Lt. Col. Anant Sinha (Administrator, Asiatic Society) inaugurating the exhibition along with Noopur Desai (Namamrita Dasi), Apar Industries, Dr. Sumanta Rudra (Academic Dean, BRC) and Prof. Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri.

The Asiatic Society, Kolkata, in collaboration with the Bhaktivedanta Research Center (BRC), hosted a significant exhibition and lecture series titled Caitanya Mahāprabhu: Awakening Devotion, Transforming Society. The event, which took place from February 17 to 21, 2025, at the historic Sir William Jones Bhavan of the Asiatic Society, aimed to glorify the life and teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and their impact across all spheres of contemporary society on the occasion of His 539th Appearance Anniversary.

The exhibition was a comprehensive presentation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s transcendental pastimes and precepts. It offered visitors an immersive, chronological journey through Mahāprabhu’s pastimes, philosophy, and magnanimous gifts to society. Through meticulously researched texts, this exhibition provided a uniquely detailed and authentic insight into the transcendental realm of Gaura-līlā.

A key highlight of the exhibition was the display of digitized manuscripts of Mahāprabhu’s handwritten texts, preserved at the Gauranga Tol Mandir in Nabadwip. Additionally, rare manuscripts and paintings from The Asiatic Society, including works by Śrī Dipen Bose from the 1960s, were showcased.

As Sourish Das, BRC researcher and curator of the exhibition, shared: “The exhibition presented to visitors a multitude of authentic images of manuscripts and paintings, giving them a rich glimpse of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s merciful pastimes and teachings.”

This exhibition marks yet another milestone for BRC in its ongoing service of fostering devotional scholarship and engaging the intelligentsia in Kṛṣṇa consciousness through academically rigorous and insightful presentations on Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism. In the past, BRC has also undertaken other major exhibitions such as curating the museum at Ultadanga Junction; the exhibition Revolutionary Ācārya Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda (a comprehensive portrayal of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s transcendental life and legacy) on the first floor of TOVP in Śrīdhāma Māyāpura to honor his 150th appearance anniversary; as well as numerous temporary exhibits featuring the literary artifacts of our previous ācāryas at festivals such as Rathayātrās.

More than just a visual exhibition, this was a week-long celebration of the life and teachings of Mahāprabhu, also featuring, among other things, a series of lectures by distinguished scholars offering multifaceted insights into the philosophy and societal impact of Mahāprabhu’s teachings and mission.

Throughout the week, renowned devotee scholars and intellectuals presented Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism from a multitude of fascinating angles, highlighting its significance in modern society and academia. The opening lecture was delivered by the eminent historian Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri, who spoke on The Caitanya Perspective. On February 18, Dr. Krishna Abhishek Ghosh, Dean of Faculty, Dharma Studies at Somaiya Vidyavihar University, India, and Director of The Institute for Vaishnava Studies, USA, gave a talk on The Mindful Leadership of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

The event also featured a highly appreciated lecture by Dr. Prosenjit Bose, Assistant Professor, Department of Bengali, Balagarh Bijoy Krishna Mahavidyalaya. His lecture underscored the supremely transcendental nature of Lord Caitanya and His activities, emphasizing that they supersede all material attempts to classify them into mundane categories. Bridging the worlds of science and devotion, Dr. Gautam Paul, Associate Professor and Head, CSRU, Indian Statistical Institute, spoke on Caitanya Doctrine and Its Connection to Science.

The linguistic angle was explored by Dr. Abhishek Bose, Assistant Professor, Comparative Indian Language and Literature, University of Calcutta, who presented The Taste of Caitanya: Poesy or Pedagogy?

The lecture on the final day was titled Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Humanism: Its Nature and Significance, and it was presented by Prof. Nirmalya Narayana Chakraborty, Honorable Vice Chancellor, Presidency University.

The week-long exhibition-cum-lecture series also included a special kirtana event by ISKCON, a lecture and demonstration on Pādāvalī kīrtana by Prof. Dr. Kankana Mitra Roychowdhury, Head of the Department of Vocal Music, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, as well as a demonstration and dance performance of Śrī Pādāvalī Nritya by Dr. Anuradha Ray, Principal of Śrī Haṁsavāhinī Kalālaya and founder of Śrī Pādāvalīya Kalāpariṣad, and a classical dance performance by renowned Gauḍīya Nṛtya scholar Paramita Banerjee. These presentations beautifully complemented the scholarly discussions, providing attendees with a firsthand experience of the living tradition of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism.

As Dr. Sumanta Rudra, Academic Dean of BRC, emphasized, “This exhibition, through meticulous research and scholarly collaboration, sought to present Mahāprabhu’s transcendental teachings and saṅkīrtana movement in a way that was both academically rigorous and spiritually enriching. Curating this exhibition was one of the most transcendentally fulfilling and relishable experiences for us at BRC, and we remain immensely thankful to have had the opportunity for this service.”

Along similar lines, Lt Col Anant Sinha, Administrator of the Asiatic Society, said, “This collaboration with the Bhaktivedanta Research Center has provided a unique opportunity to glorify Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by presenting a rich interplay between the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition and scholarship.”

The Asiatic Society, founded in 1784 by Sir William Jones, has long been a premier institution dedicated to the study and preservation of India’s vast intellectual and cultural heritage. Its contributions to manuscript preservation and historical research, in particular, have been held in high esteem. Likewise, the Bhaktivedanta Research Center (BRC), a leading institution for Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava studies, has been dedicated for well over a decade to the service of collecting, preserving, researching, teaching, exhibiting, and publishing the writings of our previous ācāryas, including the cataloging and digitizing of hundreds of ancient manuscripts and rare books—philosophical and literary treasures of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism.

Thus, this collaboration between the Asiatic Society and BRC has proved to be a particularly fruitful one, helping bring authentic knowledge of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s transcendental teachings to a wider audience—especially the learned classes of society.

Expressing his enthusiasm over this event, Gauranga Das, GBC member and Director, ISKCON Govardhan Ecovillage, said, “This exhibition not only presented Lord Caitanya’s legacy through scholarship but also brought it to life through its immersive chronological journey, as well as the kīrtana and cultural presentations showing the living tradition of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism. It was a highly inspiring and transformative week-long event that gave visitors a firsthand experience of the profound impact of Mahāprabhu’s teachings.”

Commenting on the significance of this event, the chief guest, Noopur Desai (Namāmṛta Dāsī), Program Director, CSR, APAR Industries, said, “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s boundless compassion, magnanimity, and inclusivity come through vividly in this exhibition-cum-lecture series, which underscores not only His philosophy but also how His transcendental legacy continues to transform countless lives in society today.”

Numerous visitors from diverse backgrounds—scholars, spiritual seekers, and those simply curious to know more about Lord Caitanya and the saṅkīrtana movement—expressed that they found the week-long event to be a highly engaging and uplifting transcendental experience.

Links to all the lectures can be found on the BRC Facebook page.

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The Bhaktivedanta Research Center would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to its below esteemed patrons and supporters for their valuable partnership:
Smita Krishna Swami, Devamrita Swami, Candramauli Swami, Radhanath Swami, Hari-sauri Das, Pranava Das, Krishna Chandra Das, Keshava Das, Namamrita Devi Dasi, Radha Giridhari Das, Dayarama Das, Gauranga Das, Radha Giridhari Das, Yudhistir Govinda Das, Dr Suresh Jain, Mrs.Sadhana Jain, Mr.Hitesh Jain, Mrs.Veena Jain, Braja Hari Das, Braja Vilasa Das, Ramesvara Das, Meenakshi Rudra, Dr. K. N. Dhumal, Sanjay Bhosale, Dr. Janardan Chitode, Raman Reti Das, Bhakti Vilasini Devi Dasi, Anurag Sharma, Vraja Kishore Das, Dr. Sumanta Rudra, Krishna Chandra Das, Adi Purusa Das, Anand Tirtha Das, Vraja Raja Das, Damodar Hari Das, Yasodanandana Das, Syama Sakhi Devi Dasi, Vraja Raman Das, Visvakalyana Gaura Das, Shyam Hari Das, Prem Kumari Devi Dasi, Shaligram Krishna Das, Satya Sara Das, Ramesta Das, Ram Mukunda Das, Prem Niketan Das, Nitai Gaursundar Das, Krishna Kumar Das, Krishna Kirtan Das, Balarama Lila Das, Anand Manaktala, Akrura Das, Vishwatma Gopinath Das, Sundarananda Das, Srinivas Sharan Das, Sridhar Gopal Das, Shweta Pandey, Satyaraj Das, Anisha Ghoorbin Dareeawoo, Sadananda Das, Ram Das, Rajesh Solanki, Raja Nagarajan, Radhananda Das, Madhava Chandra Das, Krishna Chaitanya Das, Kiran Rapolu, Revati Devi Dasi, Hladini Gopika Devi Dasi, Karan Rakesh Kantliwala, Hema Sundari Devi Dasi, Hare Krishnananda Das, Govindadev Das, Giriraj Das, Dwarkadhish Das, Bharat Shroff, Shweta Shroff, Dr. Snehal Donde, Caitanyacandra Dasa, Chaitanya Sundar Das, Balramkumar Srivasatava, Ananta Acharya Das, Amarender Bilapati, Cintamani Devi Dasi, Acyuta Lila Das, Namamrita Das, Abhishek Jajodia, Gopinath Rasa Das, Vishwarupa Das, Vipra Sudama Das, Vidura Das, Vidagdha Madhava Das, Kirtida Devi Dasi, Veerchandra Das, Vaishali Kamat, Tushar Bhole, Suresh Amin, Sundarananda Das, Sujit Sen Gupta, Subuddhi Raya, Srngi Das, Sripati Das, Sri Sakhi Devi Dasi, Sreenivas Gopal Das, Shyamlal Das, Shyam Mohan Das, Shravya Kanchi, Shivam Gupta, Shailen Ramanlal Desai, Satcitananda Das, Sarla Thakker, Sarang Thakur Das, Sakshi Gopal Das, Sai Suman, Sacisuta Das, Sachi Prana Das, Roopendra Singh, Rasesvara Das, Rasamrita Das, Ramesvara Das, Ramapriya Das, Radharadhya Das, Priyadarshan Das, Praveen Krovvidi, Prashant Devatraj, Pranava Das, Prahlad Priya Das, Prahlad Bhakta Das, Padmanabha Das, Nityananda Vilas Das, Navina Krishna Das, Murlidhar Das, Murari Krishna Das, Mukund Ras das, Mokshyalakshmi Devi Dasi, Manish Goyal, Mahendra Singh Rawat, Madhusudan Reddy Gunna, Madhava Gauranga Das, Lileshwari Devi Dasi, Lavanga Mangal Devi Dasi, Krishna Murali Das, Koumudhi Kammari, Koel Colours Pvt Ltd, Krishna Kishore Dasa, Karishma Peswani, Jyoti Pravin Purohit, Janardan Das, Janardan D. Bahirat, JABS International Pvt. Ltd., ISKCON Attapur, Hercules Pigments Pvt. Ltd., Haridev Krishna Das, Hari Vallabh Das, Hari Kirtan Das, Gopinatha Rasa Dasa, Gauranga Prem Das, Gaurachandra Das, Gadadhara Chandra Das, Dr. Shekhar Shukla, Dr. Amar Shah, Dhananjaya Das, Darshan Shinde, Damodar Vilas Das, Chetan Hazaree, Chaitanya Bhagavan Das, Braja Prakash Das, Braja Kripa Das, Avatari Chaitanya Das, Atul Madhava Das, Nadiya Kishor Das, Arun Rangachari, Aristaha Das, Ansul Agarwal, Anjan Bacchu, Aniruddha Patel, Anandini Sundari Devi Dasi, Ananda Kumar, Madhu Kumari, Amritananda Das, Ajit Kumar Garg, Advaita Chandra Das, Kalasudha Devi Dasi, Abhishek Mantha, Abhijeet Deulkar, Madhusudan Shetty, Girish Balakrishnan, Sushil Goyal, Pankaj Chopra & Suryakar Mani.