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Recently, the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways signed an MoU for ‘Cooperation in Development of National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat’.
Key updates
The Ministry of Culture(MoC) will provide required support for showcasing the maritime heritage of India at NMHC in the form of gallery contents, sharing relevant documents, books, artefacts, electronic media, articles, original artefacts/ replicas etc. During the construction, operation, sustenance, maintenance and growth of NMHC, MoC will share its technical understanding on design, lighting and digital technology.
Significance of MoU
Signing of MoU and cooperation with the Ministry of Culture would facilitate to exhibit both the robust maritime history and vibrant coastal tradition of our country in one place and would uplift the image of India’s Maritime Heritage in the international forum.
About National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC)
- NMHC is to be developed as a first of its kind in the country dedicated to the legacy of Maritime Heritage of India, to showcase India’s rich and diverse maritime glory
- NMHC, a world-class facility is to be developed in the vicinity of the ASI site of Lothal, located about 80 kms away from Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
- It would be developed as an international tourist destination, where the maritime heritage of India from ancient to modern times would be showcased and
- In NMHC, an edutainment approach using the latest technology would be adopted to spread awareness about India’s maritime heritage.
- It would be developed in an area of about 400 acres with various unique structures such as:
- National Maritime Heritage Museum.
- Light House Museum.
- Heritage Theme Park.
- Museum Themed Hotels & Maritime themed eco-resorts.
- Maritime Institute etc
- The unique feature of NMHC is the recreation of ancient Lothal city, which is one of the prominent cities of the ancient Indus valley civilization dating to 2400 BC.
- Apart from that, the evolution of India’s Maritime Heritage during various eras would be exhibited through various galleries.
- NMHC would have a pavilion for each coastal states and union territories to showcase the artefacts/maritime heritage of the respective states and union territories.
- Various theme parks would be developed at NMHC(through PPP) such as:
- Maritime & Naval Theme Park.
- Monuments Park.
- Climate Change Theme Park.
- Adventure & Amusement Theme Park.
Significance
- Setting up a National Maritime Heritage Complex at such an important location will benefit the historical importance of Lothal and develop it into a place of extraordinary and unparalleled maritime heritage.
- It will instil pride, create awareness and enhance knowledge about the rich and diverse maritime history of the country.
Ancient city Lothal
- Lothal is one of the prominent cities of the ancient Indus valley civilization dating to 2400 BC, located in Gujarat, an important western state of India.
- Archaeological excavations have discovered the oldest man-made dockyard, over 5000 years old, in Lothal.
- Lothal is located between the Sabarmati river and its tributary Bhogavo, , in the Saurasthra region.
- Within the quadrangular fortified layout, Lothal has two primary zones – the upper and the lower town.
- The citadel or the upper town is located in the south eastern corner and is demarcated by platforms of mud-brick of 4 meters in height instead of a fortification wall.
- The remains of the lower town suggest that the area had a bead-making factory.
- The excavated site of Lothal is the only port-town of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
