India's Best Museum. Review on Salarjung Museum, Hyderabad

Hyderabad is one of the most richest city in Culture and heritage of India. It has many monuments, Forts, temples, lakes and museums which are the best in the world. And among them Salar Jung Musuem is worth mentioning. This museum is situated on the banks of river Musi and is the third largest museum, it has collections of one Man known as Ysuf Ali Sardar Jung, the Prime Minister of the Nizam of Hyderabad. The museum is closed on Friday only. This museum has very attractive European and Indian Painting, Sculptures, Porcelain, Furnitures in Ivory etc. The most beautiful objects are in the Jade Room having valuables belonging to Tipu Sultan and Aurangzeb. This museum is one of the largest museums of Asian housing private collections. It contains 43000 art objects, 9000 Manuscripts and 47000 printed books.The museum exhibits art of Chinese porcelain, Aurangzeb’s and Tipu Sultan’s sword, daggers belonging to Noor Jehan, Emperor Jehangir, Shah Jahan, Indian, European paintings, Persian carpets. The most beautiful sculpture that I found attractive was “ Veiled Rebecca”, it’s a translucent marble statue made by Bezoni.

The story of Salar Jung is that. Mir Yusuf Ali Khan, popularly known as Salar Jung III served as Prime Minister to Nizam 1912, at the age of 23, but resigned two and a half years later. He was very lonely thereafter and hence developed the hobby of collecting art, antiques from all over the world. He spent most of his wealth in this hobby of his.It is believed that he spent half his income and his entire life towards collecting the art objects, rare manuscripts and paintings from all over the world. He also had his father and grandfather to thank who had initially started this collection. This museum is well known throughout India for its prized collections.The museum is full of many interesting objects. It is divided into Indian Art, Children's Art, Middle Eastern Art, Far Eastern Art and European Art. The collections displayed include sculptures, wood carvings, religious objects, manuscripts, furniture, vases, snuff boxes, utensils, archer's rings, ornaments, pottery, clocks, miniature paintings, portraits, silver and costumes. It also houses toys, which came from all over the world such as France, England, Switzerland, Germany, Persia, China, Japan, Burma, and Sri Lanka.

There are attractions like the musical Clock, the painting of Woman and Man in the Mirror, books, Quran written in Persian and Arabic, paintings, Veiled Rebecca and Ivory Furniture, doll houses amongst others. You can spend a whole day here and still one feels that it is not complete. I loved the grandfathers clocks placed here, and those beautiful Japanese porcelain with studded Jade and rubies. It attracts a lot of tourists every year. I would recommend Salar Jung for students, Antique collectors, People like me who appreciate Art, the senior people who would love to see them.

(Hard facts like numbers and story taken from All India travel, so it's authentic)