The stereotypical image of a museum with its mundane environment and ominous silence is often deterrent enough for travellers. While even regular art and history museums have certainly revamped themselves to be vibrant gatekeepers of India’s past, especially amid the pandemic, they pale in front of these quirky exhibits that celebrate the history of even the most obscure objects and traditions of this subcontinent.
Mayong Central Museum and Emporium of Black Magic and Witchcraft, Assam: Mayong is a village in Assam that has had a long standing history of black magic. Part of a repertoire of knowledge that was passed down from one generation to another, Mayong’s tales of black magic inspired a museum dedicated to this faith. Most of the artefacts of this museum have been given by local families that practice black magic. Old coins, jewellery made of bones and shells, books on black magic make up the relics that are kept in the museum.
From Kites To Black Magic, Visit These Five Quirky Indian Museums
On International Museum Day, here are a few unconventional exhibits in India that will surprise you
Paldi Kite Museum, Gujarat: Located in Ahmedabad, the Paladi Kite Museum holds an exciting collection of 125 kites that hark back to ancient times. Bhanubhai Shah, a kite aficionado, was the man who gave his nearly 50-year-old kite collection to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation for the museum. A myriad collection of kites of varying sizes, textures and patterns splashed in vibrant colours sits on the walls. You shall also find a stellar assemblage of Japanese kites as well, some as tall as 20 feet! And no, kites weren’t always playthings for children! Visit the museum to find out their other uses.
NIMHANS Brain Museum, Karnataka: Ever imagined walking into an apocalyptic cold storage? That is exactly what the Human Brain Museum is: a room full of brains! The Neuropathology department of the National Institute of Mental Health and Science has been collecting brains for the past 40 years! Brains of all sizes and conditions have been preserved at this institute in order to promote neuroscience and public awareness programmes. You get to touch one on request, if you so prefer. Exhibits of 400+brain specimens of various diseases, as well as smokers lungs, pancreas, kidneys, heart, voice box, liver, intestine and human skeleton are also up for display.
Sudha Cars Museum, Telangana: This museum is bound to break down the singular notion that comes to your head when someone says the word ‘car’. K. Sudhakar is the man responsible for this eccentric museum and the cars that it holds. Transforming scraps into strange cars is his favourite pastime. Each vehicle has an informative plaque alongside that provides details about the make of the vehicle, the speed capacity and the time taken to manufacture the piece. The production cost of these cars varies from ₹85,000 to ₹150,000, although they are not for sale. You’ll find cars shaped like a camera, brinjal, burger, cricket ball and so on!
Sulabh International Museum of Toilets, New Delhi: Forget the Egyptians, let’s talk about the evolution of toilets from 2500 BC to date! Delhi’s Sulabh Toilet Museum has a collection of toilets both ancient and mediaeval. Get to know the gold toilets of Rome as well as the Harappan sewage system. You’ll also find an array of ornately designed toilets that were mistaken to be “treasure chests” by robbers in mediaeval times and much more. We promise your visit to this peculiar museum would be anything but boring.