Ramakrishna relics - MUSEUM AT SAGE RESIDENCE

A watercolour depicting Nati Binodini, disguised as a sahib, at an audience with Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa, while dramatist Girish Ghosh looks on. Picture by Amit Datta

Ramakrishna Paramhansa stayed at 55, Shyampukur Street — Shyampukur Bati — for several days after leaving Dakshineswar for treatment of throat cancer.

A museum displaying articles used by him during his stay there and paintings depicting his lilas will be unveiled on the Shyampukur Bati premises on October 25.

Gautam Gupta, secretary of Shyampukur Bati Sri Ramakrishna Smaran Sangha, said the 19 watercolours will be on display from 8 am to noon and from 4 pm to 8 pm every day.

“We have been able to obtain a few things used by Thakur during his stay here, including the marble-top chouki he used to sit on while interacting with disciples at Kalipada Ghosh’s house nearby,” said Gupta, the great grandson of Mahendra Gupta, known as Sri M or Mastermoshai.

Among other objects to be on display are parts of the camera with which the first picture of Ramakrishna was taken and some darkroom apparatus used to develop photographs by Abinash Chandra Dam.

In 1885, after Ramakrishna was diagnosed with throat cancer, he was brought to Calcutta for treatment. “He first stayed at Balaram Bose’s house for a week and then in Shyampukur for 70 days, from October 2 to December 11, before moving to Cossipore Udyan Bati,” Gupta added.

Subrata Chakraborty, a Sangha member, said that it was at Shyampukur Bati that Noti Binodini met Ramakrishna in the guise of a sahib (outsiders were not allowed to meet him then). “He, however, could recognise the actress and blessed her. Again, it was here that Mahendra Gupta took notes of Ramakrishna’s teachings that were later compiled in Ramakrishna Kathamrita.”

The house is also one of the few places where Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda lived together. “On November 6, 1885, Thakur asked his disciples to organise Kali puja. Around seven in the evening, when he sat with his disciples to meditate, Girish Ghosh saw Kali in him and offered flowers at his feet,” Chakraborty added.

The Sangha is planning to hand over the building to Ramakrishna Math. “It has been renovated according to the original plan,” Gupta signed off.