Founder's Note

My engagement with teaching began well before my formal academic journey in art history. It was shaped by the influence of teachers who, above all else, inspired a genuine desire to learn. This early exposure instilled in me a deep appreciation for the process of learning and a parallel aspiration to share that enthusiasm through teaching.

When I formally entered the field of art history at Kala Bhavana, this foundational spirit of inspiration found renewed direction. It was under the guidance of the late Parvez Kabir that I encountered an introduction to the myriad Ways of Seeing, which profoundly shaped my intellectual outlook. His teaching sparked a sense of curiosity and critical inquiry, encouraging a sustained and wonder-filled engagement with the visual world. This moment marked the beginning of my journey in art history, grounded in both reflection and the impulse to inspire others in turn.

From the very inception of Bhāva, our aim was to cultivate a space of open intellectual inquiry—an academic environment where students could engage freely, ask questions without hesitation, and critically examine the surrounding world.

This vision was deeply informed by my own experience with art history as a discipline, which not only encouraged me to question established narratives but also prompted a process of unlearning ingrained biases—those subtle yet persistent influences we often carry from early social and cultural conditioning.

At Bhāva, one of our primary responsibilities is to support students in identifying and unpacking these inherited assumptions. By doing so, we aim to enable a more conscious and critical engagement with the visual world—an engagement that extends beyond the boundaries of formal curriculum.

Speaking of academic curriculum, Bhāva is committed to addressing the diverse and layered dimensions of visual art, culture, and history. Our goal is to equip students with the analytical tools and contextual understanding necessary to navigate the complexities of today’s media-saturated and often contradictory digital landscape. In doing so, we encourage them to ask difficult questions, challenge dominant narratives, and critically assess the underlying structures of knowledge systems.

Dr Rahul Majumder

Purbapally, Santiniketan