Collecting the Past: Why We Still Fall in Love with Old Things

In a world that’s constantly chasing the new, there’s a quiet magic in falling for the old. A frayed postcard, a faded comic book, a Sandesh mould tucked away in your grandmother’s kitchen cabinet these aren’t just objects. They’re time machines.

At Shhokher Baajar, we believe that collecting is not just a hobby it’s a way of remembering. It’s how we hold on to stories, to textures, to memories that would otherwise slip through our fingers.

Where It All Began

There was a time when collecting was seen as the indulgence of kings and zamindars. Antique coins, rare stamps, Persian carpets these were the prized possessions of the privileged. But in Kolkata, and in many Indian households, the passion for collecting seeped into the hands of everyday people. A child keeping matchboxes under a bed. A teenager trading film posters in College Street. A grandmother carefully folding sarees passed down through generations.

We collect not just for possession but for connection.

Why It Still Matters Today

In today’s fast-paced digital life, the act of collecting offers something rare: slowness. It teaches us to pause, to pay attention, to care. That old wooden piri from a wedding decades ago? It carries blessings. That hand-painted bowl? A glimpse into a folk artist’s soul. These things speak to us, if we’re willing to listen.

Collecting also creates community. At every Shhokher Baajar Art Mela, you’ll find strangers bonding over a shared love for typewriters, puppets, film memorabilia, or hand-painted tin boxes. Age, background, profession all melt away in the warmth of shared curiosity.

A New Adda for Old Souls

Shhokher Baajar isn’t just a marketplace it’s a darbaar of discoveries. A place where heritage meets whimsy, and past meets present. Whether you’re a lifelong connoisseur or just starting your journey into the world of collecting, we welcome you with open arms (and open trunks filled with treasures).

So the next time you see an old matchbox with a quirky print, or a rusted tin toy at the bottom of a drawer don’t toss it away. Hold it. Wonder about it. Let it whisper its story.

You might just fall in love with the forgotten.