A conversation on the importance of collectibles

One of India’s renowned phillumenists, Rohit currently has 84,000 matchboxes from around 180 countries. Growing up, he realised the importance of collecting with respect to Madras memorabilia and its value in the current collectibles market. 

He wanted to convey this message to Chennaiites and has collaborated with V. Sriram, a renowned heritage activist-music historian and Hemanth Chopra, an avid collector of Madras and other vintage coins, for a panel discussion to create a dialogue on collecting. The panel discussion to be held on Tuesday is organised by Ashvita Fine Art (AFA), an art and culture organisation.

“I’ve been collecting matchboxes since I was in Class 5, but didn’t realise its significance. This tiny collectible has a lot of value as it tells the evolution of a place, culture and tradition. India is one of the largest producers of matchboxes and Tamil Nadu produces 65 per cent of matchboxes. Kovilpatti, Virudhunagar and Sivakasi are the main production centres in the state. My collection includes matchboxes from MGR and Annadurai’s era. To name a few, there are matchboxes on Pongal, jallikattu, etc. If you take one matchbox from my collection and ask me the story behind it, I’ll definitely have an interesting one to share,” he says.

Rohit is worried about the fact that the young generation isn’t showing any interest in collecting. “Many collectors say that their children don’t want to carry forward the legacy and are concerned about the future of the collection. This attitude should change and I wanted youngsters to start collecting — it can be anything that signifies the importance of our tradition,” adds the phillumenist.

Another speaker at the panel, Hemanth Chopra, pitches in, “Rather than investing time in something productively, youngsters spend a lot of time on social sites. There is nothing wrong in that, but I really wish they could start collecting. It’s a good stress buster as well. Also, fake things in the market dampen people’s spirit. At the discussion today, we will be talking about the importance of collecting and how to identify between fake and original.”

Ashvita will also be holding an online auction of paintings that highlight Madras’ heritage.