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Rajan Jayakar started collecting empty matchboxes and cigarette packets from the road when he was just seven or eight years old. An innocent enough hobby that has since turned into a sizeable collection with over 2.75 lakh matchbox labels. The High Court solicitor has collections on different subjects, the most extensive being one on the history of Old Bombay. Carefully preserved artefacts from a young Mumbai tell the story of the city’s evolution into the one that never sleeps – this is really one-of-a-kind. Providing rare insight into Mumbai, the collection will delight tourists, migrants, and residents alike, and evoke both a sense of nostalgia and curiosity about ‘His Bombay’. And it’s on display till March 14 at Magnolia, a family-run furniture store in Worli Naka.
A refurbished water container that he remembers from family picnics many years ago has been polished and is one of the artefacts on display. In addition, the ardent Shammi Kapoor fan has posters, lobby cards and photographs of the icon. “The first film I saw was when I bunked school to go to Rocky cinema to watch Junglee,” he tells me with a palpable sense of delight in his voice. Pandanis, kerosene fans, gramophones from a different era will be brought under one roof at the furniture store and Mr Jayakar believes that there’s something for everyone. “The older generation will be reminded of their childhood and it will be a trip down nostalgia lane for them. For younger people, the collection will incite curiosity.” In the age of YouTube downloads, the joy of changing the pin on a gramophone after every five songs is a thing of the past.
On some of his favourite pieces, what he says stands out are the things he spent a lot of time or money collecting. For example, there’s one particular gold pocket-watch, from his collection of watches and clocks from the West End Company, that he is quite fond of. On the other hand, his most recent acquisition is a reminder of his heritage. “I picked up kitchen equipment that is common in households of members of the Pathare Prabhu community, the oldest immigrants to Mumbai who settled here in the 13th century. The history of Bombay and Pathare Prabhu are actually intertwined,” he shares.
For an exhibition titled ‘His Bombay’, I’m curious about what the city means to him. “It is a very progressive city and is actually referred to as urbs prima in indes–the first city of India. It’s a vibrant city, and I love it so this collection is an ode to the city because my passion for collecting started from the roads of Mumbai.” He also credits the road leading to Chor Bazaar for fuelling his passion and chuckles along as he prepares for a walkthrough and talks at Magnolia on March 11 and March 14. The items on display include antique machines, original Bollywood memorabilia and rare vintage advertisements.
If you walk away inspired to start your own collection, Mr Jayakar advises that you pick a small subject and start researching it. Grit and a massive penchant aside, he also believes “you need to have a collector’s gene.” Biology aside, there is definitely something in this eclectic collection that will draw everyone in – migrants, residents and tourists alike.
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