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BN Goswamy: An extraordinary aesthete & the last word on Indian miniatures
Just a month before his passing, BN Goswamy had released his unusual book ‘The Indian Cat: Stories, Paintings, Poetry and Proverbs’.
The city bid adieu, in silence and tears, to the internationally renowned art historian, BN (Brijinder Nath) Goswamy, who completed his remarkable journey pursuing his love for art and literature, literally till his last breath. Just a month before his passing, Goswamy had released his unusual book ‘The Indian Cat: Stories, Paintings, Poetry and Proverbs’.
Sadly, that was to be the last public appearance and also the last book of the revered Professor Emeritus of Art History at Panjab University. He had been working on it for the past two years in spite of declining health after Covid, a phase during which he lost his wife, Karuna, and subsequent death of son, Apu Goswamy, to cancer about a year ago. Yet, Goswami never shirked his work.
An author of over 20 books on art and culture, besides being a regular columnist, he was best known for his pioneering work on Pahari paintings and Indian miniatures.
As the news of the passing away of this dedicated scholar-teacher spread, messages of condolence and admiration, from home and abroad, started flooding the social media.
In a tribute, celebrated novelist William Dalrimple wrote: “Devastated to hear of the death of my beloved friend and mentor, BN Goswamy, India’s greatest art historian and one of the wisest and most brilliant men I ever met. He was a kind friend, a generous mentor, a rigorous scholar, a fabulous writer and an entrancing speaker who every year hypnotised the audiences with his wit, subtlety and erudition at the Jaipur Literature Festival. He was irreplaceable and will be hugely missed.”
An inspirational life
True, he was irreplaceable as was evident from the teeming crowd that had gathered at the Sector 25 crematorium on Friday afternoon to bid him adieu. Yet his was a life and scholarship that calls for celebration rather than mourning for there is much to learn from his achievements as well as his compassion. Above all, his was a fighting spirit that he continued to put in his best in the most trying of times. For the city’s artists and scholars, he was a guiding force, helping them when and where he could. Even those writing on art sought inspiration from him. Well-known art critic, K Swaminathan, in a personal message from Goa, wrote: “We all have our memories of Dr G, don’t we? He was such a seminal influence on so many of us, and in so many ways. His contribution to the study of Pahari painting and its principal artist Nainsukh will always come to mind.”
To Sir with love
Chandigarh was indeed lucky to have Goswamy in their midst. Born in Sargodha, now in Pakistan, he studied in Hoshiarpur where Panjab University had set itself up after Partition and before the campus came up in Corbusier’s capital. From a professor of history, he turned to history of art and schooled so many in this discipline while being a constant support to artists through times of glory as well as struggle.
One of his close friends, painter Viren Tanwar recalls how he had this wonderful sense of humour. Once Tanwar forgot his spectacles at his home. When he went there the next time, Goswamy returned them to him saying, “Well Viren here are your specs, I can’t see the world through your eyes.” Tanwar was quick to reply: “But Sir, we can see the world through your eyes!”
Last month when news came that he was to release his book of cat tales, I sent him a few words in request that I would like to meet him for a short interview. Within a day, I got a reply that I could, even though he was ailing and often on oxygen support. The short interview turned out to be a long one with the gracious scholar letting me know all that I wanted and when I wrote out the scoop that I had managed for my newspaper, he wrote back. Besides other things, he seemed amused that I had described him as ‘tall, handsome and debonair’. He wrote, “Now, the sobriquet- tall, handsome, debonair- will stick to me within the family even at this doddering age of mine.”
Yes Sir, you will be missed with your one little head that knew so much, your wit and humour and the kindness with which you touched so many lives.
