12. Kelkar Museum

* Daily footfalls: 1,000

The Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum stands on the tree-flanked Raja Dinkar Road,off Tilak Road. The museum was named by Dr D G Kelkar,primary collector of the artifacts exhibited in the museum,after his son Raja who passed away prematurely. The museum which started as personal collection and exhibition by Dr. Kelkar in 1962,began admitting visitors since 1975 after a hand-over to Department of Archeology,Maharashtra.

The museum has been styled as a Puneri ‘wada’,with its archways,corridors and chambers. One can admit himself/herself by paying a fee of Rs. 20. Upon admittance,the visitor is first met by a series of two-feet-tall marble statues from early 18the century Rajasthan; notably statues of Rama,Sita and Laxman. These statues are accomanied by stone cut sculptures of Vishnu from 13th century Pune and 17th century Madhya Pradesh.

The corridor leads us to a chamber containing artifacts primarily from the 18th and 19th centuries,which include doors,windows,tall lamps and jharokhas fom Gujarat,Maharashtra and Kerala. Chamber B on the ground floor has a collection of household items like furniture,shrines and mirrors; along with copper and brass vermillion containers.

Beyond the ground floor await three more floors which are packed with antiques. Chambers have been allotted to utensils and musical instruments which are stocked in the first floor. Textiles and lamps have been housed in the second floor. The third floor has a splendid collection of weapons ranging from swords,daggers and shields to loaded rifles,armour and cannonballs. The instrument section too has an exhaustive collection of contemporary Indian instruments from around the country. While in the museum,one can see signboards leading to the Mastani Mahal,which is saved for the end as dessert. It is a recreation of the chamber of Mastani,King Bajirao I’s wife,replete with carpets,chandeliers,a swinging shrine and a sitar.