Is it possible to find tins of Parry’s Nutrine, Amulspray and Lactogen, Philips radio, VAT 69 bottle, Army hipflask, Agfa camera in a leather case, ancient Pepsi and Coca Cola bottles, wooden cigar boxes all in one place… One would wonder how and why such a diverse assembly would happen in the first place!
It would surprise many of us to find a Packaging Heritage Museum in Bangalore city which chronicles the evolution of packaging in the 20th Century. Visitors are fascinated to find curious collectibles from yesteryears displayed in pristine condition, reminding them of their childhood. Gramophone records of Lata Mangeshkar packed in two-colour printed paper board, tin case of Cadbury Fry chocolate, huge hot cases with space for hot coal, velvet lined cutlery kit and lab tool cases, metal body cameras cased in leather, wood finish radios, you will find them all.
Manjushree Packaging Heritage Museum is a fascinating collection of all kinds of packaging material used since early part of 20th Century. It is located inside the premises of Manjushree Technopack Ltd, which is a Bangalore based leading plastic packaging company catering to all top FMCG companies. The museum maintained by Vimal Kedia, CEO of Manjushree Technopack displays a diverse collection of old as well as existing brands in different packaging material.
Manjushree Technopack Ltd established this unique museum in 2003, as part of its packaging innovation division. A brainchild ofVimal Kedia, this museum is the result of his passion of packaging technology. This collection attracts FMCG packaging experts and layman enthusiasts to study the gradual evolution of packaging material as well as changing consumer needs.
One look at the 250 items gives you a perspective on the sea of change that has happened in the world consumer goods packaging. Beginning from wood casing in the 1900s, packaging has moved to metal, then to glass, paper, cardboard and finally to plastic containers today. Today, marketing managers of various top brands do visit the museum to understand the legacy of their brands in the years gone by. For instance, we can see the gold plated spoon offered by Nescafe during its early days of promotion in the Middle East. Personal care items were showcased in hard casing with velvet and silk finishing in the interiors.
Tracing the origins of his collection, Mr.Vimal Kedia narrates “Most of our displayed items have been collected through friends and relatives who contributed from their attics. Whenever I traveled across the country, I searched for packages in old warehouses and shops. Smaller towns and villages are the best places to find such items and my visits to remote towns in Assam have yielded many such objects. Almost all of the information about these curious items was given to us by word of mouth. In fact, many of can find them in the attics of our grand parents.”
But there is a hitch before Nostalgiphiliacs want to go for a pilgrimage. This museum is in way outside the city in Electronic City. Moreover, it is inside the factory premises and you need to take prior permission to visit it!
Fact file –
Name: Manjushree Packaging Heritage Museum
Location: Electronic City II stage
Contact: Ankit Kedia
Info: http://www.manjushreeindia.com
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