Patanjali showcases world’s largest Herbal Art Museum

Excelsior Correspondent

HARIDWAR, Aug 19: Giving the country's rich medicinal plant heritage a new identity on the global stage, Patanjali showcased world's largest Herbal Art Museum, here today.

The Museum is not merely a collection of artworks but a visual encyclopaedia of medicinal plants, housing more than 65,000 botanical artworks documenting medicinal and biodiversity-rich plants from across the world.

According to Patanjali, no other institution in the world currently has such a vast collection of scientifically prepared, colourful botanical canvas artworks and monochrome botanical drawings.

The collection is therefore establishing a new benchmark in botanical art and scientific documentation at the global level.

The vast collection has been arranged in alphabetical order.

The coloured canvas paintings have been organised in 1,762 specialised sliders, while the botanical drawings have been preserved in 50 wooden cupboards fitted with 50 specialised racks.

Experts believe the collection will remain an invaluable heritage for several generations to come, supporting studies in botany, Ayurveda and biodiversity.

At first glance, it is difficult to believe that these are paintings, as the shape, colours, texture and intricate structures of the plants have been depicted in an almost lifelike manner.

The initiative has also received recognition from the international scientific community.

A reference to the museum and its significance has been published in the reputed scientific journal National Academy of Sciences Letters.

According to Acharya Balkrishna, General Secretary, Patanjali Yogpeeth, "The collection can be regarded as one of the richest botanical art collections of the 20th and 21st centuries and is expected to appeal equally to enthusiasts of plants and art."

"This Herbal Art Museum is not merely a collection of paintings but a unique confluence of India's Ayurvedic tradition, scientific vision and artistic expression. It will serve as an invaluable heritage of knowledge, research and nature conservation for generations to come," he added.