India's largest display of antique-value jewellery unveiled in National Museum

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Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Shripad Yesso Naik inaugurated the 'Alamkara' gallery in the National Museum, which is India's largest display of antique-value jewellery. The display will be a permanent gallery at the museum.

Necklaces, bracelets, pendants, bangles, earplugs, needles and girdles, among other artefacts belonging to the past five millennia from across the country are on display at the museum.

While inaugurating the gallery, Naik said that the National Museum was poised to be graced with four more galleries by 2016.

"Four of a total of eight National Museum galleries, which have remained closed for a long period, have now been opened. The 'Bronzes' gallery will be opened in January next year, followed by the 'Manuscripts' gallery in March," Naik told the media.

"The remaining two galleries, which feature Central Asian antiquities, will be reopened by 2016," he added.

India's only jewellery historian, Dr Balakrishnan, pointed out that the gallery featured ornaments of a wide range of society ranging from regal splendour as well as the ones used in common households.

From jewels of Indus Valley civilisation dating back to 2,900 BCE to the more recent ones, which show a distinct British and French influence, the new gallery has now an increased number of artefacts. Also featured are spectacular objects such as hair ornaments, plaques, marriage pendants, armbands and belts.