KHULNA, May 5, 2019 (BSS)- Rabindra Museum at Daxindihi under Fultola Upazila here has been drawing huge crowds, everyday, ahead of Rabindranath Tagore’s 158th birth anniversary celebration.
Daxindhi, father-in-law’s house of the Nobel Laureate poet has been set up as a museum in 2012 to preserve the memories of Rabindranath and his wife Mrinalini Devi. People from different parts of the country visited the museum and Daxindihi to recollect the poet’s memories.
“I came here to see with my own eyes the father-in-law’s house, where Kabiguru wrote numerous poems and songs and had many memories,” Srabonty Sen, a teacher and Rabindra-lover of a Barisal private college told BSS.
A total of 2,35,000 visitors came to the place and the government earned Tk 90,805 in revenue in 2017-2018 fiscal year, said A K M Saifur Rahman, Assistant Director of the Department of Archaeology, Khulna.
The Department of Archaeology also carried out the renovation work to make the ancient house of the poet’s father-in-law as a museum titled ‘Rabindra Complex’ in 2011-12.
“Archaeologists last year tracked down the kitchen of the house at the left side of the museum that would be opened for public after necessary conservation works,” said Saifur.
An Ansar camp has also been set up and the museum has been brought under close circuit camera last year, the AD said, adding that three employees have been appointed this year for maintenance and supervision of the museum.
Sources in Khulna regional office of the archaeology department said Tagore’s father-in-law’s house, bearing his memories is a precious archaeological site and Taka 30.3 lakh had been allocated for completing the renovation works of the house during the current fiscal year.
Afroza Khan Mita, Director of the Regional Archaeology Department said renovation work of the main building of museum was completed in 2011-12 fiscal year. A boundary wall was also erected in 2015-16 fiscal year, she added.
The maternal ancestral home of the great poet was also situated at Daxindihi village. The family of Netai Roy Chowdhury of this village belongs to his maternal uncle.
Tagore got married to Bhabatarini Debi alias Mrinalini Devi, daughter of Benimadhab Roy Chowdhury of the same village on December 9 in 1883. Their marriage was solemnized at Jora Sanko in Kolkata in India.
She said the one-storied building has four rooms on the first floor and two rooms on the ground floor at present.
Over 500 books has been kept in the library and the rooms have been inscribed with rare pictures of Rabindranath, she said adding that crowds will increase if more materials belonging to Tagore are added to the site.
Mita said the 3.24 acres of land in the site was gazzeted in favour of the Department of Archaeology in 2010 but some of the land is still remains out of the possession of the department.