In the basement of Suresh and Arun Dhaddha’s luxurious abode, lay a few forgotten trunks that owed their identity to what was resting inside them. The passing years lent their depth to these 3,000 items of cultural heritage that had evolved—both in terms of character and relevance through time—and are on display at Gyan Museum owned by them in Jaipur.
After their father Gyan Chand Dhaddha—the naturalist, collector and gemmologist—passed away on May 13, 2000, Suresh and Arun decided to walk down their dark, musty basement to bring out tapestries, paintings, antiques and art pieces that their father had collected for over 48 years, showing them the light of day for the first time since they had been closeted. They now enjoy admiration in their new home.
When Gyan Chand was 16, his father presented him with two old hookah mouthpieces. From there began his childhood fascination with antiques. Having been born and brought up in an environment that espoused the pursuit of philosophy, art, literature and poetry, he eventually grew closer to collecting what he found valuable.
The museum holds a collection of over 2,500 artefacts that range from postage stamp-sized etchings to life-size paintings from 19th century and older. Gyan Chand had a keen eye, we’re told.
Years ago, when he was visiting an art collector in Jaipur, Gyan Chand saw a miniature mural painting from the 19th century, discarded in the dustbin. He picked it out, straightened the creases and kept it on the collector’s table assertively. “Art doesn’t belong to the dustbin, he said, and walked out,” Arun says.
At another time, while travelling to a temple in Mount Abu, his eyes drowned themselves into the beauty of a silver anklet. He took it as a gift for his daughter-in-law. “Everyone was impressed with his choice but wondered why had he got only one? On being asked, he said, ‘true beauty like true love has to be one-of-a-kind. I wouldn’t have bought if there had been two.’ And we realised right then, that he was truly a connoisseur of good things,” says Arun.
The process of acquiring a piece of art would be an encompassing experience that added meaning to his collective visions. The Mughal box from the 18th century was one of his prized possessions. It was a carved piece comprising five emeralds in 22-carat gold with polka embedded in it.
“It is believed that similar boxes appeared from early 17th century and could have been used for medicines and opium, a Mughal panacea, or to hold even more precious objects, such as uncut diamonds,” says Suresh. Beside this, the museum displays the choga, a garment that was popularised as a ceremonial cloak, worn at court in the Mughal era.
Select pieces depict the ambi motif and indigenous adaptation of the paisley. Then there are angrakhas, traditional tops with an asymmetric opening. Miniature art from Rajasthan dating back to 15 have also been placed here. “Our museum has the largest collection of ancient hookah mouthpieces in the world. These come in a wide range of materials, including silver, enamel and filigree work,” says Arun. The museum also includes a manuscripts from the 7th century to the 20th century CE. “The collection of kalpasutra manuscript with embroidered cover is a must-see item,” says Suresh.
Years will once again pass by, lending their maturity to the pieces that now lie in the modern environs of the museum. The best part is that their chronicling has brought a man’s zest for art and culture from history to the present.