Varanasi Museum

Bharat Kala Bhavan

• Location : Beanaras Hindu University, Varanasi
• Timings : The museum is open all days except Sundays and university holidays. From July to April, the museum opens at 11o’clock in the morning and closes at 4.30 pm. From May to June, it remains open from 7.30 am to 12.30 pm.

Bharat Kala Bhavan lies within the sprawling grounds of Banaras Hindu University. Its outstanding collection of sculpture, paintings and textiles began with the private collection of the enlightened Rai Krishnadasa.

The sculpture collection includes terracotta and clay objects, stone and bronze and cast metal objects. Ancient terracotta varying from ritual icons to toys to utilitarian objects date to the Indus Valley Civilisation, Mauryan, Sunga and Gupta periods. Among the stone sculptures are red sandstone reliefs from the 2nd century BC, Buddhist stupa at Bharhut and rare images and statues from well known schools like Gandhara, which saw the synthesis of Greek and Indian styles and Mathura, a powerful art centre during the Kushana period.

The large and impressive collection of textiles contain precious examples of Benaras silks and brocades, embroidered shawls from Kashmir and the rare Chamba rumals, once used to wrap ceremonial gifts and offerings were richly embroidered pieces with designs and stories from the life of Krishna.