By Vrindasundari Devi Dasi
Personal items belonging to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), have been officially accepted into the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C
The acquisition marks a significant moment in preserving Srila Prabhupada’s legacy in the United States. The Smithsonian Institution is one of the world’s largest and most respected museum and research organizations, and the National Museum of American History (NMAH) is dedicated to preserving objects and stories that illuminate the history and culture of the United States.
The newly acquired objects include a pair of saffron socks worn by Srila Prabhupada, seven stainless-steel bowls that he ate from, and a passport photograph from 1974. The items were donated by Chitralekha Dasi, whose late husband served as a personal assistant to Srila Prabhupada and through whom she came to preserve a number of Prabhupada’s personal belongings.
The acquisition developed through the efforts of Smithsonian curator Dr. Abeer Saha, who was first approached by devotees in the Washington, D.C., area to consider how Srila Prabhupada’s life story might be represented within the Smithsonian.
Dr. Saha worked in coordination with the curator of religion at the American History Museum to identify objects that could help tell the story of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. Saha spoke with ISKCON members across the United States, asking for items that belonged to Srila Prabhupada, but did not immediately receive any offers.
For devotees, this difficulty is understandable. Objects personally used by Srila Prabhupada are treasured as sacred relics, and those who have preserved them for decades may understandably be reluctant to part with them.
However, almost a year later, Chitralekha Dasi, having heard about this opportunity, reached out to Dr. Saha and offered several objects in her care so they could become part of the Smithsonian’s permanent collection. Her desire was to help introduce Srila Prabhupada’s story to the millions of museum visitors and researchers at one of the most respected museums in the world.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/srila-prabhupadas-artifacts-enter-the-smithsonian/
Comments