India Guide
Maharashtra
Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum
Address: 1378 Shukrawar Peth
Price: Rs150
Opening time: Daily 9.30am–6pm
Aside from being a celebrated Marathi poet published under the name Adnyatwass, Dinkar Gangadhar Kelkar (1896–1990) spent much of his life travelling and collecting arts and crafts from all over the country. In 1975, he donated his collection to the Maharashtran government for the creation of a museum dedicated to the memory of his son, Raja, who had died at the age of 12.
Housed in a huge old-town mansion, the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum is a wonderful potpourri in which beauty and interest is found in both artistic and everyday objects. Paraphernalia associated with paan, the Indian passion, includes containers in every conceivable design, made from silk, wood, brass and silver: some mimic animals or fish, or are egg-shaped and in delicate filigree; others are solid, heavy-duty boxes built to withstand constant use. Also on show are musical instruments, superb Marathi textiles and costumes, toys, domestic shrines and furniture, beauty accessories and a model of Shaniwarwada Palace.