Mapping the past for the present

Udaipur: The City Palace Museum, Udaipur, recently announced the exhibition of rare painted and printed maps of Mewar which are more than 300 years old. The exhibition of maps, as collected and produced in Udaipur Court, is significant as it provides insights about how the earlier generation of painters, draughtsman and historians perceived the world. The exhibition gives visitors fascinating insights into how places, landscapes and the topography of the State of Mewar were produced on maps.Funded by The Getty Foundation, under The Paper Project, the exhibition brings together rare printed maps, painted maps and cartographic documents from the Mewar Royal collection in the Mardana Mahal of the City Palace Museum. Curatorial and research teams of The City Palace Museum under the project worked on preserving the cartographic materials dating back to the 1700s in its collections. "It is a fine example of how the living heritage of Mewar is being preserved, shared with young and global audiences alike in India and overseas. In the years ahead, we hope to build on these platforms of sharing authentic knowledge and our legacies," said Dr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, trustee of Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation.These maps are historical documents and have tremendous archival value, said Dr Shailka Mishra, consultant curator for the project. "We have innumerable other court records like bahidas or daily dairies, architectural drawings, photographs and paintings. These maps complement and complete our understanding of the past," she added."The Udaipur Court was famous for its writings on history, literature and maps are part of this vibrant intellectual culture which belongs not just to Rajasthan but the entire nation. The iconic architecture of Udaipur's palaces can also be seen in these objects, as depicted by cartographic printers and painters of the past."The exhibition has been curated in different themes showcasing some 53 objects including a diverse array of maps meticulously commissioned and collected by the Maharanas of Mewar.," added Mishra.