Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

November 29, 2022

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya restoration project in Mumbai received this year’s Award of Excellence in UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

About Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya was established in 1922 as the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India.
It is part of the ictorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai World Heritage property in India.
This 100-year-old museum documents the history of India from prehistoric to modern times.
It was established to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Wales (George V) to India.
The museum was later renamed after the founder of the Maratha Empire – Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
It was built in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, integrating the elements of other architectural styles like Mughal, Maratha and Jain.
The museum currently hosts some 50,000 exhibits from ancient India as well as foreign lands. The artefacts include those belonging to the times of the Indus Valley Civilization, Guptas, Mauryas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas.

Why is the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya restoration project recognized by the UNESCO?

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya restoration project received the 2022 Award of Excellence in UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. It was recognized for setting standards for the conservation of world heritage monuments. The project addressed the extensive deterioration through well-informed architectural and engineering solutions, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Which other projects received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation?

Thirteen projects in 6 countries (Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Nepal, and Thailand) received the 2022 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
The Domakonda Fort of Telangana and Byculla Station of Mumbai received awards under the ‘Award of Merit’ category. Topdara Stupa in Afghanistan and Nantian Buddhist Temple in China also received awards under this category.
The stepwells of Golconda in Hyderabad was recognized under the ‘Award of Distinction’ category.
West Guizhou Lilong Neighborhood in China’s Shanghai was recognized under the ‘Special Recognition for Sustainable Development’ category.

About UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation

The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation programme was launched in 2000 to recognize the efforts of private individuals and organizations involved in restoring, conserving and transforming structures and buildings of cultural significance. The awards aim to promote public and private conservation efforts of historic properties either independently or through public-private partnerships. In 2020, a new category, ‘Special Recognition for Sustainable Development’, was introduced to recognize the role and contribution of cultural heritage in achieving 2030 SDGs.

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