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Odisha teacher turns home into museum after collecting 1,000 old objects

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Abdul Wadood Khan established the museum within his residence using his own funds and time after developing a passion for preservation through Red Cross exhibitions and the Bharat Scouts and Guides. The collection spans pre-Independence and post-Independence eras, covering daily life, transport, agriculture, and communication. Displayed in glass-fronted cabinets, the artifacts include agricultural tools like ploughs and bullock bells, early cameras, and currency from over 150 nations. Even after retiring from regular teaching in 2023, Khan continues working as a guest teacher earning Rs 12,000 per month while managing the space.

Key points

  • Ama Sangrahalaya provides visitors and students with a direct, tangible educational space…: Ama Sangrahalaya provides visitors and students with a direct, tangible educational space to learn about everyday history.
  • Khan built and maintains the entire 1,000-piece collection through personal savings, home…: Khan built and maintains the entire 1,000-piece collection through personal savings, home space, and assistance from former students and family.
  • The initiative successfully safeguards regional rural implements and historical communica…: The initiative successfully safeguards regional rural implements and historical communication items spanning both pre- and post-Independence eras.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

A gramophone that once filled a room with music, a camera from another era, a pocket watch that has long stopped ticking and newspapers that recorded moments from India's past. These objects may look like forgotten belongings to some, but for 61-year-old Abdul Wadood Khan, each one carries a story worth preserving. Known as Raja Sir, the retired Urdu teacher from Cuttack, Odisha, has spent 14 years collecting more than 1,000 old and rare objects. Instead of keeping them packed away in boxes or cupboards, he has turned part of his home into a museum called Ama Sangrahalaya, meaning 'Our Museum'.

The collection brings together objects from everyday life, education, communication, transport, agriculture and culture. For students and visitors, it offers something that textbooks cannot always provide: a chance to see and understand the objects people once used in their homes and workplaces. What makes his effort particularly personal is that the museum has been built with his own savings, time and space, along with help from former students, family members and friends, according to the reports by The New…

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