RKM president unveils exhibition, art galleries

Kolkata: Swami Smarananandaji, president Ramakrishna Math and Mission inaugurated the annual exhibition 2019 titled Bharat Parikrama of Swami Vivekananda at the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture at Golpark on Monday.

He also inaugurated two art galleries at the institute. The sketches were made of line drawing on Swamiji's travels in India as a wandering monk after the death of Sri Ramakrishna in 1886 till he left for The United States to attend the World's Parliament of Religions which was held in Chicago in 1893 have been made by Rathin Mitra.

Mitra has donated 138 line drawings to the institute.

Inspired by the philosophy of Swamiji since school days, the nonagenarian artist travelled extensively in the country and visited the places where Swamiji had visited before he left for the US. Swamiji stayed in the houses of the kings, senior government officials among others and interacted with people all walks of life.

The exhibition tells the story of Swamiji as a wandering monk. In modern India Swamiji was the first person who travelled extensively in the country to know the rich heritage and culture of the ancient country and its people. It will be held till May 4 from 11am to 6pm except Sundays and holidays. It may be mentioned that a museum was recently inaugurated by Swami Suviranandaji, general secretary Ramakrishna math and Mission at Khetri in Rajasthan. The Raja of Khetri Ajit Singh was Swamiji's disciple and the latter stayed in his palace.

Mitra was born in Howrah in 1926. His works have been appreciated both in the country and abroad and exhibitions have been held in different parts in the country, including the Victoria memorial Hall. From the 1980s he started working on the heritage buildings of Kolkata and made their sketches. It was around this time when many of the landmark buildings in the city had been demolished to make room for high-rises.