KOCHI: The Port Museum to be set up as part of the Alappuzha Heritage Project will have artefacts from 31 countries which had trade links with the ancient ports across the state. Under the Alappuzha Heritage Project, being implemented by the Muziris Heritage Project (MHP), talks will be held with the countries that had trade links with Kerala, for procuring artefacts for the museum to be set up at Alappuzha beach.
Muziris Heritage Project managing director P M Nowshad said the Dutch government is ready to cooperate with the initiative. The Netherlands had direct trade links with Kerala. The work on the museum will commence in a few months and the entire work being carried out as part of developing Alappuzha into a heritage tourism centre will be completed in two years. “We are planning to create miniature models of ships from 31 countries that came to Alappuzha for trade activities. Recently, a delegation from Kerala had visited the Netherlands following an invitation. We had visited various museums and heritage sites there. The Dutch government is ready to collaborate with heritage projects in Kerala. As part of the Spice Route Project, we are looking to get technical support from other foreign countries that maintained trade links with Alappuzha and Kerala,” he said.
The government has allocated 10 acres of land in Alappuzha for setting up the museum and other activities as part of the heritage project. Also, a sum of Rs130 crore has been earmarked from KIIFB. Installing a real ship at the museum is also under consideration.
“In Netherlands, a museum has installed a real ship and the tourists embarking on it get a virtual experience of travelling in an ancient ship. We are also planning to introduce a similar ship in Alappuzha. We had visited ship breaking agency in Ahmedabad to find the availability of a whether a ship for installation at the museum,” he said.
Details about ancients ports
The Port Museum in Alappuzha will have historical details about 40 ancient ports that existed in the state. Recently, a workshop was conducted for researchers and students, who will collect materials of historical importance from these ancient port sites. “More than 100 researchers and students of history and archaeology took part in the workshop. We will select 40 researchers and students who will be collecting artefacts from the historical port sites in the state. The collection of artefacts will be completed within a few months. These artefacts will be part of the Port Museum,” said Nowshad. Similarly, authorities are also looking forward to receiving historical artefacts from the Cochin Port and Southern Naval Command in Kochi. “The port museum will be the first-of-its-kind in Kerala. The Cochin Port Trust (CPT) has a maritime museum. However, monuments and artefacts from different parts of the state and abroad will be on display at the port museum. A similar kind of museum is located in Visakhapatnam,” Nowshad said.