Kumar Tuhin
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Wings of an

EXPLORER

REMINISCENSES OF A SPIRIT

On Hungary, India and explorers April, 2020
wittileaks article in Diplomacy and Trade

Background When my friend Sándor Laczkó from the Diplomacy and Trade magazine asked me to write for the WittiLeaks section an article about my cultural thoughts, experiences in (or in connection with) Hungary, I sat down with pen and paper and started to shortlist some topics. I had been advised by him not to venture into official topics but write on personal thoughts or experiences -not necessarily witty. As I went through my shortlist, it soon became clear that already so much had been written on each one of these, and in detail, that it was not easy for me to add value on any one topic. So I asked for more time, and was given.

At Ference Hopp Museum At Ference Hopp Museum At Ference Hopp Museum photo courtesy Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts
At Ference Hopp Museum At Ference Hopp Museum At Ference Hopp Museum photo courtesy Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts

A few weeks passed. One day, I was going to attend a function and when my car passed the Ferenc Hopp museum on Andrassy Street, my mind suddenly started to think about the explorer spirit in the person of Ferenc Hopp. How remarkable it must have been then to undertake those voyages across the world and collect beautiful artefacts which now form a part of the museum's collection. I then also started to think about those other Hungarians who were drawn by their love towards India and traveled to India at different times. And I decided to attempt a piece on the spirit of an explorer, permeating through these great personalities who are still remembered in the sphere of India Hungary cultural ties. It was coincidental that around the same time I also saw on Twitter a message about Victor Zicho (check out the wonderful pictures that he has clicked in India. These are on his Instagram page) , who had gone to India on a bike, trying to trace the path that the great Sándor Kőrösi Csoma took to India. Unfortunately, just when Victor Zicho reached Bihar, the Covid -19 lockdown measures came into effect and he had to spend some days in a local quarantine facility. I spoke to him on the phone and was happy to see his adventure spirit still going strong. He had taken about eight months to reachIndia and was only a couple of hundred kilometres away from Darjeeling, the final resting place of Csoma. His plan was to continue on to Darjeeling as soon as lockdown was lifted and then return back the same way.

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Amrita Shergil birthplace

Amrita Shergil

One of the most popular personalities in India's cultural ties with Hungary. Plaque in the building where she was born.


Amrita Shergil birth place

Amrita Shergil

Standing in front of Amrita Shergil birthplace


Irvin Baktay village

Irvin Baktay

Bust of Irvin Baktay in his village Dunaharaszti, in Pest County.


Irvin Baktay village

Irvin Baktay

This is Irvin Baktay's house in his village.


Csoma Korosi School

Csoma Korosi Sandor

School in Budapest named after Csoma Korosi Sandor.





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