Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Mumbai for two days, starting Sunday. During his visit, he will receive an exclusive tour of the treasures housed at the Asiatic Society of Mumbai. This visit highlights the government’s ongoing engagement with cultural institutions in the region.
In July this year, former BJP Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe was elected president of the society as the panel “Asiatic Tomorrow” swept the elections. Sahasrabuddhe said that a few years ago, Society had passed a resolution that it be given the status of Institute of Eminence, as was given to Asiatic Society of Kolkata. “The idea is to make Asiatic Society of Mumbai the knowledge capital of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region,” Sahasrabuddhe said. Sahasrabuddhe said an exhibition of rare documents such as P V Kane’s five-volume monumental study of The History of Dharmashastra, as also the books referred to by Kane to write the volumes, will be on display, along with the Garuda Puranas, the Sopara artefacts, Gautam Buddha’s Bhiksha Patra (alms bowl) and Gupta-era coins. Shah will be informed about the conservation of books being carried out by the society, said Sahasrabuddhe.
An exhibition of rare books, manuscripts and artefacts is being organised for Shah. This would help obtain more funds for research and employee salaries, and Society wants to push for that status. Shah, along with his family, will be visiting Lalbaugcha Raja Ganapati on Monday, said sources.