The dismantling of the 61-year-old Rallabandi Subba Rao Archaeological Museum commenced here on September 11 (Monday). The Union Ministry of Culture has released ₹4 crore for the construction of a new building for the museum.
Situated on the banks of the Godavari near the road-cum-railway bridge, the museum is home to nearly 1,600 artefacts and a good number of copper plates. The museum also boasts of seven gold coins dating back to the Eastern Chalukya era including those from the regime of Raja Raja Narendra (1022-1061).
On September 11 (Monday), Rajamahendravaram MP Margani Bharat, in the presence of the Department of Museum and Archaeology officials, laid the foundation stone for the new museum building and kick-starting the dismantling activity.
“The Union Ministry of Culture has released ₹4 crore of the proposed ₹10 crore under the Museum Grant Scheme for the new building of the museum,” said Mr. Bharat.
The new museum building is expected to be commissioned within the next 18 months.
Artefacts shifted to Sir Arthur Cotton’s house
“All the artefacts and other valuable materials are being shifted to Sir Arthur Cotton’s house on the Bommuru Hill. The artefacts will be stored there until the new building for the museum is ready,” said the MP.
Museums, and Archaeology Assistant Director K. Timmaraju told The Hindu that the 61-year-old museum building did not fall in the category of a ‘monument’, enabling us to dismantle it for the construction of the new building in the same location.
In 1960s, Historian Rallabandi Subba Rao developed a private museum which was later handed over to the Andhra Pradesh government. The museum was named after him.
