Finance Minister dedicates to the nation Dharohar – National Museum of Customs and GST in Goa

What is the News?

The Union Minister for Finance has inaugurated “Dharohar” – the National Museum of Customs and GST in Goa.

What is Dharohar?

Dharohar is the National Museum of Customs and GST.

The museum is housed at Goa’s famous Blue Building on the banks of the Mandovi River. It is a two-storey building which was earlier known as Alfandega during Portuguese rule.

What does the Dharohar museum showcase off?

Dharoha showcases the artefacts seized by Indian Customs. It also depicts various aspects of work performed by the Customs Department while safeguarding the economic frontiers of the country.

The museum has  8 galleries: 1) Introductory gallery. 2) History of Taxation Gallery, 3) Guardians of economic frontiers gallery, 4) Guardians of Art & Heritage, 5) Guardians of Flora & Fauna, 6) Custodians of social well being, 7) Journey of Indirect taxes –Salt Tax to GST and 8) GST gallery.

Notable displays in the museum are the manuscript of Ain-i-Akbari intercepted by the Indian Customs at the Indo-Nepal border at Raxaul, a replica of Amin pillars from Kaurkshetra, medieval period astronomical instruments, seized metal and stone artifacts, ivory items and wildlife items.

Note: The Ain-i-Akbari or the “Administration of Akbar“, is a 16th-century detailed document recording the administration of the Mughal Empire under Emperor Akbar, written by his court historian, Abu’l Fazl in the Persian language.

Source: The post is based on the article “Finance Minister dedicates to the nation Dharohar – National Museum of Customs and GST in Goa” published in PIB on 12th June 2022.