Cultural Heritage of Pune
| Meeting Date | 13 Aug 2023 |
| Meeting Time | 11:00:00 |
| Location | Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum |
| Meeting Type | Regular |
| Meeting Topic | Cultural Heritage of Pune |
| Meeting Agenda | Visit the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum and learn about the history of Pune and the Marathas, through the artefacts displayed at the Museum, guided by the Curator of the Museum Mr S Ranade |
| Chief Guest | |
| Club Members Present | 18 |
| Minutes of Meeting | Visit to a Cultural Treasure Trove A small group of RCPC members were enthralled by their visit to the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum on Sunday, August 13, 2023, which gave them a glimpse of our extraordinary cultural heritage. Tucked away on a narrow side street in the bustling and congested Shukrawar Peth area, the museum’s unpretentious location belies the awe-inspiring treasures that lie within its walls. The museum was established in 1962, by Dr. Dinkar G. Kelkar (1896–1990), dedicated to the memory of his only son, Raja. Dr. Kelkar had been collecting works of art since the 1920s and by 1960; his collection contained more than 15,000 objects, some dating back to the 14th century. Today, the three-story building houses thousands of objects from his collection, including a spectacular array of marble and wooden sculptures, enormous elegantly carved door frames, paintings, carvings, an assortment of Indian decorative items such as furniture, utensils, lamps, uniquely designed musical instruments, swords, guns, assorted armory, and ornaments made of ivory, silver, and gold. Donated by Dr. Kelkar to the Government of Maharashtra in 1975, the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum deserves to be among the top 10 tourist attractions in Pune. Our visit was rounded off with a sumptuous Maharashtrian thali at the nearby Durvankar Dining Hall. |