JOIN USAntique items, costumes, models steal the show at expo
The range was wide—from old newspapers to science models. For most people, the articles are meant to be kept in attics and forgotten as they are unwanted in their opinion.
But, it is not the same for a bunch of people, whose main hobby and passion is to collect old items and preserve them well. For, many visitors, it was an opportunity to see the article for the first time in their life. The Vicennial exhibition, held on Sharada Vidyalaya premises in Mangalore, also had on display stamps and coins from across the world and Yakshagana costumes.
The exhibition was organised on Monday in connection with the 20th year celebration of the school.
Umesh Rao Ekkar had exhibited his collection of old newspapers that included journals, weeklies and dailies dating back to 1884. Rao has over 3,000 different titles in his collection, ranging from the oldest ones to the recent avatars. His collections also include newspapers from around the world, newspapers which were published in Dakshina Kannada.
It had Navabharatha daily dating back to 1941. A 300-year-old manuscript written on palm leaves in Tulu language was another attraction.
There were publications in different languages, including Kannada, English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Urdu and from different states in India and countries like China, the United States, Australia, England, Malaysia and Pakistan.
Paintings by Veena Srinivas, including traditional Kaavi painting, were also at the expo.
A section was devoted to medicinal plants like “wild tulasi,” cinnamon, clove, pepper, “rakta chandana,” hibiscus, “kokum,” and pomegranate with their details. The charts helped the students to know the importance of yoga in day-to-day life.
R N Mallya, an ex-bank employee, had displayed coins, currencies, stamps of 50 countries and autographs of well-know cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammed Azaruddin and actor Aishwarya Rai.
His collection also include serial numbers of the currencies matching the birthday of A P J Abdul Kalam, Mahatma Gandhi and so on.
There were artificial jewellery, glass paintings, ceramic paintings, oil paintings, engravings and other artifacts by Meenakshi Ramesh.
The students of Sharada Vidyalaya had come a section for costumes, including the jewellery of Indian art forms like Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattam and Odissi. There was a complete costume on Yakshagana by Ravi Alevooraya.
The students had also come up with science models like lemon power operated calculator, solar system, water fall using recycled water, movement of toys using the colour sensor, switching on and off the lights using sensor of clap, wind mill, model of an elevator, a mini bio-gas plant, metal detector, burglar alaram and model of Madurai temple .
Madhura, Varsha and others had come up with a model of Jallianwala Bagh, which they had visited a few months ago.
On their model “mobile bug,” Dheeraj and Abhishek said the transmission detector can sense the presence of mobile phones from a distance of 2.5 metres. It can be used in examination halls, they said.
There were post cards, letters and envelopes with faded inks, blurred and water-marked stamps talking of age old memories.
The members of DK Philatelic and Numismatic Association had displayed their collections, including stamps of Russia, butterflies, sports and games, miniature sheets, first day covers and cancellations. Neelayya from Bajpe had displayed post cards dating back to 1857 and an envelope of 1857.
Old telephones, typewriters, gramophone by Dr Malini Mukund was another attraction.
The collection of antiques by Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, included measuring units, wooden storing vessels, musical instruments, varieties of old locks, jewellery boxes, utensils, tea kettle made of brass, copper tumblers, manuscripts, swords used in olden days, varieties of baskets made of bamboo, charaka, wooden dolls on ‘Dashavathara,’ antique pillars and lamps.
Students from various schools flocked to view the exhibition.
Inaugurating the exhibition, MCC Commissioner Dr Harish Kumar said that teachers have a vital role in moulding the personality of the students.
“Teaching is a challenging profession, as the teachers have to update their knowledge to the questions posed by the students in the classrooms.
The teachers should imbibe values in children,” the Commissioner said. Kateel Sri Durgaprameshwari temple priest Vasudeva Asranna Kateel attended the event. Sharada Educational Institutions President Prof M B Puranik, Tulunada Educational Trustee Pradeep Kumar Kalkura and others were also present.