Hyderabad Egyptian mummy | Hyderabad, Oct 26: The Department of Heritage Telangana has estimated ₹82 lakh to repair the specialised glass chamber that protects Hyderabad’s Egyptian mummy. That is ₹24 lakh more than the ₹58 lakh the chamber cost. According to a report, the department has waited nearly two years for a government decision on its repair proposal.
The oxygen-free nitrogen chamber was installed to prevent the mummy from deteriorating. Several components, including the air-conditioning system, have stopped working. The problems began about two years ago, when the nitrogen gas ran out. The department approached the German company that supplied the chamber, which quoted ₹82 lakh for the repairs.
The proposal remained pending for months after the department submitted it. The government reportedly asked officials to examine conservation practices and costs at other museums before seeking funds.
Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao expressed surprise at the estimate during a recent visit to the museum. He directed officials to find out how mummies in other Indian museums are preserved and what upkeep costs.
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The mummy is believed to be that of an Egyptian princess named Nasihu, mummified about 2,100 years ago. In the 1920s, Nawab Nazir Nawaz Jung, son-in-law of the sixth Nizam, bought it in Egypt and presented it to the seventh Nizam, who placed it in the Hyderabad museum.
The mummy was first kept in an ordinary glass case, as officials did not know that oxygen exposure could speed up its deterioration. The body suffered some damage there. About 10 years ago, on the advice of Egyptian experts, authorities decided to move it into a nitrogen-filled chamber. Since such chambers were not made in India, the department invited global tenders. A German company won the contract and supplied and installed the chamber for ₹58 lakh.
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Officials are now studying what other museums spend on their mummies. The report says only six mummies are preserved in museums across India.
Officials also fear repeated failures, and that another breakdown after repairs could push costs beyond ₹1 crore. Some believe the mummy needs a dedicated conservation fund. Transferring it to another state has been explored, but no museum has reportedly agreed to take it.
Leaving the chamber unrepaired could expose the mummy to oxygen and speed up deterioration, officials fear. Repairing it would mean heavy expense with no guarantee against future failures. The department is seeking a sustainable way to preserve the mummy.
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