A Museum of Memories

Since their inception, museums have acted as the guardians of history and antiquity. But can a museum be more than just a repository of artefacts?

- Rakhi Bose

"Piya gailan kalkatwa ei sajni... gorwa me juta naikhe, sirwa pe chatwwa ei sajni Kaise chalihen rahatwa, ei sajni" 

-Bhikhari Thakur's 'Bidesiya'

MUSEUMS bring to mind stone and stiffness. Archaic colonial architecture, robust columns, daunting facades and labels in minuscule font. But can a museum be more? Can it grow beyond its ontological and material confines to become a living, breathing thing? Like a tree or a song?

The 19th-century Bihari poet and playwright Bhikhari Thakur was one of the strongest intellectual forces in Bihari literature and theatre, and much of his work reflects themes of women empowerment and the pain of migration. Through plays like Bidesiya, Gabar gichor, Putra vadh, Vidhwa vilaap and others, Thakur's poetry reflected the impact of migration on Bihari society through the eyes of men and women living it. Can a song by Thakur be considered a museum? These questions were discussed at length in Mumbai at the launch event of the second edition of the 'Bihar Museum Biennale', in collaboration with Outlook.

"Since its inception, the Bihar Museum has been intrinsic to creating a sense of lost pride in its own identity and past for many Biharis today" says Anjani Kumar Singh, Director General of the Bihar Museum in Patna. With the museum Biennale, the organisers hope to create a more inclusive platform for people to engage with art and more importantly, for museums to themselves interact with each other.

Starting August 7, the Biennale will feature museums from across the world including Thailand, Austria, Nepal and Costa Rica. The initiative will also feature innovative events from all over the globe, like the International Print Exhibition, an immersive experience from Russia and virtual tours and shows with the likes of the Metropolitan Museum in New York.