Chittoor: Incomplete Tagore Museum building turns a haven for boozers, anti-social activities

Madanapalli (Chittoor): The unfinished Rabindranath Tagore Museum building located on the historical Besant Theosophical (BT) College campus in the town turned a den for boozers and anti-social elements.

The empty liquor bottles, burnt cigarette butts, used disposable glasses, trash and litter all around in the incomplete building reveal the apathy of the college management in ensuring proper protection to the building in the sprawling college campus located in the middle of the town. As a befitting tribute to Rabindranath Tagore who visited Madanapalli in 1919 and enable the younger generations to know more about the Noble laureate and his outstanding contribution to Indian literature, a museum was proposed and the foundation stone was laid by the then Chief Minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy in 2012.

The works were halted after the release of funds for the construction of the museum was stopped, leaving the building remaining incomplete for about 10 years.

The successive governments including that led by Chandrababu Naidu who hails from the district and the present YSRCP government failed to provide the required funds for the completion of the building. It may be noted that Rabindranath Tagore when he was on a South India tour visited the BT College founded by Dr Annie Wood Besant (well known for her 'Home Rule Movement' in 1915 for India's independence) as a guest of college Principal James Cousins and his wife a music teacher Margaret Cousins. During his stay for a week from February 26 to March 2 in 1919, Margaret composed the tune for the Tagore's `Janaganamana' song which later became our national anthem.

With the apathy of the college management, the museum building became a den for youth for their vices and also a hangout for urchins. However the College principal YS Muniratnam said despite repeated complaints, the police failed to prevent undesirable elements venturing into the building. Many students on condition of anonymity lamented that sometimes even during day time the undesirable elements are found carrying out their activities in the building causing inconvenience to students more so girls passing by on the path.

Yugandhar who studied in the college said it was sad that a lofty idea of setting up a memorial for Tagore remained unachieved and demanded the college management to enlist the support of local leaders including elected representatives like MLAs and MPs to get the required funds and complete the building construction. One Town CI Eduru Basha said he will take the issue to the notice of the concerned authories and will ensure that police keep a watch on the building to keep the boozers and urchins at bay. He said it was primarily the management's responsibility to protect the building. He assured to deploy security personnel to prevent the misuse of the building.