🗓 On November 8, Consul General of Russia in Chennai Valerii Khodzhaev took part in a commemorative event at the Russian House marking the 130th anniversary of the great Russian poet Sergei Esenin.

🇷🇺🇮🇳 The function was graced by Ms. Arumbu Subramanian, the renowned Russian–Tamil translator, presenting Tamil translation of Esenin's famous poem "The Golden Grove Has Spoken".

🎊 Mr. Vyacheslav Zhuravlyov, Director of the State Museum-Reserve of S.A. Esenin, Ms. Valeria Evdokimova, Deputy Director for Research, and Ms. Natalia Lygoreva, Head of the Exhibition Department enriched the celebration with the engaging stories about the poet’s life and legacy, sharing fascinating insights into how India was portrayed in his works. Musician Kim Ochkalov performed traditional Russian folk tunes on the accordion.

🗣 Russian compatriots, diplomats, and Indian guests recited Esenin’s poetry in Russian, Tamil, English, and Armenian.

#RussiaIndia #Esenin

🚢 On November 17-18, 1948, the fabled cruiser Aurora reached its final destination, was berthed for eternal moorage in the then Leningrad (now Saint-Petersburg), preserved as a museum ship.

The ship received its name in April 1897, when Emperor Nicholas II ordered that the new vessel (part of the newest series of protected cruisers) be called Aurora – in honour of the Roman goddess of dawn.

The ship’s ceremonial first sail took place on May 24, 1900, with the Russian Emperor himself and members of the royal family in attendance.

Aurora sailed with the Russian Baltic Fleet before facing her first trial in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), including the Battle of Tsushima (May 27-28, 1905). During the First World War, Aurora operated in the Baltic, escorting ships and securing key maritime routes. In the interwar period, she served as a training vessel for young naval officers and became a familiar emblem of the Baltic Fleet.

On October 25, 1917, a single blank shot from her forward gun became a historic signal – marking the beginning of the assault on the Winter Palace and forever linking the cruiser to the events of the Great October Revolution. During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), she stood in defence of her city: when the Nazi forces began the Siege of Leningrad (1941-1944), Aurora’s guns were removed for use on the front lines, while the ship herself was hit and sunk at her moorings by enemy shelling.

⚓️ After the war, Aurora was raised, restored and transformed into a museum – and on November 17, 1948, she officially took her place on her permanent mooring on the Neva Embankment. With her preserved decks, engine rooms and historical exhibits, the ship was turned into one of Russia’s most visited memorial vessels.

Today, Aurora remains a national symbol – a monument to the sailors who served on her across different historical eras, a living classroom of naval history and a cultural landmark visited by millions each year. In the summer, she also returns to ceremonial service: Aurora is formally included in the Naval Parade held on Russia’s Navy Day (the last Sunday of July), maintaining her place in the country’s naval traditions and public memory.

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The cruiser Aurora (a branch of the Central Naval Museum named after Peter the Great) is located at 2 Petrovskaya Embankment, St Petersburg.

Open from 11:00 to 18:00 (September 1 – May 31) Wednesday through Sunday. Mind you, the ticket office closes at 17:15.

The museum includes nine exhibition halls, covering the cruiser’s full history: from her construction and early service, to her post-WWII restoration and transformation into a "floating museum". Additional halls feature naval medicine, a reconstruction of the ship doctor’s office, the original infirmary, and holographic ship models.

👉 Make sure to visit Russia & Saint Petersburg in person. Meanwhile, the next best thing to see Aurora with your own eyes 👉 3-D TOUR OF AURORA