Museum in Pune presents musical legacy of RSS, showcases instruments used during route marches

Pune, Oct 1 (PTI) Pune, often called the cultural capital of Maharashtra, has one of its kind museum that showcases the musical instruments used by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during its route marches and other events at different points in time.

RSS, a Hindu nationalist organisation founded on the occasion of Dussehra in 1925 in Nagpur, is completing 100 years on October 2.

The museum was established last year in Pune, one of the key nerve centres of the organisation, to preserve its musical legacy.

The state-of-the-art RSS Ghosh Sangrahalaya (band museum), officially titled Akhil Bharatiya Ghosh Abhilekhagar, has come up at Motibaug, the Sangh's regional headquarters in Pune.

Dedicated to chronicling its rhythmic tradition, the museum showcases the evolution of musical instruments used during path sanchalan (route marches) and ceremonial events of RSS swayamsevaks.

It boasts of having an extensive collection of instruments, ranging from traditional Indian and Western wind instruments to percussions. These include vanshi/venu (flute), madhurika (pianica), mukh sanvadini (mouth organ), taat swarad (clarinet-Eb), nagang (saxophone), shrung (cornet), turya (trumpet), shankh (bugle), pratan praturya (sliding trombone), and gomukh (euphonium). Complementing them are various types of drums, jhanj (cymbals), tutari (trumpet), damru, pakhwaj and tribhuj (triangle).

Inaugurated in 2024 by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, the museum blends heritage with technology. Each exhibit is equipped with a QR code, which when scanned, offers audio-visual demonstrations of how the instruments sound and are played.

Moreshwar Gadre, curator and head of the museum, said the RSS ghosh (band) has been an integral part of path sanchalans since 1927-28.

"Here, we have tried to archive and preserve the instruments used across different eras of RSS processions. This collection was inaugurated by Mohanji (Bhagwat) last year," he said.

Elaborating on the evolution of the band's musical repertoire, Gadre said, "In the early days, the performances were based on English military tunes. Later, Hari Vinayak alias Bapurao Date, a renowned ghosh vadak from the RSS composed around 40 'rachanaas (tunes) based on 30 Indian ragas." "Date had a natural flair for instruments of all kinds. He studied both army staff notations and RSS-specific notations, and could play almost any instrument with finesse. He went on to lead the city ghosh," he added.

Gadre also said RSS chief Bhagwat continued the tradition by composing two to three new pieces every year based on Shankh or Vanshi, which are played during ceremonial marches.

The museum is fast turning into an educational destination.

"Since many schools have their own marching bands, students and teachers frequently visit to learn about the history and mechanics of these instruments," Gadre said. PTI SPK NP