Central Museum Nagpur

Central Museum Nagpur.

Central Museum Nagpur had opened after major makeover almost a year back. There was a even a write up in the Hitavada praising it in its new avatar. That was almost a year back. We had read it and forgotten about it.

Some time back our son with his family had visited us. Jayati, our daughter-in-law had visited it. Had Liked it. She presented us with a very nice coffee mug with photo of Shiva-kalin painting. To a question, where she got it. I was told that we were going all over the world but had not visited a worth visiting places in our own backyard.

 Fact is we HAD gone there not once but three times over a period of six months, very long time back. Every time we were told it was under renovation. No one knew when renovation work would be completed. So we just forgot about it.  

Truth is generally bitter and though made in jest so was Jayati’s jibe.

To make amends we did go and see Central Museum Nagpur yesterday.    

While going around noticed that during renovation it was very thoughtful of the planners to provide ramps connecting passages between different level corridors to make it friendly for differently able persons..

Located in one of the huge sprawling heritage building of British Colonial era. It is  single storied building with many corridors spread out over vast area. It has two nicely maintained open lawns surrounded by these corridors. Lager stone statues of historical value are displayed here.

 Very vast and interesting collection. We spent almost 2 hours going around the museum. Every minute was enjoyable and educative. Definitely worth a visit.

However signs of neglect in maintenance are now visible.

 Matter of fact description and guide to museum follows.

Very reasonable entry fee of Rs 10/- is charged.

Photography WITHOUT flash is permitted. For this entry has to be made in register at entry counter.

Pamphlets in Marathi and English are available on demand. These are not displayed in open.  

Every effort has been made to make the museum as visitor friendly as possible. Indeed a praiseworthy effort.

All the display cabinets throughout the museum in all the nine galleries are very well sign posted giving information about the specimen on display. In addition every cabinet has QR code displayed. Scanning QR code also gives information about specimen in that display.

There is an interactive monitor in front of lot of cabinets which displays information in Marathi or English about specimen in display. Unfortunately almost every display was hung-up at some stage of its operation. Visiting public and the museum people are equally responsible for this unfortunate state.   

Museum has nine different categories. Each of the nine galleries has different category of specimen on display. Each gallery has its own corridor. Name of the category is displayed at the on the door at entry to corridors.

The displays are illuminated. Signs of neglect have become evident as quite a few bulbs are either not working or not fully lit up . Lighting of displays needs improvement. I felt that lighting if done from bottom upwards will prevent reflecting lighting spoiling a photo.  

Nine galleries  are

1. Natural History Gallery. :- Specimens of Fossils and minerals collected from central India on display. Very interesting. Skull bone of elephant, White translucent rock crystals, petrified tree fossils are particularly of interest.

2. Nagpur Heritage Gallery. :- As name indicates specimen of heritage value in Nagpur on display.

3. Mammals Avian and Reptiles :- Taxidermied

specimens on display. A large map of India shows habitat areas  where the avian specimen are found. Some of the specimen are so old that they are shedding skin and body feathers. Either something should be done about it are they be removed from display.

4. Art and Craft Gallery. . Art and craft related specimen. Some very beautiful objects in Brass, and ivory are on display.

5. Stone Sculpture Gallery.:- Displays pride collections of numerous stone sculptures of various periods from ancient times till 18^th century AD.  Some very beautiful sculptures and statues. Do not miss out on wonderful statues displayed around the lawns. Large stone slabs with very lengthy inscription in ancient Indian script are very interesting as even the translation is also displayed on a board alongside. As these shed light on the history of that time .

6. Arms and Weapons. Arms and weapons used in ancient warfare mainly from Mogul and British period are on display . very interesting.

7. Archeological Gallery :- Stone age and brass / copper age tools make for very fascinating collection on display. Coins of earlier era are on display. They were surprisingly small in size.

8. Tribal Art Gallery :- objects of daily life of Gond and Bhil tribe are on display . Interesting to know a bit about life of these tribal’s.

9. Painting Gallery  :- Unfortunately it was closed so we could not see it. Sadly missed out on some beautiful paintings.

 A souvenir shop is also attached to the Museum. Beautifully printed coffee mugs. Water bottles, gift and decorative articles are on display and sale at this shop.  Beautifully mounted reproductions of paintings on display in the museum are also on sale. These make for good gift articles

Once again worth a visit.

Tale of two cities.

My son is in Singapore. Every year we make one trip to spend time with them & our grand daughter.
During every visit I have been higly impressed by the way the civic authorities go about their work to provide  citizens with civic amenities yo make citizen's life as comfortable and smooth as possible.
The moment I return to Nagpur, a city I loved when I had decided to settle here after retirement, I am stuck by the utter chaotic state of civic amenities which rather than make the life of ctiezens comfortable make it a nightmare.
The garbage, the potholes thuorgh out the city interspread with an apology of what are called "road". Blatent violations of treaffic rules. All looked at with total apathy and unconcern by the auhotirtes who are supposed to maintain them and supposed to ensure that traffic rules are followed.
Those supporting these worthies will scream about shortage/ derth or lack of funds available to civic authoritoes. 

I beg to differ. I would like to make it absolutely clear "it is not a question of money, it is matter of, work culture, Attitude, Motivation, pride in the job they do. Most importantly of ''chalta hai' attitude". 

  

   

Trip to Shillong.

Trip to Shillong.

Whenever we were with Ajit and talked about going on a full family trip or just Ajeet and us, Shillong did come up few of times.

During their last visit to Nagpur trip to Shillong had again come up.

Few days after their return to Delhi, Jayati sent us mail on 24  sept 19,  informing us "Shillong booking done" and

"So plan to be here by march 9 latest"

Along with the mail she had forwarded mail from The Heritage Club - Tripura Castle. As per that our reservations were as below.

Check-in : 10th March 2020

Check-out : 15th March 2020

No Of Room  : 2 Rooms

No Of Night : 5 Nights

So we would be back in Delhi on 16 mar 20.

We had to be in Delhi on 4 Apr for Leela birthday. Rather than just sticking around in Delhi we decided to visit Nainital and Corbett park. After lot of discussions things were finalised.

Booked a trip with Kesari for for Nainital and Corbett Park from 21 - 26 Mar 20.

Booked Nagpur - Delhi - Nagpur tickets on 22 Oct 20.

So it was a trip planned long time back.

So we arrived in Delhi on 9 March 20.

Indifferent and 'could not careless" attitude of MSEDCL

Indifferent and 'could not careless" attitude of MSEDCL.

I had published this blog on 21 Feb 20.

As is my habit I had also sent paraphrased version to Editor Citi Mail to be published in city mail.

I was a bit disappointed to see that it never saw the light of the day, as usually happens with my letters to editor. Most probably because I call a spade a spade and do not use polite, diplomatic and tactful language  At times, depending on my sensitivity to the topic my language borders in being rude.

Vary pleasantly surprised to receive mail from Senior Reporter The Hitavada. ( not giving the name without asking his permission to do so). He had asked me to send my electrical bills. I did the needful. Not only sent him bills for Dec 19 but for Jan 20 as well as for Nov 19.   

Very gratified and happy to see very prominently published article highlighting my problem with MSEDCL, in today's City Line edition of The Hitavada.

In one stroke the article has not only solved my problem but hopefully of all other consumers who have installed rooftop Solar equipment.

 I use the word hopefully only because I will not put it beyond MSEDCL officials only to correct my bill and leave others in the lurch !!! 

Happy to report that as a result the artical, even before it was published, yesterday itself, MSEDCL had sent me following SMS 

" Dear consumer, your Tariff Change application 24944619 for consumer no. 410013572210 is approved. It will effect from next billing cycle."

Waiting for the next billing cycle now !!

The Hitavada, the news paper has always highlighting and publishing articles of public interest.

 As a result I have 

The published article given below  

Indifferent and could not careless attitude of MSEDCL.

Indifferent and could not careless attitude of Maharashtrs State Electricity Distrubution Company Ltd. (MSEDCL).

Recent bills Charged TREE TIMES the correct charges. I rang up representative of the firm, they have

 commitment to give after sales service. He accompanied me to Trimurti Nagar Sub Division of MSEDCL.

There were 4-5 other people in the same boat having been slapped with demand charges of Rs 320/-.Staff at Trimurti Nagar was quite helpful. They informed us that Correct tariff code for our single phase residential connection is " 90 LT I Res. 1". In this case higher demand charges have been levied due to entry of wrong tariff code of "92 LT-I A" which is the code for 3 phase connection.They projected our case to higher level. My complaint was acknowledged as " Tariff Change application no 24944619 on 23 Jan" . Till date there is no response.To add insult to injury in the bill for January the same thing happened. I made on line complaint which was acknowledged as "request ID 00000 14814849"

I do not understand why should a COMPLAINT be acknowledged as REQUEST.When contacted, firm representative informed me that hundreds of customers of all the firms installing roof top solar panels are facing the same problem. They have repeatedly approached various divisional offices. Only reply they have received is that " The do not know how or why this has happened. It was done by IT dept and they are helpless and cannot help.

As informed to me by my rep, When contacted Mr. Kundan T Bhise, Executive Engineer Congress Nagar division office, replied that "he has no idea. It has been done by IT dept and he cannot help" etc.I fail to Understand why an Executive Engineer cannot take up the matter with IT department. As if IT Dept is an alien entity beyond communication.

It reflects nothing else but totally indifferent and “Could not care less” attitude.

Will somebody in MSEDCL please pay heed to plight of hapless customers.

Three bills connercted with this given below.

Indifferent and could not careless attitude of MSEDCL.

Indifferent and could not careless attitude of Maharashtrs State Electricity Distrubution Company Ltd. (MSEDCL).

Indifferent and "could not careless" attitude of Maharashtrs State  Electricity Distrubution Company Ltd. (MSEDCL).

REE TIMES the correct charges. I rang up representative of the firm, they have commitment to give after sales service. He accompanied me to Trimurti Nagar Sub Division of MSEDCL.
There were 4-5 other people in the same boat having been slapped with demand charges of Rs 320/-.
Staff at Trimurti Nagar was quite helpful. They informed us that Correct tariff code for our single phase residential connection is " 90 LT I Res. 1". In this case higher demand charges have been levied due to entry of wrong tariff code of "92 LT-I A" which is the code for 3 phase connection.
They projected our case to higher level. My complaint was acknowledged as " Tariff Change application no 24944619 on 23 Jan" . Till date there is no response.
To add insult to injury in the bill for January the same thing happened. I made on line complaint which was acknowledged as "request ID 00000 14814849"
I do not understand why should a COMPLAINT be acknowledged as REQUEST.
When contacted, firm representative informed me that hundreds of customers of all the firms installing roof top solar panels are facing the same problem. They have repeatedly approached various divisional offices. Only reply they have received is that " The do not know how or why this has happened. It was done by IT dept and they are helpless and cannot help.
As informed to me by my rep, When contacted Mr. Kundan T Bhise, Executive Engineer Congress Nagar division office, replied that "he has no idea. It has been done by IT dept and he cannot help" etc.
I fail to Understand why an Executive Engineer cannot take up the matter with IT department. As if IT Dept is
an alien entity beyond communication.
It reflects nothing else but totally indifferent and “Could not care less” attitude.
Will somebody in MSEDCL please pay heed to plight of hapless customers.

Three bills connercted with this given below.