There are museums built by governments. And then there are museums built by obsession, curiosity, and a lifetime of disciplined wonder.
(https://photos.app.goo.gl/gNwGBhE95oiFoBGt8 )
My recent visit to Dr. Tejus Naik’s Museum, often known as the Naik Heritage Museum on Thaltej–Shilaj Road in Ahmedabad, was not merely a tour — it was an immersion into a mind that refuses to live in narrow corridors. This remarkable private, residential museum houses more than 8,000–9,000 artifacts spread across over 77 categories — from million-year-old fossils to rare coins, vintage cameras, stamps, antique household objects, and cultural treasures from across civilizations.
What struck me most was not just the scale, but the intent. Dr. Tejus Naik, a practicing surgeon, has curated this collection with the patience of a historian, the precision of a scientist, and the heart of a storyteller. The museum stands as testimony to his deep and wide-ranging intellectual passions. His philately and numismatics collections alone are of extraordinary depth — each stamp and coin a quiet witness to political shifts, economic transitions, and cultural exchanges across centuries.
Even an overview demands several hours — perhaps several days. Every corner carries a story. A few moments remain especially vivid in my memory: I havetried to list in order of the artifacts seen in my visit so later I can add to the comments behid the picture.
The nostalgic bioscope box instantly transports one back to the street-corner cinema magic of childhood days. It stirred memories of making our own “magic lamps” and watching imaginary films with wide-eyed wonder.
The grand Pitara of Jhansi is an evocative storage chest carrying echoes of another era.
Creative Rangoli designs crafted by Tejus himself — proof that collecting is not his only art.
An astonishing archive of chocolate wrappers, turning everyday ephemera into cultural documentation.
Traditional artifacts like the Raman Divo, Kandoba Horses, and the elegant Bankura Horses — each rooted in regional heritage.
A striking Buddha in Greco-influenced style, reminding us how cultures blend and reshape one another.
An apothecary display evoking the evolution of medicine — a fitting nod to his profession.
Documentation of social initiatives through an NGO running 30 schools and supporting 3,000 children — evidence that preservation of history is matched by commitment to the future.
Bamboo anklets from Indonesia, Chinese 10-ball puzzles, Jam Jam water, Kalki and Balram with plough, Das Avatar representations — the diversity is staggering.
The presence of Bharat Ratna Gulzarilal Nanda’s award and letters from Mahatma Gandhi connects the personal collection to national history.
A 1969 sketch made by Tejus of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the “Frontier Gandhi,” reflects that his artistic engagement began early in life.
And then, of course, the vast and expanding collections of stamps and rare coins are encyclopedic in scope.
This museum is not an accumulation for display; it is disciplined preservation. It reflects scholarship, aesthetic sensitivity, historical awareness, and sheer curiosity. To curate such breadth requires not just resources, but relentless learning and organization.
Payal and Tejus were exceptionally warm and hospitable hosts. The visit felt personal, generous, and deeply inspiring. One leaves with the rare sense of having met someone who truly lives beyond conventional boundaries — someone who practices medicine by profession, but practices curiosity as a way of life.
Dr. Tejus Naik’s museum is more than a collection of objects. It is a living archive of memory, culture, and passion — proof that when knowledge meets devotion, even a private home can become a cultural institution.
Some people collect artifacts. A few collect time itself.
