As I near the conclusion of this series, I am beginning to realise that there is no dearth of museums in this country. In Delhi at least there are many more museums than one can imagine. The public needs to be apprised of their existence by highlighting them and not hiding them. And what we need to do is to take our kids there. It will be a good break from malls, x-boxes, movies and fast food joints. The Supreme Court of India Museum is right opposite Pragati Maidan Metro Station, but again how many people would know about it? Even though there is a board announcing its existence, the stiff façade is hardly any incentive for a public that’s yet to learn to look at museums as spaces to visit and relax, unwind and at the same time learn in.
Disappointed as I was returning from the Field Museum at Purana Quila after finding it closed on a Friday — one of the few museums or probably the only one in Delhi to close on Fridays — I came across the Supreme Court of India Museum. It was built in 2004 with a view to preserving and showcasing the history of the Indian judiciary.
A beautiful structure, a lovely location, greenery all around, and strategically close to the metro station…but one hitch! You can’t take bags, cameras, mobile phones inside so you have to leave everything outside under the supervision of the security staff manning the entrance in the open because there are no lockers. You can’t complain once you notice there aren’t good seating arrangements for the security staff either. But that doesn’t take away anything from what’s stored inside.
The museum has a fabulous collection with its original and some recreated stuff providing evidence of law and justice right from the time of the Indus civilisation. There are stealite seals of Harappa (2700 B.C.- 1500 B.C.) representing ancient laws, a male bust of a theocratic priest and dispenser, a replica of Ashoka’s Rock Edict — the first written records of law and administration of justice at that time. We also find the firmaan of emperors like Akbar and Shah Jahan, a replica of the copper plate (9th Century AD) issued by King Devapala Deva of Bengal, and so much more at the first level gallery, named Development of Justice System. The oldest object in the museum is a 1590 document — a deed of Sajjadgi and Khilafat in Persian executed by Ali Qutb Sani for spiritual succession of his son.
Detailed text panels also highlight relevant Indian texts in the context of law and justice, like Arthashastra , Nitisara , Nitivakyamtra , Shariat (Islamic law), etc. In the Nyaya gallery is depicted the evolution of the Supreme Court. Rare photographs of Federal Court judges, furniture used by the judges, like wooden cloak stand, dressing table, chairs, a judge’s wig from the High Court of Bombay, photographs of all the Chief Justices right from the very first Chief Justice of India H.K. Kania, ceremonial gowns, the cap of the High Court of Jabalpur, a gavel gifted to Y.K. Sabharwal, the Chief Justice of India in 2005, make up this gallery.
As expected, there are some interesting case files too, like those of the assassinations of Mahatma Gandhi and Indira Gandhi. Another interesting exhibit is the case file of Maneka Gandhi vs Union of India, regarding the writ petition filed by Maneka Gandhi challenging the impounding of her passport by the government in 1977.
The museum’s curator Rajesh Prasad tells us that the footfall has increased in the last few years with large groups dropping in to see the museum.
“School children and other large groups of tourists come in regularly through Delhi Tourism. Law colleges too frequent the space to learn about the history of the museum, but the numbers can certainly go up. We also organise exhibitions from time to time like ‘Alipore Bomb Conspiracy Case’, ‘Trial of Bhagat Singh’ which also helps us to get more visitors.”
The museum is now working towards another exhibition that would deal with the trials of Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
(The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It can be contacted at 011-23388922-24)
