ALAMKARA: The Beauty of Ornament is a catalogue of jewellery from the permanent collection of the National Museum, New Delhi.

It is published to accompany the exhibition that marks the reinstallation of the jewellery gallery in the museum.

The essays and descriptions in the book, authored by leading scholar and jewellery historian Usha R Balakrishnan, explores the rich and unique heritage of the collection.

More than 250 items spanning 5000 years of design, style and craftsman- ship are beautifully illustrated and presented in colour and detail.

From the ancient jewels of Mohenjodaro, Harappa and Sirkap, to gem encrusted ornaments from the rot h century, the book showcases the beauty and heritage of the jewelled arts of India.

Foreword

National Museum-New Delhi houses one of the rarest and finest collections of jewellery from across India. The Museum's permanent collection of jewellery has some of the finest archaeological pieces from the Indus Valley Civilization and historic Taxila.

Apart from these significant pieces, the Museum's collection is perhaps the most representative of the various regions of the country and jewellery making traditions prevalent here.

The Jewellery Gallery of National Museum was opened in April 1994, and was on public view till 2000.

The Gallery made way for the exhibition of the Nizams' Jewellery, and returned to public view in, 2002. It was again closed in 2006, since when it remained shut, till now. The reopening of the Jewellery Gallery has been a long standing demand, and was one of the important milestones that I set for the Museum as part of the overall revival initiative to revitalize the Museum.