By Dr Tania Saili Bakshi
Pic Courtesy: Anushka Aggarwal
Dehradun, 1 May: VoW collaborated with eminent Himalayan historian Dr Shekhar Pathak, Founder and Managing Trustee of the PAHAR foundation, for a week-long exhibition of ‘The Schlagintweit Drawings in India’ at the Doon Library & Research Centre. This fascinating exhibition revisits early Himalayan encounters and hidden perspectives from over 170 years ago. It will be on display until Friday, the 8th of May.
The inauguration of this exhibition at DLRC today was anchored by Lokesh Ohri and featured an insightful lecture by Prof Hermann Kreutzmann, who presented the context of German scholars’ contribution to empirical research about India starting from the early 19th century work of Carl Ritter (who coined the word ‘Silk Road’) and Alexander von Humboldt (who co-founded the Berlin School of Geography); they were responsible for ensuring the visit of the three Schlagintweit brothers to the Himalayas: “Uttarakhand was the beginning of the whole expedition… it began in Nainital. That was their testing ground.”
Prof Shekhar Pathak’s lecture elaborated on this history whilst also touching upon the 10-year journey of finally bringing this exhibition of Himalaya paintings, made 170 years ago, to Dehradun. In his trademark style of bringing together history, geography, and storytelling in a truly enriching speech, Dr Pathak paid tribute to the many lives that were lost in the early efforts to study the topography of the Himalayas. He also noted, “It was the Schlagintweit brothers who highlighted that the Himalayas were in the heartland in the middle of two cultures, identities and states.”
The Guest of Honour for the event was Sandeep Shrivastav, Additional Surveyor General of India. Dr BK Joshi, Founder and Chairman of the DLRC, was also present at the event as the Chair. Attended by Dehradun’s gentry, the inaugural saw a stunning outpour of guests across age groups. Dr Sanjeev Chopra said, “VoW is delighted to extend its support to such a unique exhibition — the Schlagintweit Drawings are now on display at the DLRC Dehradun after a very successful run at the IIC, New Delhi. The interplay of history, geography, exploration, imperial assertion and indigenous knowledge systems comes out very clearly, as also the collaboration of scholars from across the continents in this knowledge production. Our volunteers Prateek, Anushka, Devansh, Devyanshi and Enosh helped with the logistics and visitor support for the exhibition.”
The exhibition also has a Dehradun connect. The Schlagintweit brothers were assisted by nephew-uncle pair Pundit Nain Singh Rawat and Main Singh, who later joined the Survey of India; the former was the first Survey employee to visit and survey Tibet, albeit disguised as a monk!
