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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
from China; agricultural implements of Egyptian peasants, combs, basket work, spears etc., from North Africa, and bird shaped bone necklaces of the Eskimoes, figural pottery of ancient Peru, and the bows, arrows etc., of North American Indians, are interesting.
The collection from Kenya, Uganda, Zanzibar, Congo and South Africa, representing Negro culture and consisting of utcsils and ornaments of Bagandas, head dresses and ornaments of the Kikuyus, rich hcad embroidery of the Zulus, and the instruments of war and music of South African tribes, is noteworthy. Gcology Section
It contains a good collection of rocks, minerals and fossils. A geological relief map of India showing mineral wealth, and two specially prepared showcases introducing Gcology, are of special interest.
This section is divided into (1) Petrology (the study of rocks), (2) Mineralogy (the study of minerals) and (3) Palcontology (the study of animal and plant fossils). The petrologic gallery contains a good collection of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. The mineral gallery represents a complete collection of minerals and contains some magnificent examples of Hallides, oxides, etc. A small but interesting collection of Indian plant fossil from the Rajmahal Hills and some examples of foreign plant fossils are also included in the palcontological gallery. This gallery contains, in addition, a fairly representativc collection of animal fossils, both genuine and casts, enormous casts from Indian Sewalik Hill fauna-Elephas ganesh, and others, and excellent plaster casts of primitive human skulls. An interesting plaster cast of a fossil bird Archacopteryx is interesting, as it represents the transition stage from reptile to birds. The Skeleton Gallery
A colossal skeleton of a Blue Whale(72ft. in length) immediately arrests the attention of all visitors entering the Skelcton Gallery, which is situated in the basement of the museum building. This Blue Whalc was stranded in the river Mahi at Dabka (Gujarat) about 22 miles Southwest of Baroda in 1944. The gallery contains a comprehensive collections of exo-as well as endo-skeletal structures found in the animal kingdom. It includes the skeletons of man, chimpanzee, giraffe, moa, sphenodon and several others.
The gallery was recently reorganized and set up on modern lines. An attempt has been made to show therein, the story of animal cvolution and adaptive radiation in animals through these skeletons. This gallery is unique in India and shows how dead and dry structures of bones if properly displayed can spring into life and become a source of attraction and cducation even to the lay visitors. Children's Gallery
The children's gallery has been recently organized to meet the long felt need of the school children. It shows various carefully selected themes, keeping in view the school children and their particular requirements. The following are some of the important displays in the gallery; (1) Monuments of India, (2) Nesting habits of Birds, (3) Animal cvolution, (4) Prehistoric man, (5) Man landing on the moon, (6) Colourful
ulas. Elucztais- ulsel.--.-bal., 2009 • XE
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