by MIHIR SRIVASTAVA
Nitin Shrestha, 45, is an incredible guy for the things he does to pursue his passion. An army officer, who has worked in most arduous terrains and conditions, and has a beautiful family, is a historian by temperament, and a researcher by aptitude, the past is a living story for him. Perhaps, that explains why he’s a passionate collector of antiques.
Antiques are not merely innate objects to Nitin but witness to history, to change in the way of life ushered by technology and the industrial revolutions. How objects, whether it is a watch, a chair or a table, a mode of transportation– say cycle–altered the human ability to accomplish things with greater adroitness and efficiency. These objects are tools that become an extension of the self. With time and progress, in light of other inventions, they lost relevance. Despite becoming redundant, they have an intrinsic artistic quality that only augments with age.
The antiques are, therefore, more than the sum total of what they are. “They have a character. They tell a story. And rare, therefore, precious. And very few get to possess them,” says Nitin. They have energy, too. And embody the influences of the past that has shaped today, carrying an imprint of all their previous owners, what happened to them, on them, in their presence. A part of it–some essence–stays. Therefore, when you possess an object with a history, it has a profound impact–good or bad or both.
Nitin recollects buying an old metal kettle, and he felt something amiss the day it entered his house. It was not a good feeling, won’t call it a curse. Though, this feeling persisted till he passed on the kettle to someone else. The energy of the new owner seemed to blend well with that of the kettle. For that matter, Nitin talks about his experiences with antique watches that are not in the logical realm, some of them won’t work whatever you may do, but with other owners start to function as if nothing was wrong. Some function beautifully even after decades of disuse, like the Omega Constellation of 1950 Nitin has been wearing for the last ten years.
It’s an obsession for possession of objects that bring history alive. Sitting in a desolate coffee shop that sells leather artefacts with a retro feel, Nitin explains his process, “Have you heard of this famous saying by Rumi, ‘what you seek is seeking you’?” That’s true about his passion for collecting. He manifests the object and it comes to me. He bought old aviator sunglasses for a pittance from an old dusty scrap shop, and months later he found a case for a similar model of sunglasses in a godown a thousand kilometers away. The set was complete.
It’s business, too, driven by a community of passionate people who celebrate the past by way of objects. A closely knit community where people keep their word, and trust in dealings is essential to remain part of this rather closed community. They are not on social networking sites and are scattered all over the country.
“So if I need something, I let the community know. The message is passed through the network and people are on the lookout. It may take years. But you do end up finding things in the most expected places,” Nitin explains.
And to be able to keep doing it for years, perhaps, is impossible if you don’t have a fascination, a certain obsessive compulsion, a fixation, a passion that borders on madness. Not all madness is bad. Nitin instead used the word “confused”. “If that is confusion, then it's a very focused and persistent one,” I retort.
His favourite pastime is loitering in the Kabari bazar, on the qui vive for things he might be lucky to find. It’s like a blind date with the destiny of objects. You have nothing specific in mind, but when you see it, you know that's it. The known unknown.
Nitin is the odd one in his family for more than one reason. Being a collector happened naturally to him very early in his life. His first acquisition was a record player when he was in class 8. He saved money for many months to purchase it. Nitin still has it.
The list of his acquisitions in the last 30 years has reached phenomenal levels. Though there are much bigger collectors than him, he clarifies, and being rich helps., his passion is second to none. A salaried job with a host of other responsibilities is a limiting factor, despite Nitin's collection includes: two Grandfather clocks, 16 bikes, dozens of pocket watches and wrist watches all at least 70 years old, postcards, World War 2 artefacts, cycles……
And it is not easy to keep them functional. Sourcing spare parts can be harrowing, to put it mildly. But it is the quest that makes the whole endeavour all the more engaging.
Nitin has two antique cycles, a Raleigh and a BSA Airborne folding cycle. He decided to attach a Cyclemaster (power wheel engine) to BSA. Cyclemaster first made a public appearance at the Utrecht Industries Fair in 1950. It made the cycle a faster mode of transportation for impoverished people dealing with the aftermath of the War. It took Nitin many years, finally sourced the Cyclemaster from England.
His latest acquisition is a 1938 Ariel Red Hunter (see lead picture). He got it for a big amount, and to be able to pay, he sold two of his other motorcycles, both vintage Enfield bikes, each more than 70 years old.
There are times when you simply cannot afford an antique you want to buy badly and have to let it go. “But it stays in your mind, haunts you until acquire it,” he says.
Nitin's job takes him to godforsaken places. From ice-capped mountains to the desert to forests. He is a foodie and has a kitchen running even on the icy mountains. He’s happy, for these godforsaken places are close to nature. And nature heals him. Bird watching in the highest reaches of the Himalayas is soul gratifying. And he describes with much relish his recent sightings of Lammergeier, commonly known as the bearded vulture, and the golden eagle. He likes solitude to think and read–loves to be surrounded by books.
I suggested a personal museum to showcase his collection. His plans to open a cafe in a large space–like a loft– where his acquisitions will be on display so are his culinary abilities.
One thing is for sure, he's an admirer of human ingenuity as reflected in the creation of objects. I kept wondering long after he had left: what will come his way from the past next? Perhaps, an accordion.
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