Circa January 2000. Yours truly was one of the 60 contestants who had been selected for the televised rounds of BBC’s Mastermind India quiz. The venue for the Mumbai leg of episodes was the Dr Bhau Daji Lad (BDL) Museum in Byculla. The day of reckoning had arrived. As if one needed more reasons to be nervous, the rain gods decided to go all out, leaving a beleaguered Central Railway to reach us to the destination. As we stepped into uncharted territory, it looked like a museum straight from what seemed like the Dark Ages. Dingy and scary, the pervading mustiness didn’t help our already slow-moving brain. The exhibits loomed large over the set like life-sized props from an abandoned warehouse. Worse, there was an intimidating giant-sized black chair (think: a horrified Alice in Wonderland) from where every contestant had to face a volley of questions from quizmaster Siddhartha Basu.

After a couple of hours of what seemed like one of the longest days in one’s life, the recording was done; the quiz had been conquered, reputation somewhat intact. Yet, the thought of the decrepit state of the museum had left an impression. Previously, we had read about the landmark, formerly known as the Victoria and Albert Museum, and its displays, treasures and rich history – as the oldest museum in Mumbai. But this did not paint a pretty picture.