A hoarder of tunes
A hoarder of tunes
Most people are collectors of sorts, but few understand and practice the fine art and discipline of collecting seriously. My own collection of music is fairly large and varied but horribly lacking in terms of organization and cataloguing. Which is why I reserve the greatest admiration and respect for music collectors, who have not just collected obsessively but also disciplined themselves into cataloguing and organizing their treasured collections methodically. They have been able to bring the much needed method into their madness. What’s more, they haven’t just collected and hoarded, but provide access to their collections, albeit on their own terms.
I’d like to introduce readers to yet another remarkable collector tucked away in a quiet little corner in the town of Nadiad, Gujarat. Rohitbhai Desai, a snowy haired, bespectacled but sharp-eyed gentleman, has been a collector for over four decades now, and could easily be sitting on one of the largest stashes and well-organized collections of music in the country. Last week, I had the privilege of meeting him at his home and enjoy a taste of his enormous music collection.
Truly, it was a memorable afternoon for us, with great music, the company of a master collector, and Mrs Desai’s batata poha and home-made ice cream as bonus. It would be plain avarice to ask for more!
Write to Shubha at musicmatters@livemint.com
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