Kolkata: To mark International Museum Day on May 18, the two premier national museums — Indian Museum and Victoria Memorial Hall — will unveil a treasure trove of rare manuscripts and artefacts, many on display for the first time. Accompanied by multidisciplinary performances, the dual-site exhibitions are designed to showcase India’s civilisational identity, mythology and intellectual heritage. At the core of the celebrations is a collaborative exhibition titled ‘Namami Bharatam: Many Forms, One Truth’, that explores the evolution of Indian mythological narratives and knowledge systems across centuries. The 212-year-old Indian Museum will anchor the ancient philosophical foundations of the showcase. Its exhibits will feature representations of Siva, a rare Mother Goddess figure, and iconic forms like Ardhanarisvara and Somaskandha. The display will also include works such as Abanindranath Tagore’s ‘Ganesa Janani’ and depictions of Shri Ram, culminating in artefacts honouring the legacy of Bhagwan Buddha. Concurrently, the Victoria Memorial Hall will trace these visual narratives into the modern era. Its gallery will showcase works by Raja Ravi Varma, Jamini Roy and Gaganendranath Tagore. “This unprecedented collaboration marks a historic moment for India’s cultural landscape,” said Sayan Bhattacharya, director of Indian Museum and secretary & curator of Victoria Memorial Hall. He noted that the initiative reflects a shared commitment to reimagining museums as dynamic spaces of dialogue, aligning with the national vision of ‘Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi’ and Viksit Bharat @ 2047. Under the framework of the central govt’s Gyan Bharatam initiative, a special pavilion titled ‘Gyan–Lipi–Grantha: The Written Soul of Bharat’ will display rare historical manuscripts. Indian Museum will showcase folios from Krttibas Ojha’s ‘Ramayana’, the ‘Chandimangala’ and the ‘Harivamsa’. Meanwhile, Victoria Memorial Hall will feature folios of ‘Bhagwat Maha Puran’, ‘Bhakti-Lila Amrita’ and ‘Majme ul Baharin’. The celebrations will also feature a dedicated cultural ensemble, ‘Vande Mataram: Nyaya, Nrtya, and Nation’, commemorating the 150th anniversary of India’s National Song, with events like a performance by Gaudiya Charukala Bharati, interactive historical role-play sessions for children, cross-genre instrumental recitals, and a classical dance production by Shivranjani Odissi Cultural Association. Indian Museum will sign an MoU with Brainware University, aiming at integrating AI, augmented reality, and virtual reality into heritage conservation, collection management and interactive digital archiving. On May 19, the institutions will launch ‘Jadughar: Shared Histories, Shared Futures’, a curated museum scavenger hunt for schoolkids.
