Lucknow 12 September : A gilded Krishna idol rare brass Ram idol seated in the ‘Abhay mudra’ hand-crafted Padmanabhan Swami memento, and a Bharat Mata aren’t things you’d imagine in the offices of chartered accountants (CA) which is filled with piles of files.The Lucknow-based CA turned curator Ashish Verma has accumulated many memorabilia that were given as gifts to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.They were auctioned off in an auction.He been proudly displaying the items in his office.
The memorabilia and gifts of a high standard given to the Prime Minister will be auctioned on the website each year on his birthday, which falls on September 17 and the profits of the auction are donated to the Namami Gange Mission, a dedicated platform for the preservation and revive the river.
Ashish Verma is from Sitapur, a city of Sitapur and has bought 14 artefacts for 2.5 lakh rupees.2.5 lakh in 2021.
Verma declared, “Water is a global issue and there is no better source than the sacred Ganga.It’s an important cause to save the rivers.Buying these gifts in the auction online was like making an investment.It will bring rich dividends in the future.”
Verma plans to transform his home into a mini-museum that is dedicated to the Prime Minister Modi.”I would like to turn my house into a treasure trove of souvenirs and gifts given to Prime Minister Modi during various occasions.The idea is not to only inform people about the country’s rich history but also motivate people to help save the rivers of our country,” he said.
In 2022 more than 1,200 items donated to the Prime Minister will be auctioned off until October 2.Verma is ready for auction.
“This year, I’ve set aside Rs.4-5 lakh to auctions online to add a wealth of items to my collection.I was stunned when I learned about a pen stand in which the word “Bharat” has been written in sixteen different languages.I was immediately compelled to add the stand in my collection.
Similar to that, I bought an idol of Goddess Lakshmi at Rs 54,700, after 41 rounds of bidding.I also purchased an idol of Lord Ram sitting on a pedestal with hands in the ‘Abhay mudra’ after 50 rounds of bidding for 15,000 rupees,” he explained.
Other collections include exquisitely embellished shawls as well as goddess Kali and Lakshmi idols, Ashoka Pillar memento, brass idol of Lord Bhama and Arunachalesvara Temple photo frame.
But the gorgeous worshippers of Lord Krishna and Vishnu are a distinct feature in the Prime Minister’s office.”The Krishna idol, which I purchased for Rs 31,000 and was given to the Prime Minister by rifle shot Avani Lekhara, who took home an gold and bronze medal in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.Lord Krishna wears a crown that is adorned with stone and sequence,” he added.
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