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Know your Navy
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INS Dronacharya is celebrating its 25th anniversary tomorrow. PRIYADARSSHINI SHARMA visits the Maritime Museum at Fort Kochi, which traces the evolution of the Indian Navy.
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HOUSED IN huge odd looking stone mounds that remind one of an ancient granary or a moat tower, the Dronacharya Maritime Museum draws a second look from the passer-by. The edifice, in two parts, itself is a museum piece, being a magazine, built during colonial times. It was used as ammunition dump for coastal defence during the World War.
Started two years ago, the museum at INS Dronacharya, in Fort Kochi, is exceedingly interesting and highly informative. Making deft use of paintings, frescoes, models, artefacts and the naval regalia, the display is comprehensive. Well-lit, with placards explaining the origin and use of each artefact, an audiovisual show on the sea battles of the Indian Navy, is the highlight of the museum. The spic-span premise with a well-manicured lawn is dotted with war memorabilia. Radars, torpedoes, Bofors gun, missiles, rocket launchers and mine sweepers create a scene, which gives the feel of real action at sea.
The museum has two sections. One that describes, pictorially the `Maritime History of Kerala.' The artefacts here bring out the early sea trade routes from the west to the east, ancient and modern ports of Kerala, the spice trade, arrival of Vasco-da-Gama, the bravery and patriotism of Kunjali Marikkar, the arrival of the Dutch, the Canarese War along the Malabar coast, evolution of the Port of Cochin, ancient and modern shipbuilding and the importance of the Indian Navy.
These are wonderfully etched out as frescoes on the stucco walls, done in a vibrant style by the students of the Govt. Arts College, Thiruvananthapuram and are presented along a `Sound and Light' show . The visual past is aided by a commentary, both in English and Malayalam, and is in the form of a narrative, which makes it doubly interesting.
The second section of the museum deals with the Evolution of the Indian Navy from its origin in 1612 AD, when Indian Marine was established at Surat to protect trade in the East Indies, till the present day. The expedition and exploits of the Navy have been chronologically depicted. One section of the museum is devoted to the shipbuilding activities dating as early as 1000 BC at Lothal in Gujarat till the most modern shipyard in the country. A sound and light show highlights the naval actions over the years, its contribution in uniting the country post independence, the Junagadh operations, the Goa liberation, Indo Pak conflicts of 1965 and 1971. Operation Cactus, Operation Pawan and the strategic manoeuvres during Kargil have also been described in the section aptly named `Navy in Action.'
A few interesting, historical objects worth viewing is the lifebuoy from the Portuguese warship, Alfonse de Albuquerque, which the Indian Navy defeated in the 1961, Goa War. Another emotional parting memento is the trophy, `Goodbye and Good Luck' presented during partition to the Indian naval officers from their colleagues, soon to be a part of Pakistani Navy. Besides these, the display of flags from inception of the Indian Navy as Bombay Marines to the present day, rank badges and uniforms of the Naval personnel, give the visitor a complete know how of this distinguished wing of the Armed Forces. Says an articulate and well-informed curator, Aneesh Tomy, " We get many school children and a few foreign tourists who come to visit Fort Kochi but this new museum is yet to catch the public eye."
With INS Dronacharya celebrating its 25th anniversary, the new museum is a fitting tribute to the distinguished service and its heroes. It is open to the public on all days except Mondays from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m.
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