JOIN USRavi Kumar Jayaram’s interest in collecting key-chains began in 1997. The HR professional has built his collection over the years by adding to it every time he travels to a new place
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The collection of over 300 pieces range from those picked up at local bookstores to some that have been hand-picked in countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and the United Kingdom. In terms of price, the keychains vary from Rs 15 to Rs 2,000.
So why keychains? “It began with a freebie that I got. Soon after, I started converting membership cards — which used to be particularly popular in the early 2000s — into keychains,” he explains.
Although many people take keychains for granted, Ravi says that it’s a fascination for him. “My passion began to grow quickly. I wanted to change the keychain for my bike keys every week. I used to ensure that I had enough stock,” he recalls. In fact, for Ravi, stepping into a bookstore means buying a new keychain.
“I used to like the collection at Sapna Book House earlier, which is where a lot of my initial collection is from,” he explains.
The collection of keychains includes some with witty punchlines, handmade ones, smilies, a fossilised butterly and a scorpion among others. Pointing to a keychain shaped like a mask from South Africa, Ravi says that he picked it up since it is one of the popular ones there.
“Masks are particularly popular there, which is the reason I chose this,” he says.
He makes sure that he picks up a keychain as a souvenir every time he travels. Often, he opts for those that catch his attention rather than those that represent the place. Ask him whether his friends help him add to the collection and Ravi immediately says, “I am very choosy about what goes into my collection. Hence, I prefer to get them myself. I never ask anyone to get them for me.”
Ravi, who also pursues several other hobbies, says that he takes out time every month to ‘review’ the collection. “I clean the collection every month and periodically have a look at the keychains. Maintaining all of them is a challenge,” he explains.
Ravi is part of a hobby club and says that he has a couple of friends who are also enthusiastic hobbyists.
Although many people complain that they don’t have the time to pursue hobbies, he says that one has to make time for something that interests them.
“Actually, there are a number of people who are interested in pursuing hobbies. They just have to make up their mind,” he says. “Along with maintaining my collection during the weekends, I also wake up early and keep aside time after work to pursue my hobby.
Also, since my family has similar interests, they give me a lot of support. My five-year-old daughter, who is also interested in the collection, likes to take them to school. And sometimes, I worry that they will be misplaced,” he adds.
“Every time my friends come home, they ask what I’ve added to my collection. When I find something I like, I just pick it up. Most of the time, key-chains are reasonably priced,” he says. Ravi, who also collects coins, bookmarks, newspaper clippings and greeting cards, says that collecting keychains will always remain his first priority.
“I am now on the lookout for hand-painted keychains, which I find interesting. Since my kid is fond of teddy bears, we have also started picking up keychains with teddy bears,” he says.