Rani behind Dakshineswar Kali temple to find place in Museum
Times of India | 29 September 2024
Kolkata: To mark the 232nd birth anniversary of Rani Rashmoni, the 210-year-old Indian Museum will receive a half-bust portrait of the philanthropist and the founder of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple. Indian Museum will display the portrait at its celebrated Painting Gallery, home to some of India’s most illustrious artistic collections. The official unveiling is scheduled for Oct 1.
The Painting Gallery is famous for its collections of Indian miniatures and Bengal School of Paintings. The gallery showcases 242 artistic treasures from various schools of Indian art, featuring works that span from the opulent Persian and Mughal styles to the vibrant creations of 19th- and 20th-century Bengal artists, including luminaries like Rabindranath Tagore, Abanindranath Tagore and Jamini Roy.
“The addition of Rani Rashmoni’s portrait to this gallery is a significant tribute to her role in Bengal Renaissance and her enduring influence on the region’s cultural and spiritual landscape,” said Sayan Bhattacharya, deputy director of the museum. Significantly, Rani Rashmoni was a 21-year-old young lady busy being the mother of four young girls in the Janbazar household when the Museum was born not far from her home.
A discussion on her legacy as an entrepreneur, social reformer and spiritual leader, will be conducted by Swarup Prasad Ghosh, director of the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, following the unveiling.
Painter Pradip Kumar Das created the portrait to honour Rani Rashmoni’s contributions. Kushal Chowdhury, secretary of the Dakshineswar Temple Trust and a descendant of Rani Rashmoni, said: “Despite her early hardships, Rani Rashmoni rose above societal limitations, establishing herself as a pioneering leader in the social, cultural, entrepreneurial and spiritual scape of Bengal.”
On Saturday, the Indian Postal Service unveiled a special cover commemorating Rani Rashmoni at the GPO to celebrate her birth anniversary. In a series of commemorative events, a special silver coin honouring Rani Rashmoni will be released at the historic Nat Mandir of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple on Sunday.