Most of us born during the 1960s and 1970s would have read in books or at least heard stories from our elders on the lives of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda. It’s highly unlikely that those born during the 1980s, especially after the advent of cable TV, would have read the same.
The Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama is providing a unique opportunity for the younger generation to capture their imagination through a miniature doll exhibition on the lives of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda and Sri Sarada Devi.
The colourful dolls reflect the architectural splendour of the buildings and vintage furniture of the bygone era. The artiste breathed life into the miniature replicas, which is sure to leave a lasting impression on visitors.
The exhibition, on display in the first floor of the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Library on Beach Road, is a ‘must visit’ for those interested in knowing lives of these great personalities, who had contributed immensely to the spiritual transformation of India.
The exhibition transports the viewers to a different world and makes them imagine the life and times of a bygone era. Sri Ramakrishna’s birth, vision of the Divine Mother, his wedding with five-year-old Sarada, his meeting with Narendra, Swami Vivekananda meditating on a rock in the southernmost tip of India at Kanyakumari, which was later converted into the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and his participation in the Parliament of Religions at Chicago, USA, which had changed the outlook of the West towards India are among other things leave a lasting impression on the minds of the viewers.
“The exhibition was held here for the first time in 1997 and was open to the public ever since. During the past few years, the dolls and the intricate designs have corroded due to the sea breeze. We took great pains to locate the original artiste Silvano Sirkar, who lives in Kolkata, to bring the dolls to their original shape.”
“There is a great need for society, particularly youngsters, to learn from the lives of the trio. Character building assumes greater significance in the background of growing strife among people,” in charge of the Library Swami Nityayogananda told The Hindu .
Swami Gautamanandaji, vice president, world-wide Ramakrishna Math and Mission, had inaugurated the exhibition. Swami Atamvidananda, Ashram secretary, was present at the inaugural function.
The exhibition is open on all the days, except on Mondays, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
