Context:
Indian Coast Guard & Indian Navy sign MoU with Indian Port Rail & Ropeway Corporation for developing gallery at National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC).
About NMHC:
- NMHC is a major project under Sagarmala Scheme.
- Funded by: Ministry of Shipping and Ministry of Culture through National Culture Fund.
- Location: Lothal, Gujarat.
- Includes –
- World’s highest light house museum
- World’s largest open aquatic gallery
- India’s largest naval museum
- Aim –
- To showcase maritime heritage of India from ancient to modern times.
- The idea is to create an edutainment approach.
- To be envisaged as one of the biggest international tourist destinations in world.
- Unique feature: Recreation of ancient Lothal city.
About Lothal:
- One of the southernmost cities of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization.
- Construction of the city began around 2400 BCE.
- It had the world’s oldest man-made dry dock.
- Location – between Bhogavo and Sabarmati rivers near Gulf of Khambat.
- Lothal was a vital and thriving trade Centre in ancient times.
- It was nominated to be enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014 and its application is pending on tentative list of UNESCO.
Source: PIB