Skip to content

Rajesh Kochhar

Author of The Vedic People ( Orient BlackSwan), English Education in India, 1715-1835 (Routledge), and (jointly with Jayant Narlikar) of Astronomy in India (INSA)

World of tech-savvy Ganesha

Rajesh Kochhar 20/12/2008 No Comments

 

 

6 April 2007

TREASURE TROVE
World of tech-savvy Ganesha
Smriti Sharma
In Rajesh Kochhar’s house, Lord Ganesha reads a book and has a telephonic conversation

Lord Ganesha operating the computer!
Lord Ganesha operating the computer!

It’s a collector’s world. Everything right from the tiniest pin to the biggest art piece, they all find a place under the sun. Among such collectors, stands out Dr Rajesh Kochhar, Professor of Pharmaceutical Heritage, NIPER (National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research), Mohali.

He has a unique collection of about 200 dhokra brass craft items from East India that include animal figurines like elephants, bulls, birds to old diya stands, gods and goddesses.

What catches our fancy is Lord Ganesha in various forms. Though in total, there are only 32 permitted forms of Ganesha, but our man has Lord Ganesha reading a book, sitting in front of a computer and even talking on the phone. Out of the total 200 items, 75 are of Ganeshas.

So how did it all start, we ask him. “It all began in 1999 when we were working on a rural development programme to focus on rural technology and to help the dhokra shilpis in West Bengal, Orissa and Jharkand. So my professional interests expanded to personal interests and I started looking for these items in emporiums, shops, villages or wherever I travelled,” says the former director of NISTADS, New Delhi.

For those uninitiated, dhokra is a century-old craft of metal casting by the lost-wax technique. “Interestingly, India represents an unbroken tradition that goes back to 3000 BC,” adds Dr Kochar, who initially studied the art and crafts as part of his official duties and then started building a collection.

Some of the rare antique items have also found places in his collection, including two unique diya stands with a bird and elephant strung with it from Orissa, an idol of Varalaxmi from Bardwan district in West Bengal, a Bankura horse from Bankura in West Bengal and even a panchdhatu Ganesh from Swamimalai down South.

A look at his collection is quite an eye-opener as each item comes with relevant information regarding a particular piece is documented and catalogued and even maintains a stock register which include minutest details like the date and day of procurement, the name of the artist and the place of origin.

“I will not mind parting with my collection for research’s sake and that’s why I take utmost care even to clean them myself,” he insists.

While we get ready to leave, he reveals his wish and that is, “My collection should grow and stay undamaged. But for anyone doing research, they are welcome!” [email protected]

Blogs (Articles)
Bankura | dhokra | Ganesha

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recent Posts

  • On Jats and Jutts 31/01/2021
  • Why an IIT Kharagpur calendar aiming to highlight traditional Indian knowledge has irked experts 31/01/2021
  • Faqir Chand Kohli (1924-2020) 06/12/2020
  • Caste discrimination: India must disown parts of ancient texts that contradict the Constitution 27/10/2020
  • BANSI LAL(1927-2006): Haryana Chief Minister 26/08/2020
  • Panjab University Chandigarh 1947-2007 15/08/2020

  • BAKED NEWS
  • CV: Brief
  • CV: Detailed
  • INVENTIONS, etc
  • Jokes (updated 22-Mar-2017)
  • Lectures delivered in India and abroad since 2006
  • Photographs
  • Rajesh Kochhar: List of select publications, with hyperlinks

Archives

Downloads

  • 1. Papers/Book Chapters/Lecture Texts
  • Blogs (Articles)
  • Reflections and Insights

Tags

Ancient India Aryabhata astronomy Avesta chandrayaan China colonial history Colonial India colonialism colonial science CSIR dhokra eclipse education English education globalization Government College Lahore Hinduism India Indian science innovation internet IPR IT Ketu Kodaikanal Observatory Mahatma Gandhi Nobel prize outsourcing P.C. Ray Panjab University pesticides Punjab Punjab University Lahore Rahu Rigveda Ruchi Ram Sahni science science education science policy seductive orientalism sextant technology Thomas Godfrey traditional knowledge
February 2021
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
« Jan    

Recent Comments

  • Rajesh Kochhar on On the origin of the Punjabi Khatris
  • DESH PAL ALAGH on On the origin of the Punjabi Khatris
  • vinay vig on On the origin of the Punjabi Khatris
  • Rajesh Kochhar on On the origin of the Punjabi Khatris
  • Rajesh Kochhar on On the origin of the Punjabi Khatris
Copyright © 2021. Rajesh Kochhar
Powered By WordPress and Silver Quantum