Centre, state to build museum-cum-library dedicated to Kabiraj Gangadhar Sen Roy

Kolkata: For the first time in the country’s history, a dedicated museum-cum-library will be set up in Murshidabad in memory of Kabiraj Gangadhar Sen Roy, the author of the finest and the most scientifically acclaimed commentary on ‘Charak Samhita’ throughout the world, ‘JalpaKalpaTaru'. An author of more than 100 books devoted to Ayurveda, Sanskrit and other allied subjects, Sen Roy, born in 1798, was the pioneer in the formal Ayurveda Education system in India.

Both the Centre and the State government will implement the project. The state government had sent a proposal to the Centre giving the details of the project. The Union government was said to have given the clearance to the state government. The Centre will bear the 60 per cent cost of the project while the state will spend 40 per cent.

Sen Roy was bestowed with the title of 'Avtar of Lord Dhanvantari' by the royal rulers of Bengal during his time for his immaculate devotion for public services. All the stalwarts of Ayurveda of Kabiraj Gharana in Eastern India were the direct students of Kabiraj Gangadhar Sen Roy, a senior official of the state health department said.

The West Bengal Ayush Samiti, an unit under the state health department is the implementing agency of the project. Tendering process is underway. The project will begin with initial funds of Rs 50 lakh. Most of his publications and memories are in depleting condition and needed for scientific preservation for future generations of Ayurveda.

Dr Debasish Ghosh, Director of Ayurveda in the health department said: “It will be a dedicated museum cum library. The construction works will begin soon. The museum will contain the items used by Sen Roy while a digital library will also be set up showcasing the books retained by him. We will try to bring the museum in the state tourism map so that more people come to his place and get to know our ancient heritage. We will be speaking to the state tourism department in this regard.”

An Ayush Suswasthya Kendra has been set up at ‘Gangagdhar Niketan’ in Saidabad, Berhampore in Murshidabad where Sen Roy used to run a dental clinic and also a tola (informal school). The museum will come up at the same venue. Scholars from University of Vienna in Austria are conducting research on him while a Bengali researcher Dr Asit Panja has been carrying out research on Sen Roy for the past five years in National Institute of Ayurveda in Rajasthan’s Jaipur. The team visited the workplace of Gangadhara at Saidabad, Murshidabad on March 2024 and explored the facts into limelight.

"We are thankful to the Ministry of AYUSH , Govt of india for this great initiative and approving the funds," Dr Panja said.

Dr Biswajeet Ghosh, an Ayurvedic practitioner and visiting team member said: “We express our gratitude to both the Centre and the State government for taking this initiative. We hope that the work will be completed soon.