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poubi lai- One Object Exhibition on Poubi Lai; the Story of a Giant Python at National Museum, New Delhi

 
As a part of inter-institutional alliances between the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya and the National Museum, New Delhi, One Object Exhibition was successfully inaugurated at the Special Exhibition Gallery of the National Museum, New Delhi on 21st July 2015 by the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Culture, and Govt. of India. Shri. Sanjeev Mittal, Director General, National Museum Delhi and Prof. Sarit Kumar Chaudhuri, Director, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya and Shri. R.P. Savita, Director Conservation, National Museum, Delhi were present on the inaugural function. On the occasion of the inaugural function, a dance drama based on story of Poubi Lai was staged by the artists of the Centre for Youth and Cultural Association, Imphal. In contextualising the single object, modern paintings of the professional artists illustrating the tale of Poubi Lai and folk stories based on the mythical assumptions of the ruling deity of Meitei community of Manipur were also on display. A Picture Book prepared for the children visitors based on the story of Poubi Lai was among one of the attractions of the exhibition.
The 21 feet long wooden sculpture of a mythical Python called Poubi Lai came into the collection of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya in the year 2002. IGRMS collected this unique sculpture with the help of Manipur State Museum, Imphal. This wooden sculpture of Poubi Lai was carved by Late Karam Dineshwar Singh who hails from Imphal. Shri. Dineshwar sculpted this wooden image of Poubi Lai exactly the same which he saw in his dream. He took about six months to complete this sculpture. The object also travelled France for an exhibition.  
Speaking on the occasion of the inaugural function, Shri K.K. Mittal, the Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Culture said “the collaboration would be a turning point in the inter-museum dynamics in India. It will bring about great synchronisation and interesting opportunities to unveil several archives of the country”. He also stresses on the need to extend more participation and collaboration of the private cultural institutions and museums and the growing need to share our culture and heritage online and reach out to the larger audience. “We have been emphasising the need to have virtual exhibitions and encourage all museums to share all their exhibitions online”.
Shri. Sanjeev Mittal, Director-General, National Museum in his welcome address mentions that the Poubi Lai, One Object Exhibition in Delhi has been a result of the 2009-initiated museum reforms and the Leadership Training programme with British Museum. “Inter-institutional collaborations aim at taking community heritage to people across the country. This one-object exhibition is a wonderful example of such an initiative,” he added.
Prof Chaudhuri, the Director, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya pointed out the significant work of museum excercise that took about two years to bring into this product of exhibition on Poubi Lai. “It is a perfect example how intangible heritage can be transformed into an evident piece of cultural reality” he added. Prof. Chaudhuri congratulated all the team members from both the institutions who contributed in the successful launch of the One Object Exhibition on Poubi Lai from the collection of IGRMS.
 
Sri. R.P. Savita, Director (Conservation), National Museum proposed Vote of thanks of the inaugural function. It was followed by a dance-drama presentation by the artists from Manipur providing the audience a glimpse on the folk tale of a giant Python, the Poubi Lai. 
 

Date: July 27, 2015