Global forum eyes crowdfunding to restore 229-yr-old herbarium
Times of India | 18 January 2024
Kolkata: In a significant move to preserve India’s botanical heritage, the World Monument Fund has re-initiated a fundraising campaign for the restoration of the Old Herbarium building at the AJC Bose Indian Botanic Garden, Kolkata (actually located at the opposite bank in Howrah). The total project, valued at Rs 23 crore, includes Rs 17 crore for the building restoration and an additional Rs 6 crore for adaptive reuse.
Dating back to 1795, the Old Herbarium, a Victorian colonial public building, once served as the repository for the garden’s extensive collection of plant specimens.The proposed restoration aims to revive the building’s original glory and utilize its space for a visitor centre, interpretation gallery, restrooms, café, and other facilities, said Amita Baig of World Monument Funds, Indian association.
The restoration project holds long-term significance, as the Old Herbarium could become the repository for the Roxburgh paintings, providing a crucial record of plant species from the past. To kickstart the initiative, a preliminary documentation report will be prepared to guide future actions and serve as a roadmap for a comprehensive conservation plan. This will include a visual recording of the building’s current condition and an evaluation of necessary restoration work, said Baig. This effort is part of the larger Roxburgh International Hub Project, designed to act as a catalyst for rejuvenation of the AJC Bose Indian Botanic Garden. An MoU has been signed with the Botanical Survey of India, the owner of the garden, for restoration and adaptive reuse of Roxburgh House and other historic structures within the compound.
The botanic garden, home to Asia’s oldest and largest herbarium, holds a rich collection of over two million plant specimens from various regions of India and abroad. The herbarium, now relocated to a new building, houses classical collections and archival materials, including botanical paintings and the original set of Roxburgh’s Flora Indica drawings.
The restoration project also extends to Roxburgh House, a building erected by William Roxburgh, widely recognized as the “Founding Father of Indian Botany”. Roxburgh House, which dates back to Roxburgh’s tenure from 1796 to 1813, is currently neglected and in urgent need of restoration.
Plans are also in place for the restoration of the Old Seed Store, an administrative building and seed store that stands alongside the Old Herbarium. The three historic structures—Roxburgh House, Old Herbarium, and Old Seed Store—form the core of the garden’s heritage. It is time for action rather than empty words, said AJC Bose Indian Botanic Garden director Devendra Singh.
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