The man behind Kamat chain of hotels, Vithal Kamat, takes mid-day on a tour of his never-seen-before collection of historical artefacts ensconced in secrecy at his hotel in Vile Parle
Restaurateur Vithal Kamat holds a 400-year-old multi-purpose coconut shredder. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Long before hotelier Vithal Venkatesh Kamat, 65, became known for his eponymous chain of South Indian restaurant, Kamats, and his chain of ecotel hotels, The Orchid, he was growing an appetite for something else entirely -- art and history. The man is a collector of fine art, artefacts and antiquities, which he has culled from across the country.
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While The Orchid in Vile Parle (E) has a small public showcase of antiques that he calls the Ai Museum, what he hasn't told the world -- until now -- is that the real stash lies in four rooms tucked away on a floor of the hotel.
A peacock receptacle
Taking mid-day on an exclusive tour of his secret treasure, he mouths in jest, Open, Sesame! before leading us into his storerooms. Inside is an eye-popping array of antiques arranged on numbered racks. He pegs the total number at close to 36,500. There are utensils of all kind, old style crockery and cutlery, hanging lamps, heavy receptacles, boxes of all sizes, and even some ancient weapons hung on the walls. In fact, the room is stuffed to the brim and a careless twist or turn could result in an object flying off the shelves. Their value has not been calculated yet, says Kamat, as an expert will first have to check the collection. While we tour a room, we learn that there are at least three more storerooms that remain locked.
His first idol from the thousands he now has, was of infant Krishna
Childhood collector
For Kamat, the collection begins at home. His Churchgate residence has 10,800 Ganesha status and 11,000 turtle artefacts.
"I began collecting when I was eight. I still have a small statue of laddoo Gopal (infant Krishna) gifted by my mother," says Kamat, displaying the idol on his palm. "I also got a few coins from her, which I put away as part of my collection."
From eight years to 65, Kamat has gone on to collect during his travels across India. "People, too, started presenting me with valuables when they learnt of my passion. They knew that I would not sell them. They gave me their valuable, old artefacts, knowing they would be looked after."
The racks, neatly numbered, and sundry tables in the centre of the rooms hold everything from idols to unique storage boxes of all sizes, weapons, household and kitchen items
Why so secret?
When asked why he chose to keep his collection hidden from the public eye, Kamat says, "This is a holding museum. Just like a mother who carries a baby for nine months, before it is brought into the world. I am holding these before they can be shown to the world. The artefacts await a home where they can be celebrated."
A set of ancient weighing scales hang from the ceiling
Kamat calls himself a mere custodian of the treasure, not owner, reeling off names of friends and collectors who have parted with their valuables.
Telling a story
The man, who passed on his life story and philosophy in a book, titled Idli, Orchid and Will Power, wants to "hand over the collection to the next generation, because I feel it is my duty to educate and propagate India's rich heritage and culture."
Kamat says he is merely the custodian of this treasure, which is waiting for a home where it can be showcased
He rues how India, although brimming with heritage rarely protects or celebrates it. "The West has little history, but they know how to tell a story. Not us," he adds.
He points to a collector's item, a kitchen utensil from 400 years ago that is a coconut grater, shredder, smasher and cutter, all in one. "Our people were geniuses," he says of the craftsman who imagined the tool, adding, "We know about Aryabhata and the origin of the zero in mathematics, but do we know about all this?"
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