In the museum, the RMP has created portraits of Deendayal Upadhyaya working on his typewriter, addressing a rally, sitting on a bench. Besides, replicas of his footwear, spectacles and watch and his clothes have been kept.
Credit: DH Photo/ Mrityunjay Bose
Uttan(Thane): The life and times of politician-philosopher Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and the concept of integral humanism has been brought alive at the Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini (RMP) in the picturesque environs of Uttan in the Thane district neighbouring Mumbai.
Deendayal Upadhyaya (25 September 1916 – 11 February 1968) was a leader of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), the frontrunner of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Museum in RMP campus is visited by people who attend different training sessions, workshops and lectures and also students who come here especially.
In the museum, the RMP has created portraits of Deendayal Upadhyaya working on his typewriter, addressing a rally, sitting on a bench. Besides, replicas of his footwear, spectacles and watch and his clothes have been kept.
“People who come to see the museum get a sense of the idea of integral humanism. They appreciate the uniquely crafted and excellently curated exhibits,” said Atul Sathe, Public Relations Officer, RMP.
Credit: DH Photo/ Mrityunjay Bose
“The place inspires you,” he said about Upadhyaya, who is considered an ideal swayamsevak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Since its inception, RMP has trained more than 35,000 to 40,000 people comprising MPs, MLAs, MLCs, their associated staff, panchayat office bearers, NGOs, corporate, entrepreneurs, youth.
One of the major messages of the museum is the doctrine of integral humanism which includes cultural-nationalism values and his agreement with several Gandhian socialist principles such as Sarvodaya (progress of all) and swadeshi (self-sufficiency).
His life story as a student to being pracharak of RSS to starting Rashtra Dharma and Panchjanya to being sent by Sangh Parivar to the BJS to becoming an MP and his mysterious death has been reflected in the exhibition area.
The RMP is inspired by Ramchandra Kashinath Mhalgi (1921-1982), popularly known as Rambhau Mhalgi, a former MLA and MP, who carried forward the legacy of Upadhyaya.
The museum is opposite the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Study Centre and Library which has a huge collection of books. “In the era of reels and selfies and the fast life, this library aims to take one read,” said Sathe, adding that books about religion, philosophy, social sciences, language, pure sciences, technology, fine arts, literature, geography are kept here. An English and Hindi version of the Constitution too is prominently placed for everyone to feel, see and read it.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is currently the RMP Chairman while Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe is the Vice Chairman.
Dr Jayant Kulkarni serves as the RMP Executive Director.
Sathe, who is a naturalist, loves telling about the trees in the camps and the bird life.