Offers Support for Restoration as Cultural Landmark
A historic home that once echoed with the early footsteps of one of India’s greatest cinematic minds is now at the center of a growing cross-border cultural appeal.
The ancestral home of Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, Bangladesh — once owned by his grandfather, Upendra Kishore Ray Chowdhury, a renowned writer and publisher — is being demolished by local authorities to make way for a new semi-concrete structure. The building, until recently used as the Mymensingh Shishu Academy, has fallen into disrepair, prompting the decision to raze it.
However, the move has drawn deep concern from India’s government, filmmakers, historians, and political leaders who view the structure as a vital piece of the shared cultural heritage of India and Bangladesh.
India Calls for Preservation, Proposes Cultural Restoration
In an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed “profound regret” over the demolition and urged the Bangladesh government to reconsider. India has also offered to support the restoration and transformation of the building into a museum of literature, preserving the legacy of a family that played a pivotal role in Bengal’s intellectual and artistic awakening.
“Given the building’s landmark status, symbolising the Bangla cultural renaissance, it would be preferable to reconsider the demolition and examine options for its repair and reconstruction as a museum of literature and a symbol of the shared culture of India and Bangladesh,” the MEA said.
India also emphasized that it would be willing to extend cooperation for the repair and preservation of the site.
The Legacy of the Ray Family
The house belonged to Upendra Kishore Ray Chowdhury, a towering figure in Bengali literature and publishing. His son, Sukumar Ray, became one of the most beloved poets and humorists in the Bengali language. Satyajit Ray, Sukumar’s son, would go on to become a world-renowned filmmaker — the first Indian to receive an Oscar (Honorary Award) and the creator of globally celebrated films such as Pather Panchali, Charulata, and The Apu Trilogy.
Satyajit Ray’s connection to Mymensingh is not just familial but symbolic — his family’s creative legacy shaped not only Bengali identity but also influenced generations of artists and thinkers across South Asia and beyond.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Appeals for Intervention
Joining the call for preservation, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the demolition “extremely distressing” and said the house is “intricately tied to the cultural history of Bengal.”
“I appeal to the Bangladesh government and all conscientious people of that country to take steps to preserve this heritage building,” Banerjee said in a social media post. She also urged the Indian government to step in and protect this shared heritage.
Why It Matters
The demolition of this historic home is more than the loss of an old structure — it risks erasing a chapter of South Asian cultural memory. For many, the Ray family’s contributions represent a bridge between the literary, visual, and philosophical traditions of India and Bangladesh.
In an age when cultural diplomacy matters more than ever, voices from both nations are now hoping that the home once filled with stories, illustrations, and artistic dreams will be preserved — not flattened — for future generations.
