A Treasure-trove Revealed

The photos were shot by French historian, musicologist Daniélou and Swiss photographer Raymond Burnier.

On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Alliance Francaise de Chittagong and Embassy of France in Bangladesh have jointly arranged a photo exhibition titled “Tagore, the Universal Message”. The exhibition is now on at the gallery of Alliance Francaise de Dhaka in Dhanmondi.
The exhibition has been curated by Dr. Samuel Berthet, director of Alliance Francaise de Chittagong. The exhibition features some rare and previously unseen photos of the bard and Shantiniketan, collected by Alain Daniélou and Raymond Burnier.
The exhibition opened on June 18. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith was present at the opening programme as chief guest. Leading economist and Governor of Bangladesh Bank, Dr. Atiur Rahman, and Mijarul Quayes, secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were present as special guests. Rajeet Mitter, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, and Charley Causeret, Ambassador of France to Bangladesh, were also present as guests of honour at the event.
The exhibition is part of a yearlong celebration by Alliance Francaise to celebrate the Tagore birth anniversary. Apart from the photo exhibition, the celebration includes musical soirees, dance recitals, discussions, film screenings and more.
The exhibition displays a selection of 97 images. The photos were discovered by the Dr. Samuel Berthet in August 2010, just a few months before the 150th birth anniversary of Tagore, in Zagarolo near Rome, Italy.
The photos were shot by French historian, intellectual, musicologist and Indologist Daniélou, who was a friend of Tagore, and Swiss photographer Raymond Burnier.
The photos were taken between 1932 and 1940, when Daniélou and Burnier were in Shantiniketan, and will likely leave a long lasting impression of Shantiniketan on the viewers.
The photos show Tagore at several locations. The serene, verdant setting of Shantiniketan has also been highlighted.
The exhibition ends on June 25.