ASI to temporarily shift famed French museum in Chandannagar to carry out restoration

ASI plans to temporarily shift the French museum in Dupleix Palace for restoration after ceiling collapse, ensuring artefacts' safety.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is planning to temporarily shift the famous French museum housed in Dupleix Palace in the erstwhile French colony of Chandannagar in West Bengal to carry out conservation and restoration after parts of its false ceiling and chunks of plaster fell down late last year. People as well as artefacts had a narrow escape and were unharmed.

Built back in 1740, the building, officially known as the Institut de Chandernagor, was where Joseph Francois Dupleix lived when he was the French Governor-General in India. The key landmark in Chandannagar also houses a historic library and holds French classes.

“We will shift the museum — which is quite popular — for a period of 18 to 24 months and carry out complete restoration of the Dupleix Palace, including the public facilities. The idea is to keep the precious artefacts safe and also to not cause hindrance to visitors while the repair work is on,” an ASI source told The Hindu.

“The shifting will be done with the help of the State Government. We have still not decided where exactly to shift it, but we will move it somewhere nearby, probably in the same compound.” the source said.

Even though it has been a few months since parts of the false ceiling fell down — during the Durga Puja holidays and on November 26 — the ASI is waiting for money to start the repair work. “We have submitted a proposal for the restoration, and we expect funds to be allocated in the new financial budget,” the source said.

Director of Institut de Chandernagor, Basabi Pal, said the ASI has removed the entire false ceiling after the incidents and that the museum was reopened to the public last month.

“We have moved the artefacts to safe corners and are waiting for the restoration to begin. I am being hopeful because an ASI engineer I spoke to just last week said we should be getting some good news within two months,” said Prof. Pal, a long-time resident of Chandannagar and who has been decorated by the French government with Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques.