Going behind the shell

It’s not always that you find someone who collects turtles as a hobby — not the live ones — rather those made from different materials and in all sizes. He has over 40 turtles in his collection picked up from all over the globe. Each is unique in itself and has a story behind it. He picked up this hobby 14 years ago and since then, he has been looking at turtles everytime he’s globetrotting. “I do not buy more than one turtle in a particular design. I also look for particular forms of turtle. These reptiles have been worshipped in many countries,” he informs.

One can sense the excitement as he starts talking about his collection. “I am an entrepreneur and travel abroad, although, not frequently. I prefer to travel light and that’s why I found the turtle to be a perfect souvenir because it’s small and fits in the bag perfectly,” explains Jeevan. 

He says that he has found  turtles in almost every shop across the world. “It seems to be the favourite choice of people of all categories, including artists who have featured it in several forms,” observes Jeevan.  

His turtles are made from a variety of materials such as plastic, glass, clay, brass, yellow metal, rubber, ‘bidri’ ware, wood, coconut shell, stone and mud. “Some are painted, some are decorated with stones, a few are polished with wood varnish and others are carved. Most of them are decorative pieces which reflect the culture and ethos of the place from where they are bought,” shares Jeevan.  

Every piece is cut and designed in a way that it tells a story. “There’s a turtle made out of clay which I bought from Mexico. It looks like a flute. There’s another white one which is made of marble that I picked up from Peru. It is believed that the marble one will bless its keeper,” says Jeevan. There’s a piece made from coconut shell sourced from Hawaii and yet another, which resembles a  snuff box, from Beijing. 

“I have a turtle which is made from a sea shell. It comes with a magnet  and is from Brazil. Then there’s a beautiful turtle which depicts an egg hatching and the baby turtle emerging. This is from South Africa. I also have a turtle made of metal from Mexico which can be worn as a pendant,” shares Jeevan in an excited tone. 

He has carefully preserved his collection on a shelf specially made for the purpose. “Looks like I will have to get another shelf to display the rest,” he says. People who visit Jeevan’s house are fascinated with the turtles and indeed tempted to touch them. Most conversations also revolve around them. 

Ask Jeevan if he is possessive about his collection and he admits that he is but lets people handle them with care. “I am possessive but allow guests to understand the form and beauty and explain how I bought them. I want them to experience the uniqueness,” he states. Jeevan’s family is supportive of his hobby but they generally don’t contribute to his collection. 

“My children are grown up and do not fancy these. However, they listen to my explanation whenever I make an addition to my collection,” he says. 

(Jeevan can be reached on [e-mail])