Kalpadruma (Magical Tree), Besnagar (Indian Museum)

Museums are repositories of the cultural, literary, and artistic heritage of a people. They also hold great potential for education and national integration. The museum movement in India began with the creation of the Indian Museum in Calcutta in 1814 by the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Following the enactment of the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act in 1904, numerous archaeological museums came into existence. Over the years, many more museums have been established to serve various disciplines such as art, archaeology, science, and technology. Today, there are over 360 museums in India.

In selecting subjects for a series of postage stamps on Museums of India, the Posts and Telegraphs Department aimed to represent the extensive span of Indian history and the diverse artistic expressions from different regions of the country.

The 50 paise stamp, for instance, features “Kalpadruma,” a unique 2nd-century B.C. sculpture. Discovered by the renowned archaeologist Sir Alexander Cunningham, this artifact was originally the capital of a column at Besnagar in the Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh and is now housed in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. The sculpture is believed to represent the wish-fulfilling tree of ancient tradition, offering in abundance all the nidhis—treasures such as the sankha (conch shell), padma (lotus), two vases pouring forth coins, and four purses with strings tied around their necks. The column, of which this capital was a part, may have adorned a shrine dedicated to Kubera, the God of Wealth.