May 18, 2022 – International Museum Day in the Roerichs Estate (Naggar, Kullu, XII, India)
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The tradition to observe the International Museum Day originates in 1977, when on the next meeting of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) the offer of the Russian side to establish this cultural festival was accepted. Since 1978 the International Museum Day is being marked on May, 18 more than in 145 countries of the world.
Mr Ashutosh Garg, the head of Kullu district administration, director of the IRMT, was invited as the Chief Guest to the festival at the International Roerich Memorial Trust. And Mr Ashok Thakur, the lifelong IRMT trustee, was the Guest of Honour. The festival day started with the essay writing competition in which on IRMT invitation the children from the eleven schools of Kullu valley took part. The subject of the competition was “The Power of Museums”, the slogan ascertained for the Museum Day this year.
The competition took place in the Helena Roerich Academy of Arts for Children, which quite recently has opened its doors after a long break caused by the coronavirus pandemic. After completion of their creative work when the jury started their uneasy task of finding the winners there were an excursion for the children through the Roerichs memorial estate.
In the IRMT Green Theatre there was a festive program dedicated to the Museum Day. The greeting word to the guests was delivered by the Indian Curator, IRMT Mr Suresh Kumar. He remarked that museums are the most important means of the cultural exchange, of the enrichment of cultures and of the development of the mutual understanding, cooperation and peace between people. The Russian Curator, IRMT Mrs Larisa Surgina stressed that the Roerichs Memorial Estate is the centre of Russian-Indian friendship and cooperation. And the IRMT honourable guest Mr Ashok Thakur spoke of the educational role of the Roerichs Museum, of its significant influence in the community.
The music part of the function was prepared in cooperation with the state youth union “Nehru Yuva Kendra”. The teachers of the Helena Roerich Academy of Arts for Children took part in this program as well as the women music group “Gayatri Mahila Mandal” from the town of Jagatsukh.
Then there was the award ceremony for the winners of the competition. The first prize was taken by Srijan Bodh (G.S.S.S. Naggar). The second prize went to Arpit (S.V.M. Larankelo). The third prize went to Rishita Thakur (D.A.V. Manali). The consolations prizes were given to Alisha (D.A. Mohal) and Sarika Chauhan (L.M.S. Kullu). In their essays the young writers reflected upon the idea that museums are the reflection of our ways: where we came from and where we are going; that museums play an important role in our life: they are an ocean of knowledge, the treasure trove and the storehouse of ideas; that the youngsters should set the phones aside and go to museums.
The festive Museum Day ended with the ceremonial closure of the Rajendra Ranjana Photograph Exhibition. This talented photo artist from Himachal Pradesh is also a film-producer and an author of many documental books and articles. One of his works is dedicated to his memorable encounter with Devika Rani Roerich in the Naggar Estate in 1993.
Rajendra Ranjana’s photographs are the captured moments of Indian history and culture, the scenes from people’s life which assume a deep meaning and a wonderful beauty through the prism of an inquisitive look of the artist.
On this very day, May 18, the IRMT took part in the online program of the International Centre of the Roerichs (Moscow), dedicated to the International Museum Day. The program narrated about the activities and the cooperation of the International Centre of the Roerichs in Moscow and the International Roerich Memorial Trust in India – two cultural organisations created by the Svetoslav Roerich’s initiative. The interaction of the ICR and the IRMT got a new impulse in 2012 when the Agreement on Cooperation of these two establishments was signed. The Russian Curator, IRMT Mrs Larisa Surgina spoke of wide cultural activities fulfilled by the Russian-Indian staff of the Roerich Trust. For many years the Roerichs Memorial Estate in truth has become the visiting card and a symbol of Naggar and Kullu Valley.
