AN UPDATE ON THE SHIVAJI MAHARAJ MUSEUM OF INDIAN HISTORY PUNE

Dear friends, as some of you may already know, I am building in Pune the Shivaji Maharaj Museum of Indian History – as it happened – not as it has been written, on five acres of land donated by HH Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The first thing we did is build a unique temple dedicated to Mother India and Shivaji Maharaj (photo) and then seven buildings (photos) on the road side, each housing one unique exhibition, such as Shivaji Maharaj, A Hero for Modern India (http://hero-for-modern-india.blogspot.in/), or Hindu Tolerance Throughout the Ages (http://maharana-pratap-exhibition.blogspot.in/), or Maharana Pratap (http://maharana-pratap-exhibition.blogspot.in/). HH Sri Sri Ravi Shankar inaugurated the first phase (http://factmuseum.blogspot.in/2012/01/sri-sri-opens-first-phase-of-museum-of.html) and HH the Dalai Lama the 2d phase ()

The Museum is open every day from 9am to 6PM and entrance is free. Please encourage your friends from Pune to visit it. It’s 12 minutes from the airport, past the air force base, past Lohegaon village, 500 metres on the right after the Marathwada College of Engineering. The exact address is: Shivaji Maharaj Museum of Indian History, Shinde Road, Wadgaon, Pune 47. You may also contact our caretaker, Mr Rao, who will give you directions (). We have aarti every morning in our temple at 9.30AM

But we have many more exhibitions and I need to start the main building, which will contain ten times that number of exhibitions Our architect, Sheetal Harpale of Pune, has drawn plans, which borrow from ancient Hindu & Maratha architecture (see overview below) & I am happy with them, as I always wanted the Museum to look like a temple. Of course this is an expensive venture (Appr 7 crores for 30.000 square feet) and I have started fundraising with the faith that the money will come. At the moment, I need 50 lakhs for the foundations. Would some of you be able to help? We are a registered foundation, with Indian, US & UK tax exemption. Obviously I am looking for bigger donations that went into making the first phase if I have to meet my goal. Thus we have decided to offer to those who donate substantially a ‘piece’ of the Museum. For 50.000 Rs and above, you get not only a tax receipt, & a personalized letter from our Foundation, but your name (or your wife/ancestor/foundation) will be affixed below one of our original paintings done by our team of painters in Jaipur and Udaipur. For one lakh and above two paintings/exhibits/. For five lakhs and above, one exhibition will be named after the person of your choice. For ten lakhs and above, one room will be dedicated to you. And for one crore and above an entire wing of the Museum. In this way, this Museum will belong to everybody as it should. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to mail me at . Below are our bank details for electronic transfers
Name of account: Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism (FACT)

Namaste
Namarita & Francois Gautier/ Trustees FACT