Art from the past

Bronze figurines belonging to different civilizations,old paintings,daggers from the Mughal era from “people who chose to throw them away”,armours used by different dynasties and miniature bottles. He has them all. But what makes Gaikwad stand apart is his love and respect for the humble terracotta,the state’s oldest art treasure. In fact,his passion for ancient objects of art was triggered decades ago,when he was introduced to terracotta during a visit to some villages.

It started as a pursuit to save “something that looks beautiful”,he says. He found it peculiar that the houses in the villages had miniature terracotta objects “lying here and there”. “I was curious as these earthen objects seemed to be broken parts of something that may have been bigger. They were scattered in earthen vases that held the traditional Tulsi.” He turned into a terracotta researcher and it was only recently that he figured out he had something of historical importance in his hands.

His research over the years and meetings with experts revealed that the pieces dated between 2 century AD and 2 century BC. Gaikwad,who has been collecting various other important historical artefacts over the last three decades,decided to get them registered. He plans to convert his ancestral home in Saswad into a museum to ensure future generations in rural Maharashtra get to see the glory of lost civilizations,like masks that show Roman influence,toy pottery,and “many a fantasies” moulded in earth.

According to Balchandra Kulkarni,the registering authority in the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums,the state does not usually promote the idea of people excavating earthen treasures from protected sites,but people like Gaikwad need to be seen in different light as they strive to preserve such important artefacts from social settings where they are not safe. Commenting on Gaikwad’s collection,Kulkarni says,“The 2 BC to 2 AD terracotta found in parts of Maharashtra is precious as it belongs to the Satvahana dynasty during which terracotta pottery was bartered with Roman wine.” Their shapes indicate it was “an extensively rich period as fantasy was respected”,experts say. One figurine has the head of a parrot,the body of a rhino and mane of a lion.

Gaikwad,who has been researching while increasing his terracotta collection,is working towards his vision of creating a museum to benefit the younger generation and where experts and scholars can study them. “Over the years,I have seen many a sad day. I once saw a protected site where a public transport infrastructure was built. I could not do anything as taking any such stuff out of the sites is a crime. I stood and watched as the government authorities buried our history with cement,” says Gaikwad who is now being guided by experts on how to make his findings public.

At his house,a small old tenement,it’s remarkable to see how a family of six live and give space to all the items he has collected over the years.

“My wife and my mother keep shouting at me at times as there is hardly any space for us. There are days when I am at the house studying these items,” he says.

“Just watching them for hours,one is consumed by the beauty of an India that unfortunately can never be seen again. My aim is to ensure I create a space where these items get the respect they deserve,” he adds.