To maintain the Ecological balance of the nature, the preservation of flora and fauna of then ature is an absolute necessity and this fact has been fully accepted Aby all the Governments all over the world. India is not an exception to it. All efforts are being made by the Indian Government to preserve all the flora and fauna of our country. To educate the masses regarding the preservation a of nature, a good number of Natural History Museums are being set up in various States, in addition to creating more and more sanctuaries for the preservation of wild life. Dio In this task, the Taxidermist has an important role to play.
Taxidermy is not only one art but it is a combination of many arts. In my opinion, this has been an oriental art although it has been fully developed in the Western countries today. Taxidermy does not mean mounting of birds and animals only. It has also to preserve skins for a long time. India was very much advanced in tanning and preservation of skins during ancient times, as our learned Sages and Rishis were using deer, panther, tiger and lion skins in their daily life and, naturally, they could not have done so unless they could tan and preserve these things in such a way so that they could use them every day. There is a reference in Ramayana' that Princess Sita of was very much fascinated towards the spotted deer called "Suvarna-Mruga" and requested Rama to get that skin for making a blouse for herself by killing the deer. A beautiful princess like Seta who had all the best things at her command could think of a blouse made of a deer skin which could either be uncomfortable to wear or give a bad smell. It is quite evident that the art of tanning and preservation must have been at its height so that the ready leather was quite fit for the princess to be used. For practising Taxidermy one has to know quite a lot of modelling, painting, general workshop practice in addition to tanning and preservation. In addition to the above, one has to observe nature and its surrounding very closely and minutely. Every bird, animal or reptile has a special character of its own and the same has to be displayed in the finished specimen. Hence a Taxidermist must study the habits of birds, animals or reptiles and make a note of them.
I have been a professional Taxidermist for nearly 30 years. I have also had the privilege of working as a teacher in taxidermy in the Post-graduate Department of Museology of the Faculty of Fine Arts, M. S. University of Baroda, for three years. During that period, I came across many illustrious personalities in the field of science and technology and was fortunate to learn many things which helped me in my specialisation. Dr. V. H. Bedekar, the Head of the Department of Museology, persuaded me to write on Taxidermy and it resulted in this book. I am certainly grateful to all the University officials and Dr. V. H. Bedekar, for my small endeavour. I am also thankful to many of my friends who helped me directly or indirectly in preparing the MS of this book.
The Department of Museology has brought out a number of publications in the past for the use of museum curators and students of Museology course. This small book deals with an important technical area of museum work which, in my opinion, is both misunderstood and neglected in India. We cannot hope to develop good museums of Natural History, so necessary for the environ mental education, unless we possess a number of talented Taxidermists. But we have no suitable literature on the subject written by Indian experts. This lacuna will be filled by this small book written by Shri G. S. Gogate, a veteran and versatile Taxidermist who worked as teacher in the Department of Museology in the past. I am quite sure it will be welcome by museum professionals as well as others interested in museum techniques. The book is only introductory in its scope and it is hoped that it will attract young talented persons to this much neglected technique. I thank Shri G. S. Gogate for writing this book.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
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