Adding life to Bapu’s relics

“We are through with giving a new life to a rare khadi kurta dhoti used by Gandhiji and purses and sarees used by Ba (Kasturba Gandhi),” says Mamta Mishra,director ICI,showing the acknowledgment draft from the client — Sevagram Ashram of Wardha.

“The memorabilia seems infused with a new life,thanks to the touch-up by the experts,” says Kanakmal Gandhi from the Wardha Ashram.

Conservator Mishra throws light on the process: “The objects need to be treated chemically. We remove the acidity of the chemicals acquired because of neglect and change in weather over the year. Then the needful is done without affecting any difference or damage. The process is reversible,so in case the results are not satisfactory,it can be undone.”

In case of some badly damaged items,support is provided,says Haji Sarfraz Ahmed,textile restorer,ICI.

The institute experts have to their credit the restoration of a number of Gandhi objects. “We have treated dozens of photographs,personal letters written by the Mahatma,his bedsheet,Maanpatras (letters of appreciation) given to him and the ‘aasan’ used by Ba,” says Mishra,explaining why ICI Lucknow is the first and last choice of clients like Sevagram Ashram,Wardha,Sabarmati Ashram of Ahmedabad,Gandhi Museum of New Delhi and other museums across the country.

A specialised centre for conservation of items made of paper,textile and metal,the ICI is also credited with giving new life to dozens of letters signed by the Mahatma. “We got them in 2006 and most of them have been handed over to Sevagram Ashram,” says Mishra,showing ‘AC’ (after conservation) and ‘BC’ (before conservation) photographs of these.

Also,rare photographs of Mahatma Gandhi with freedom fighters,including Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Frontier Gandhi),have been treated here. “They are now adorning the galleries of museums across the country,” says Mishra.

The centre is also working on the original copies of registers,books foreworded by or associated with Mahatma Gandhi,says Ahmed,hoping that the task ends by July.

“Papers are toughest to preserve,but we have specialised in it,” he adds,showing a rare document on national education. “It was written by Zakir Husain and had a foreword by Mahatma Gandhi and is worth 50 paise,” he says,pointing at the cover.

A wing of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH),the institute has the distinction of being the first specialised conservation centre in India. “It is INTACH’s silver jubilee year,” beams Mishra.