Under the popular museum series ‘Exhibit of the Month’ of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, a traditional object is displayed in the appearance for a whole month. The exhibit for the month of October, 2019 - “Charkha: Hand operated Spinning Wheel’ from Jhajjar, Haryana, is on display in the indoor exhibition building – Veethi Sankul.
The 'exhibit of the month' has been inaugurated by Padmashri Vijay Dutt Shridhar, (Director of Madhav Rao Sapre Sangrahalaya, Bhopal). Prof Sarit Kumar Chaudhuri (Director, IGRMS), and renowned people present on this occasion. This exhibit of the month has been curetted by Garima Anand Dubey, (Museum Associate).
On this occasion, Garima Anand told that, Charkha or spinning wheel which is a hand operated device used for spinning thread from fibres. It was fundamental to the cotton textile industry prior to industrial revolution. In Indian context Charkha or Chakra is not merely a tool but is also a symbol of the Independence movement of India. Mahatma Gandhi brought the charkha into wider use. He hoped that Charkha would be an effective tool for the people of India to be the self sufficient and independent and therefore he used Charkha as a symbol of Indian Independence movement.
This Museum has a good collection of various types of spinning wheels from various parts of the country in its collection present exhibit collected from Bharpai Devi of Jhajjar, Haryana is one of them which she kept with her for more than 70 years. Displaying this charkha as exhibit of the month is not simply a customary practice but also a humble tribute to Father of Nation on his 150th birth anniversary and salute to millions of his followers who still believe in his ideology and cherish the memories like this.
On this occasion, audience observed the book entitled ‘Vishwavandhya Gandhi’ a book centered on the 150th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, edited by Padmashri Vijay Dutt Shridhar.