Mamata to inaugurate world's 1st museum on Sri Chaitanya

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Museum, the first-of-its-kind in the world on August 13.

The museum has been constructed by Baghbazar Gaudiya Mission which is going to celebrate its centenary in a few years time.

Bhaktisubdar Sanyashi Maharaj said the main purpose of the museum is to spread the message of communal peace and harmony preached by Sri Chaitanya in the present-day era of violence and hatred. Mahaprabhu spread the message of love and social equality among the people belonging to different religions, sects and caste. Many Muslims and the downtrodden took part in the kirtans called "Nagar Sankirtan which was organised by Sri Chaitanya.

A great scholar of Nyaya philosophy, Mahaprabhu visited Sylhet, now in Bangladesh, to acquire further knowledge in Nyaya philosophy. Later, he left home and became a monk and spread the gospel of universality and love among the people of India, said Sanyashi Maharaj.

The foundation of the museum which has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 14.50 crore was laid by the then President Pranab Mukherjee in 2013. National Council of Science Museum has helped Gaudiya Mission to set it up. The three-storeyed structure covers an area of 1,350 square metres that also houses galleries, library and even a space for public utility.

Copies of old books on Sri Chaitanya including Chaitanya Charitamrita by Krishnadas Kaviraj, Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat and Amiya Nimai Charit by Sisir Ghosh are on display. Swami Vivekananda in his speech on "Sages of India" spoke of Sri Ramakrishna being the embodiment of "infinite love of Chaitanya and knowledge of Sankaracharya."

The Chaitanya museum has paintings on one of the aspects of Lord Krishna's life known as "Vrindavan Leela." The museum will also showcase the lineage of six Goswamis who were great Vaishnava scholars.

Sri Chaitanya was one of the first to take part in "yatra", a form of popular folk theatre in the house of Chandrashekhar, one of his friends. There are halls where seminars on Sri Mahaprabhu will be regularly held. The library contains rare books on Vaishnava philosophy.