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Museums in West Bengal

Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Calcutta

The sculpture collection at the Birla Academy of Art and Culture dates from the 2nd to the 19th century AD. South Indian sculpture, especially from the Chola and Vijayanagara empires, are well represented. Outstanding among these are a granite dancing Ganesha and Shiva as Jnana Dakshinamurti, both 12th century Chola images. From Vijayanagara comes a seated Kali with all eight arms intact. Among the marvellous pieces from Rajasthan are a green limestone bust of Vishnu and three panels in the. same medium showing Ganesha, Krishna and Saraswati among devotees.

The museum has an eclectic collection of miniatures and manuscripts. The interesting manuscripts include a 1811 Persian translation of the Mahabharata, late 19th century collection ofHafiz's gazals in the Mughal style and a copy of the Shabnama. There are 13th century Jain palm leaf folios, some from Bundi and some from Kota. Two unusual Sikh school exhibits are a miniature of Krishna and an illustrated Urdu manuscript on farming. Among the miniature-paintings from Rajasthan is a lovely series on ragas, otherwise the Krishna theme iredominates. An exquisite miniature rom Kangra of a seated couple draped in shawls, captures the mood of Magh with its brilliant composition and subdued colours. There are also a number of miscellaneous objects like metal satuettes, book covers in papier mache and silver gilt and old textiles like jamewar shawls, Banaras brocade, Baluchar and Dacca saris and a silk pichhwai from Rajasthan.

Birla Academy of Art and Culture
108-109 Southern Avenue
Calcutta 700 029

Timing: 4.30 pm to 7.00 pm
Closed on Mondays.