The Legacy of Linguist Csoma Sándor Kőrösi: A Kolkata Exhibition
An Exhibition Commemorating Csoma Sándor Kőrösi’s Legacy Opens in Kolkata
Celebrating the 240th anniversary of Csoma Sándor Kőrösi’s birth, an exhibition featuring works by Szekler textile artist Ella Gazdáné Olosz has opened in Kolkata. The event, organized by the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Center Delhi, aims to pay tribute to the linguist’s legacy.
The exhibition showcases Ella Gazdáné Olosz’s unique works, which feature a fusion of oriental motifs with Western techniques. Audiences have been captivated by the artistic merit and cultural significance of the pieces on display.
Despite the artist’s absence from India, her creations have successfully captured the spirit of the East, resonating with viewers. Ella Gazdáné Olosz’s extensive travels across the Middle East and Southeast Asia, where she studied traditional textile cultures, have deeply influenced her artwork, blending traditional and modern elements seamlessly.
In addition to the exhibition, photographs by Viktor Zichó, documenting his cycling journey from Csomakőrös to Darjeeling, were also showcased, further highlighting Kőrösi Csoma’s enduring legacy. The initiative encourages Hungarians who have visited Csoma’s tomb to share their photos as a collective homage to his memory.
Planned activities under the Liszt Institute’s Csoma 240 initiative include a scientific conference, drawing competition, and school program in Indian schools to introduce Sándor Kőrösi Csoma to students. These efforts aim to bridge cultural divides and honor Csoma’s legacy, fostering understanding and appreciation between Hungarian and Indian communities.
Csoma Sándor Kőrösi, born in 1784 in Chiuruș (Csomakőrös), Transylvania, embarked on a remarkable journey through the Middle East and Inner Asia to Ladakh in India in 1822. During his time in India, he conducted research on the Tibetan Buddhist canon and created an English dictionary of the Tibetan language, which remains his major work. Kőrösi Csoma passed away in Darjeeling in 1842 due to malaria.
The exhibition in Kolkata serves as a fitting tribute to Csoma Sándor Kőrösi’s extraordinary contributions and showcases the enduring impact of his work on Hungarian and Indian cultures.
