Jammu, May 21: Manoj Sinha on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review preparations for the proposed International Museum of Goddess at Katra, a major spiritual and cultural project aimed at preserving and promoting the legacy of Mata Shakti.
The meeting was attended by members of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, eminent scholars, academicians, spiritual leaders and senior government officials who discussed different aspects related to development of the museum.
Among those present were Mahamandleshwar Swami Vishveshvaranand Giriji Maharaj, Baleshwar Rai, Dr. Ashok Bhan, Sudha Murty, Gunjan Rana, Dr. K.K. Talwar, Kulbhushan Ahuja, Lalit Bhasin and Suresh Kumar Sharma.
Senior officials and experts including Padma Shri Prof. Vishwa Murti Shastri, Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar, Vice-Chancellor of University of Jammu Prof. Umesh Rai, Cluster University Vice-Chancellor Prof. K.S. Chandrasekar, SMVDSB CEO Sachin Kumar Vaishya, Additional CEO Alok Maurya, IGNCA Regional Director Shruti Awasthi, Prof. Satish Kumar Kapoor and Sanskrit scholar Dr. Chander Mouli Raina also attended the meeting.
During the deliberations, participants suggested various measures to develop the museum as a world-class spiritual and cultural destination showcasing the heritage of Mata Shakti through immersive storytelling, traditional art forms, rare artifacts and modern technology.
Officials informed that the museum will feature the sacred iconography of 51 Shakti Peethas along with the nine divine forms of Maa Durga to provide visitors and pilgrims with a spiritually enriching experience.
The CEO of the Shrine Board briefed the meeting about the steps taken so far, including launch of a dedicated website for receiving suggestions from across the globe, study visits to leading museums in the country and identification of domain experts for execution of the project.
The Board approved creation of a permanent post of Director General for the International Museum of Goddess, who will head the institution with support from a dedicated team of experts and officials. A separate corpus fund for development and operation of the project was also approved.
During the meeting, the Lieutenant Governor directed that teams of experts should visit major Shaktipeeths proposed to be showcased in the museum for detailed research and documentation. The Board also decided to appoint a specialized consultant for architectural planning and conceptual design of the project.
Officials said the museum will serve as a centre for spirituality, research and learning. The institution will also include a library and research centre aimed at preserving and promoting the cultural, traditional and spiritual heritage of Shaktipeeths among younger generations. (KNC)
