Bolpur: How about taking a peek into the campus areas of Visva-Bharati through a bioscope? The very idea seems nostalgic, isn't it?
Tourists eager to get an eyeful of Visva-Bharati's campus area, which remains out of bounds for them due to restrictions, can now take a quick look at those spots with the help of a bioscope, which refers to a device that displays films on a screen, similar to a modern projector.
Now, Rohit Sen, a student of the Sculpture Department of Kala Bhavan, created a bioscope. It will be placed near the gate of Kala Bhavan. "Tourists are disallowed from entering the campus. So for their convenience, I have made a bioscope. The Kala Bhavan campus can be seen by looking at it. It took one month to make it. Tourists are very enthusiastic about it," Sen said.
According to him, a bioscope is a box-like device. One can see pictures by placing eyes on it. In 1895, German scientist Max Skladanowsky invented the bioscope. It was once very popular for entertainment. Sen has relied on this bioscope to present the picture of Kala Bhavana to the tourists.
Kala Bhavan is one of the houses of Visva-Bharati established by Rabindranath Tagore. It was built in 1923 under the supervision of artist Nandalal Basu on the idea of Tagore. Luminaries such as Abanindranath Tagore, Surendranath Kar and Asitkumar Haldar also made significant contributions towards the construction of the Kala Bhavan.
Later, Ramkinkar Baij joined the bandwagon. Subsequently, renowned artists like KG Subrahmanyam and Jogen Chowdhury also pitched in. Earlier, tourists could visit the campus areas of Visva-Bharati such as Patha Bhavan, Gauraprangan, Amarkunja, and Kala Bhavan. During the breakout of Covid-19, restrictions were imposed on the entry of tourists into the campus.
World heritage hall of fame
On September 17, 2023, UNESCO conferred the 'World Heritage' title to Rabindranath Tagore's Santiniketan. Touted as the only 'living heritage university' in the world, it towers over other foremost institutes in the world.
The authorities envisage a risk of damage to the heritage buildings and sculptures by tourists. Amid the apprehension, Sen's bioscope is expected to come as a relief to tourists. Starting from the sculptures of Ramkinkar Baij in Kala Bhavan to the black houses and murals, everything can be visible.
Tourists are enjoying the experience and are excited to get the feeling of real from reel. Tourists are making a beeline to experience watching Visva-Bharati through this bioscope.
In addition, there is a QR code on this bioscope. By scanning it, visitors can get information about the heritage buildings and sculptures of Visva-Bharati. This feature also generated special interest among tourists. Manisha Thakur and Harshita Thakur, two tourists, said, "It was nice experience. We got to see the entire campus without going inside. It was a mind-blowing experience."
