Mapping histories

As an explorer on a virtual quest across fantasy kingdoms the compass rose mdash a tiny starlike symbol for directions shymdash makes this writer miss a physical map Finding worlds brought indoors on a sheet of paper and covering distances condensed on scale paint a tactile beauty A beauty thatrsquos deficient until the textures on laid paper are felt or an index finger is moved along thumb linesBeyond eastings northings and facts and figures maps are physical repositories of aesthetics Meandering Through a Mapped Canvas a monthlong exhibition put together by Rotary Club of Bombay and The Asiatic Society of Mumbai will encourage viewers to see maps as artistic creations The display also aims to involve them in the conservation of these recordsNative Town of Bombay 1855Under the guidance of Vispi Balaporia president The Asiatic Society of Mumbai 100 maps from the societyrsquos collection were undertaken for restoration in 2019 Of these 32 will be put on show Every cartographical document will come with a narrative to aid the common man informs archivist Deepti Anand ldquoWhile we have this whole arc of imaginative and decorative maps of India there are windows into the countryrsquos coastlines trading posts and cities We pan through then Pondicherry Calcutta Goa and Bombay The oldest map in this assortment goes back to 1652 In it we see a rare depiction of India but that too introduces us to a mapmakerrsquos perception of the timesrdquo she says Anand who is the founder of Past Perfect explains the narratives have a twopoint purpose mdash they will describe the intent and techniques behind each map and the complexities that governed their restorationThe process of removing previous restorations check out a sevenandahalf ft map of one section of Punjab and smaller maps with a distorted LrsquoInde tooVisitors can take note of Bombay maps when they step into the neoclassical building that is one of the cityrsquos oldest operational public buildings Anand tells us a pictorial map of Bombay Fort from 1710 is accompanied by another map that captures a Portuguese cartographerrsquos idea of the island Henry Conybearersquos Native Town of Bombay and Fort of Bombay from 1855 are a deep dive into planning improvements for the early city ldquoInstead of listing out historical details we have presented stories in the context of how people view the city today The Plague Map of Bombay might resonate with viewers Although a devastating memory it led to reconfiguration of spaces and the birth of our suburbsrdquo the archivist sharesDeepti AnandConsultant conservator Amalina Dave came on board to take up whatrsquos uncommon or attractive to the eye and to preserve the most degraded maps She elaborates ldquoThe maps decide and we follow suit Depending on their condition or material the kind of treatment each map will need is dictated by them For instance The Native Town of Bombay gave way when we began to unravel it from previous preservations It didnrsquot tear it broke like thin glass To clean it we had to use a lowpressure table instead of water In a way that decision was made by the recordrdquoAmalina DavePriyasri Patodia chairperson of urban heritage committee Rotary Club of Bombay spoke about the stories that highlight these pieces of art ldquoThis display was the result of many people working closely and cohesively When I see maps I am forming interesting tales in my head These tales take me to fictitious lands Like in one map we see a Hindoostan that we have no knowledge of A Hindoostan that allowed you to travel freely I wanted visitors to have some background while stitching their own wordy versionsrdquoPriyasri PatodiaOn April 1 to 30Time 11 am to 7 pm Monday to Saturday 11 am to 5 pm Sunday At Durbar Hall Asiatic Society of Mumbai Town Hall FortLog on to rcb1929asiaticsocietymumbai on Instagram