Covid and its impact on The City Palace Museum, Udaipur

Museums around the world in the face of COVID-19

UNESCO launched a new Report on Museums Around the World in the Face of COVID-19, fruit of an international survey targeting museums, culture professionals and Member States.

This Report, presenting a first evaluation of the impact of COVID-19 across the museum sector, sheds new light on the key trends of the world's museums, their reaction in the face of the crisis, their capacity for resilience, and the challenges of accessing culture.

The study reveals that the number of museums is estimated at around 95,000 in 2020, which represents a 60% increase compared to 2012. They are, however, very unevenly distributed across the globe. Museums have been particularly affected by the pandemic, as 90% of them closed their doors during the crisis and, according to the International Council of Museums (ICOM), more than 10% may never reopen. Facing the crisis, museums acted quickly to develop their presence on the Internet. However the digital divide is more evident than ever: only 5% of museums in Africa and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) were able to propose online content.

"This report not only provides a better understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on museum institutions and the challenges they will face following the health crisis, but also explores the ways to support museums in the aftermath of the crisis," declared Audrey Azoulay, Director- General of UNESCO. "There is an urgent need to strengthen policies that support this sector, which plays an essential role in our societies for the dissemination of culture, education, social cohesion and support to the creative economy."

With a view to gather information on how the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak affects the culture sector, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) launched a global survey to analyze the impact of the quarantine measures. The ICOM report provides information on the situation of museums and their staff, the predicted economic impact, digitization and communication, museum security and the conservation of collections, and the situation of independent museum professionals.

This common reflection and inter-institutional cooperation provides updated data on museums and museum institutions, that are all the more important in this period of global challenge brought about by COVID-19.

Contribution of Maharanas for Medical services and during epidemics in Mewar State

In the present scenario, Novel Corona virus disease (Covid 19) has been declared a global epidemic by the World Health Organization. The effect of this disease is being seen on the public morality.

If we look back in history, this situation arising out of famines and pandemics are not new, so there is a need today, to learn from the past experiences and to make fruitful efforts. Mewar was faced worst public health crisis like plague, cholera, smallpox and measles. These epidemics and impacts are recorded in history. Maharana Mewar Research Institute established in 1985 under the patronage of Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, Chairman and Managing Trustee, Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, Udaipur, initiate to observe the measures and services recorded in the past centuries by the Mewar State.

Due to the geographical situation of Rajputana (present day Rajasthan) the famine and epidemics were a natural problem. The first effort of the State was not allowed starvation and disease to flourish an emergency. The first recorded effort in the text, Raj Vilas by Maan Kavi and Colonel Tod's account, Mewar state were applied such type of preventive measures in 1661 CE. Maharana Raj Singh (r. 1652-1680 CE) started the construction work of Rajasamudra (Rajsamand) for relief due to famine.

During the reign of Maharana Bheem Singh (r. 1778-1828 CE) epidemics were spread all over Mewar, the Maharana started the relief work at the private expense to protect people's life and health. After the famine and the atmospheric disaster in 1828 CE, Mewar was not able to effectively prevent disasters caused due to health crisis.

In Mewar the oldest medical institutions were the regimental hospitals of the Mewar Bhil Corps at Kherwara and Kotra. These institutions established in 1841 CE during the reign of Maharana Sardar Singh (r.1838 - 1842 CE) when the corps was raised. During the reign of Maharana Shambhu Singh (r.1861-1874 CE), entire Rajputana faced another disaster of famine in 1869 CE.