A rare collection of registry documents, gazettes and seals dating back to the 19th century and a few decades afterwards have been put on display at a museum set up in newly inaugurated "Panjiyan Bhawan" here.
The multi-storeyed building "Panjiyan Bhawan" (Registration and Stamps office of Madhya Pradesh Government) at Arera Hills was inaugurated by Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya today.
Besides having all modern amenities, the new office, constructed at a cost of over Rs 8.55 crore, has a museum on the ground floor that displays rare registry documents prevalent during the 19th and early 20th centuries, when India was under British rule.
These articles also narrate the legal history of the important revenue earning department of the Government.
"We have decided to display these rare collection of documents after finding them in record section so that people have a glimpse of these historical items," Manoj Shrivastava, Principal Secretary (Commercial Tax, Culture, Religious Trust and Endowments) told PTI.
"Besides we have found documents dates back to 18th century and we are taking steps to preserve them. They, too, will be exhibited soon," he said.
An agreement dates back to June 28, 1913, for which Re 1 stamp fee was paid. It was displayed with the photo of King Edward VII (1901-1910) printed on both sides of it.
Another document dates back to October 2, 1923. Instead of metres and feet, the measurement in it were written in "7 hath (hands), 20 hath, 21 hath", the units prevalent during those days.
A rent agreement done on a stamp paper worth "four anna" on November 8, 1941 was also displayed with a photo of King George VI.
Then there is the Registration Manual of Madhya Bharat, which was reprinted in March 1897 in Nagpur.
A document written in 'Modhi', a script which has become almost extinct, is part of the documents.
The museum is open for public viewing during office hours.
