Sabarna Sangrahashala

Coordinates: 22°28′49″N 88°18′41″E / 22.4802958°N 88.3113714°E / 22.4802958; 88.3113714

Sabarna Sangrahashala (সাবর্ণ সংগ্রহশালা) in Kolkata is a museum about the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family and Kolkata. It has been developed by The Sabarna Roy Choudhury Paribar Parishad. It was established in 2005 to cater the need of students and research scholars and also to create an awareness about the preservation of historical source materials.

The Museum

The Museum exhibits rare articles and historical documents of history. It is located at Barisha in Kolkata. The Institution caters to the needs of researchers doing studies on Kolkata and the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family. This family museum possesses rare documents and articles, including Kabilatipatras dating from the 18th and 19th centuries: an important holding being one which has signature of Kavi Ramprasad Sen dated 1794. Other articles include a huge earthen rice pot dating 1840 with a capacity for 240 kg of grain, a metal hookah dated c. 1878, a metal candle stand dated c. 1795, and grinding wheels dated 1845. The philatelic and numismatic divisions possess rare stamps, First Day Covers and coins.^[1]

Also on display is the historic judgement of the Kolkata High Court regarding the Kolkata Birthday Case and the Expert Committee Report on the matter. The Judgement states that Job Charnock was not the founder of Calcutta (Kolkata), nor is 24 August is the city's birthday: Kolkata was an important trade and religious centre before the arrival of Charnock.^[2][3][4]

The Library

The Museum has its own reference library with some rare collection of books and journals. A new and exclusive Digital Library cum Resource Archive, a first such initiative in Kolkata, has been included and may be used by public free of cost. This Digital Library cum Resource Archive has a vast collection of rarest books, travelogues, journals and seminar papers covering topics of history from across the world with a special focus on the history of Kolkata, Mughal Era and the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family.^[5]

Publications

The Sangrahashala in joint venture with Manna Publications, is engaged in publications. Sabarna Barta is the annual Tabloid published every year during the Durga Pujo which contains yearly round up and highlights on new research works undertaken by the Parishad.

A couple of new research oriented books have been recently published. One is Bangla Chotogalper Achena Mahal (ISBN No 81-87648-58-9), authored by Dr. Sonali Mukhopadhyay (Mukherjee) , a book of essays and the other Quiz Katha (ISBN No 81-87648-57-0), a unique quiz book, by Devarshi Roy Choudhury. Also the new revised and enlarged edition of Bangiya Sabarna Katha/ Kalishetra Kalikatah by Bhabani Roy Choudhury has been published.^[6]

International History & Heritage Exhibition

The museum organizes an International History & Heritage Exhibition (আন্তর্জাাতিক ইতিহাস উৎসব) every year in the month of February based on different themes showcasing exclusive important resources of history. Seminars, cultural events and open Quiz are also a part of the four day annual programme. Every year this exhibition is focusing on one of India's neighbour country and portray their history, culture and traditional ties with India and the mutual cooperation between India and these nations. In 2014 the exhibition highlighed Bangladesh, while in 2015 Bhutan was the partner country. In 2016 Sri Lanka was the theme country.^[7][8][9]

The traditional family Hand Written Magazine named Saptarshi is also published during the International History & Heritage Exhibition. Presently this heritage magazine is edited by Dipak Kumar Roy Choudhury and Devarshi Roy Choudhury^[10][11]

References