Sanskriti Express, a mobile museum on a train showcasing life and works of the late Rabindranath Tagore, ended its two-day exhibition at the Mangalore Central Railway Station on Saturday.
The Indian Railways launched a five-coach exhibition train to commemorate the 150{+t}{+h} birth anniversary of Tagore. Coach one “Jibon Smiriti”, exhibited Tagore's life, his reminiscences, Shantiniketan and Sriniketan.
Coach two, “Gitanjali”, comprised songs, verses and poems written by Tagore and Coach three, “Muktodhara”, familiarised one with short stories, novels, dramas, essays and Tagore as a performer.
Coach four, “Chitrarekha”, had a collection of paintings, portraits and sketches by Tagore. Coach five, “Shesh Katha and Smaranika”, took one through Tagore's final journey and his last days. “Smaranika” had Shantiniketan handicrafts to browse and buy.
H.K. Maity, Welfare Inspector, Eastern Railways, said: “We have received very good response. This exhibition is a contribution of a large number of people.”
“I am a literature student. For me, it is a memorable experience having read Gitanjali in college. This exhibition will be stored in my mind in the years to come,” said Anisa Fatima. However, visitors during its halt at various places had scribbled their names and phone numbers on the inner walls of the train and on the pictures displayed.
Balagopalan, Welfare Inspector, Palghat, described this as, “a matter of national shame.” The train left for Kozhikode late in the evening.