New aquisitions at the Indian Museum, Calcutta, India.


NEW ACQUISITIONS BY THE INDIAN MUSEUM, KOLKATA.

HOMAGE TO VASANTA CHOWDHURY

The Indian Museum pays homage to Late Sri.Vasanta Chowdhury,whom we lost on the 20th June, 2000.
He was a versatile man of varied interests--an actor of stage, a star of Bengali cinema, a numismatist, an art lover and collector.

He was also the Sheriff of Calcutta, Chairman of Nandan- the film centre, and above all he was one of the most important member of the board of trustees of the Indian Museum, Calcutta.

He had donated 101 idols of Lord Ganesha in early 2000, which forms the principal collection of the recent acquisitions.

NEW ACQUISITIONS BY THE INDIAN MUSEUM, KOLKATA IN 2000, 2002

In recent years as a positive response from the public, the collection in the Indian Museum is being enriched through gifts. Decorative Chinese porcelain vases have been received from an Indian lady settled in England. A portrait of a painter drawn by Abanindranath Tagore and a pair of gilt bracelets were also added to the collection. But a significant acquisition of one hundred one miniature icons of Ganesa, a life-long collection of Late Sri Vasant Chowdhury may be considered as an event in the recent history of the Museum.

Ganesa, literally the lord of ganas is the most universally adored of all the Brahmanical gods, and his images are found in practically every part of India. The popularity of this deity is extended to Nepal, Java, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and his worship was not unknown in Tibet, Myanmar, China and Japan The God has been conceived as Vighneswara-- the lord of obstacles; Vighnantaka-- the remover of calamities; Siddhidata - the bestower of success and the divine scribe which gained him the reputation as patron of letters. The collection of Ganesa icons built up by a sustained effort over the last four decades by Sri Chowdhury is varied in style and iconography ranging in date between 9th and 20th century and executed in stone, metal, terracotta, wood, porcelain, crystal and other semi-precious stones. The images of Ganesa, though miniature in size betray the sophisticated classical style and naive expressions of folk art tradition. Some of the interesting examples of Ganesa images include uchhista Ganapati--a tantric aspect of the God, yogi Ganesa--most probably a solitary example of it's kind represented in meditating posture for controlling the nine outlets of human body and the dancing God--nritta Ganesa. The God in one example, is being nourished by Parvati and in other is associated probably with a Buddhist Goddess.

A historic musical instrument, this 'sarod' once played by Ustad Kukubh Khan has been received as gift from Srimati Suvasree Bagchi, the daughter of Maharaja Jogindranath Roy of Natore family. These outstanding specimens of art will be considered as a valuable addition to the Museum collection during the first half of 2000 A. D.