Sometimes one unearths treasures in the least expected places. The first floor of plant 19A, Godrej, Vikhroli — in the midst of grey factory plants and sprawling space — is a surge of warm oranges and sweet violets, ancient typesetting that you instantly love. To think that my kids, who are increasingly wary of the places I take them to, were engaged and happy to be here, is the litmus test of young adult-engagement that is so hard to find at this age.

So here we were, totally surprised and happy with the first glance of the archives. (I've been to museums and places of history, and this is the first time that I see an approach that is welcoming and one that in no way removes the sense of history; kudos to the Godrej family for a funky version of an archive). My excitement grew seeing the first refrigerator (we had one in my home!), the first cupboards (a Godrej in our day and time was synonymous with the word 'steel cupboard'), the first square locks and safes, the first soaps which includes a series of perfumes that a visitor can spray and inhale for the scent of Godrej soaps. Did you know Godrej had a soap called Vatni? Derived from the Hindi word vatan, meaning
country, it was the soap that actress Madhubala had advertised for.