On International Museum Day, May 18, plans have been announced for India's first museum dedicated to the history of paper.
The museum, which is being developed by the Sevak Trust and the Kagzipura Heritage Paper Foundation, is under construction at Kagzipura, a village 20 kilometres from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, formerly Aurangabad. Kagzipura, which literally means the town of papermakers, has a 700-year-old legacy of handmade paper dating back to the medieval sultanates of the Deccan region.
Katyayani Agarwal, director of Kagzipura Heritage Paper Foundation and museum curator, said the idea came up during a collaboration with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage to revive the craft of handmade paper in Kagzipura. “There were only two or three people still engaged in the work. We raised funds and helped revive the technique. There are now 15 artisans,” said Agarwal.
Paper making was invented in China. The craft travelled to Europe and the Middle East before coming to India. Muhammad bin Tughlaq, the sultan of Delhi, is believed to have brought papermakers with him when he moved his capital to Daulatabad or Devgiri in the Deccan in CE 1327. In CE 1335, after the northern flanks of his sultanate faced attacks, he moved back to Delhi. Most papermakers, too, returned to Delhi. A few stayed back, keeping the tradition alive.
“The Museum will be the first of its kind in India to celebrate the silent power of paper — the carrier of knowledge, art, and revolution. As we turn each leaf of history, let us remember how this humble commodity has shaped civilisations,” said Agarwal. “This museum is not just about material; it is about preserving the memory, history and paper’s legacy in India.”
While there are other centres making handmade paper, Kagzipura's tradition is unbroken since the 13th century. “We realised that there was not even a museum gallery dedicated to the art,” said Agarwal.
Other experts involved in the project are Varsha Jain of Sevak Trust and Mukund Bhogale, director of Kagzipura Heritage Paper Foundation. Initial plans for eight galleries have been expanded to encompass 4 galleries. The Foundation is creating a collection of artefacts, including old printing presses that have been given by collectors.
Kagzipura paper is made from fibres extracted from old clothes, making it environment friendlier than conventional paper made from wood fibres. The museum will be entirely powered by solar energy. As the village is located on the road to the UNESCO-listed Ellora monuments, the museum's directors expect many of the 2.6 million visitors to make the museum a part of their itinerary.
