On 29th February 2024, in a monumental initiative to honor the 150th appearance anniversary of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, the Bhaktivedanta Research Center (BRC), in collaboration with the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP), inaugurated an exhibit, ‘Revolutionary Acharya Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada’ on the first floor of TOVP in Sridham Mayapur.
This largest exhibit is a tribute to the remarkable life of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, showcasing his journey from his appearance to his disappearance. It offers insight into his role as a world ācārya and preacher, his invaluable contributions to modern Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism, extensive travels, installation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s footprints, theistic spiritual exhibitions across India, prolific writing, and publishing endeavors. Spanning across a 2000 sq. ft area, the exhibit features original publications, rare photos, newspaper articles about the Gauḍīya Maṭha, handwritten manuscripts, documents, and much more.
Dr. Sumanta Rudra, the Academic Dean of BRC, elaborates on the rigorous efforts behind the exhibit, “Fortunately, we have one of the best collections of archival documents dating back to 150-200 years. Sundara Gopāla (Sourish Das), BRC’s Researcher and Curator, spent many months diligently going through each of these documents and thus curated this comprehensive exhibit. His dedicated efforts and unwavering commitment ensured that the exhibit truly captures the essence of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s life and teachings. He was assisted by our team member Gopīkā Rādhikā Devī Dāsī from Mayapur.”
The exhibit, ‘Revolutionary Acharya Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada’, has been on display for the past few months, allowing pilgrims to Mayapur the opportunity to view this unprecedented and inspiring presentation during his 150th Vyāsā-pūjā celebration throughout the year.