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Vechaar Utensils Museum
Established	1981
Location	Vasna Sarkhej Road, Juhapura, Ahmedabad
Type	History museum,
Owner	Vishalla Environmental Center for Heritage of Art, Architecture and Research
Website	www.vechaar.com

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Vechaar Utensils Museum[edit]

Introduction [edit]

The Vechaar Utensils Museum is a museum in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India. It is located in the vicinity of the Vishalla Restaurant at the Vasna Sarkhej Road in Juhapura. The museum was designed and developed by the architect Mr. Surender C. Patel and it opened for public viewing in the year 1981. The Vechaar Utensils Museum derives its name from the Vishalla Environmental Center for Heritage of Art, Architecture and Research, which manages and maintains the museum.

The museum includes an extensive collection utensils ranging from wooden, metal and even glass utensils. Mr. Surender C. Patel founded the museum with the aim of preserving the Indian culture and heritage. The museum provides a link to the past and also depicts the evolution utensils over thousands of years.^[1]

History[edit]

The Founder [edit]

The museum was founded in the year 1981 and is the brainchild of the owner of the Vishalla Restaurant, Mr. Surender C. Patel.^[2] The inspiration to start a utensil museum came to him on a visit to the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. While he was in Saurashtra, he came across a man melting his brass utensils in order to sell the metal and earn some money. This incident made him realize that India was losing its heritage and culture. He felt that such a rich heritage should be cherished and fostered and this was the moment when the idea of creating a museum came to his mind. He consulted his closest friend Mr. Jyotindra Jain about the idea of starting a utensil museum. When he received a positive response from his friend he decided to go forward with the idea. By the year 1980 he had over 2000 utensils in his collection for the museum. His hard work and dedication is reflected today in the form of the Vechaar Utensils Museum. The creation of this museum was a huge contribution towards preserving Indian heritage and also provided a platform to display the skill and talent of Indian craftsmen.^[3]

VECHAAR Trust [edit]

Vishalla Environmental Center for Heritage of Art, Architecture and Research is a charitable organization which has dedicated itself to towards its goal of preserving the culture and heritage of India. The trust was founded on the belief that Indian architecture and art must be showcased on a public platform in order to make people aware about the India’s rich cultural history. The Vechaar Utensils Museum and the Vishalla Restaurant were created in order to give the visitors a unique experience and to generate interest in the beauty of Indian architecture and craftsmanship.

Structure and Architecture [edit]

The architecture and design of the museum is in accordance with the aim of the VECHAAR Trust to propagate Indian culture. The museum has been designed to give a village like ambiance. This can be seen through the fact that the museum is constructed in the form of huts and mud buildings. There are four small water bodies located amidst the museum and in the center lies a Shiva temple which embraces the whole theme that the museum suggests, which is to reflect culture and tradition. The museum is located away from the city and thus gives the visitor the feeling of being in an entirely different world. The display of the utensils and the artifacts is done in the form of free and open display platforms. The museum differs from any traditional museum in this aspect, as traditionally the artifacts are kept in sealed display cases. This strategy of the museum is done to enhance the ambiance and convey a village-like feeling. The museum is also divided into two sections, one for the metal utensils and the other for the nut cracker collection.^[4]

Utensils and Artifacts[edit]

The Vechaar Utensils Museum has an exquisite and beautifully crafted selection of utensils. The museum collection includes thousands of exhibits, some of which are centuries old. These represent the unique and beautiful craftsmanship of Indian artisans. The utensils included in the collection of the museum are a perfect combination of skilled craftsmanship and elegant design. The artifacts in the collection of the museum have been sourced from all over India and depict the rich culture and traditions of India. The utensils have been collected from various Indian states such as, Gujarat, Orissa, and Rajasthan. Some of the articles have also been sources from other South Asian countries. The collection includes cooking pots, vessels for storing water, rolling pins, spoons, pans and many other exhibits.

Metal Utensils[edit]

The major portion of the artifacts in the museum is metal utensils. The intricate craftsmanship and the beautiful design of the utensils leave the viewers awestruck. The fact that these vessels have survived over thousands of years is truly fascinating. The metal collection of the museum includes utensils made of different metals, such as copper, brass, silver, zinc, etc. The metal utensils have mainly been acquired from the Southern states of India. The utensils include jugs, pots, storing vessels, jewelry boxes, travel boxes and many more. The exhibits in this part of the museum are also classified on the basis of the purpose which they served and the time period in which they existed. The creation of these vessels without the presence of developed machinery highlights the skill and knowledge that existed in India during those times. The museum also features a diverse range of artifacts; there are exhibits as small as six inches on one hand and on the other hand there are exhibits that are nearly six feet long.^[5]

Nutcracker Collection[edit]

The nutcracker collection is one of the prime attractions of the museum. This is because there are very few other museums in the world which feature such an intensive and exquisite collection of nutcrackers. The collection includes simple and modestly designed nutcrackers and artistic nutcrackers which have intricate carvings and beautiful design. There are said to be over 800 varieties of nut cutters and nutcrackers. The composition of the exhibits is also very diverse; they are made of different materials and are of different shapes and sizes. The materials include, German silver, ivory, iron, copper, etc.

Legendary Artifacts[edit]

According to the mythological tale of Mahabharata, Draupadi was granted the boon of the Akshay Patra. This was a vessel which had an unending supply of food. It is said that inspired by this legend the Indian craftsmen created huge vessels which could hold a large quantity of food. Some of these vessels can be found even today in the Vechaar Utensils Museum.

There is also another legend associated with the utensils stored in the museum. According to the legend, nearly 440 years ago Emperor Akbar had to come to the region that is today known as Gujarat, in order to suppress a rebellion. The vessels that the Emperor and his court used during the time they stayed in the region are also said to be found among the exhibits of the museum.^[6]

Cultural Significance[edit]

The Vechaar Utensils Museum is a huge contribution to the culture and heritage of India. The museum proudly showcases the utensils and artifacts of bygone eras and gives the visitor a walk through time. The utensils that are displayed in the museum depict a timeline of India and show how the country has moved through the ages. These utensils have been handed down by generation after generation and they represent the ingenious and inventiveness of mankind. The different utensils depict the passage of time and evolution of the human race with time. The beautiful vessels and utensils pay tribute to the craftsmanship and skill which was present at a time when there was no modern technology available.

Since, food is an important part of the culture of India; the utensils used to produce the food also occupy a very important position in the heritage. The architecture and design of the museum also highlights the culture of India. The museum is designed to represent a village like atmosphere and this takes the visitors back to the roots of India. The museum was created to ensure that the unique craftsmanship, skill and culture of the past are not forgotten. ^[7]

Famous visits[edit]

The Vechaar Museum is an eye catching sight because of its antique artefacts displayed in a modern yet traditional manner. This sight is a dream come true for architecture students and people with interests in history, because of which a lot of tourists come to visit it. Along with these people, this place has also caught attention of a lot of famous people from all over India and the foreign countries. Tourists from distant places have come to visit Ahmedabad just to have a glimpse of the museum.

Celebrities like Indira Gandhi, MF Hussain, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sharda Mukherjee, Shyam Pitroda, Rajesh Khanna, Tina Munim, Maneka Gandhi, BK Nehru, Anu Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, Pandit Ravishankar, Amitabh Bachchan, Jitendra Prasad, Bhawani Singh, etc. have also visited the museum along with the Vishalla Restaurant.

The museum is a heaven for people who enjoy studying culture and history. The museum gained its popularity through newspapers and social sites, as it is something unique and gives an extremely memorable experience.