Myths of Bengal
14 September 2006 – 7 January 2007
Room 91
Exhibition closed
Part of the Voices of Bengal season
Myths of Bengal focuses on the tradition of storytelling in Bengal, and features religious stories presented in the remarkable Bengali scrolls and artefacts from the Museum's collection. A major highlight is the 13-metre Gazi scroll, which recounts the life and deeds of the local Bengali Muslim saint Gazi.
This remarkable artefact celebrates the traditional Bengali custom of scroll painting and highlights the huge importance of oral tradition in Bengali culture. Six other stories explored in the exhibition cover some of the major Hindu deities, including Krishna, Rama, Durga, and the local snake goddess Manasa.
Supported by the Mayor of London
Read more information about the Gazi scroll
Image: Detail from the Gazi scroll. From Bengal, perhaps the Murshidabad district, India, around AD 1800