made murals of animals living in their natural habitat and then arranging them on walls along with trees.” FUTURISTIC APPEAL Keeping the youth at forefront for saving nature, the museum has been designed in such a way that will appeal all age groups. The idea was to educate the youth about the area’s lesser known history. The museum's aesthetics and experience is sure to intrigue every visitor and instills a new zeal to save the environment.