The long-awaited museum of Bangiya Sahitya Parishad on the second floor of the institution will finally be inaugurated next month. The many valuable articles belonging to eminent Bengalis and priceless manuscripts and punthis or palm-leaf manuscripts that were rotting away for years in cobwebby trunks and glass cases will at last be displayed.
A gallery exhibiting photographs and paintings in the Parishad’s collection will be constructed on the first floor, in the space where the stacks are now located. The Indian Museum authorities have been entrusted with the task of renovating the first floor and constructing the museum.
“Ninety-five per cent of the renovation is complete and by the first week of May the new museum on the second floor will be ready,” said Manas Panda, the assistant architect of the project.
Among the artefacts to be displayed in the state-of-the-art museum are the apparels and articles belonging to Raja Rammohan Roy and Jagadish Chandra Bose, the diaries of Sister Nivedita and the letters of Michael Madhusudan Dutta and Swami Vivekananda.
Also on exhibition will be thousands of gold, silver and copper coins from ancient Greece, and those belonging to Gupta, Sakya and Pala dynasties. Among the prized possessions are the chair used by Bankimchandra, Rammohan Roy’s turban and Vidyasagar’s reading table. Vidyasagar's personal collection of books lie locked in more than 26 almirahs.
Shreekrishna Kirtana, the oldest available example of the Bengali script, the first illustrated manuscript of Annada Mangal, and Tibetan scrolls are also in the possession of this 114-year-old institution on APC Road.
The Parishad had been requesting the Centre for funds for a long time and has been allotted Rs 72.5 lakh to renovate the building and set up the museum. “We have already received around Rs 40 lakh and hope we will get the rest soon,” said Swapan Basu, the secretary of the Parishad.
The storage room containing 10,000-plus manuscripts and scrolls is being air-conditioned. In the first floor hall, said assistant secretary Alok Das, photographs of Vidyasagar, Rabindranath Tagore, Nabinchandra Sen, Debendranath Tagore and others will be displayed. Ancient idols, excavated materials, seals, stamps and examples of Dokra and terracotta artefacts will be displayed separately.
“Once the museum is ready we will use the remaining funds to renovate the entire heritage building. The dilapidated library containing 350,000 books will also be repaired,” said Das.
