Edited by Mehak Vohra
A Dhaba glass that once held steaming honey lemon tea, a forgotten pair of headphones, a stuffed toy cat that isn’t really a cat… are all seemingly unrelated objects, linked together only by the definitive memories their owners hold. And they have all found a place in the Memory Museum. In times like these where all of us are shrouded with nostalgia and looking for ways to feel connected with our college again, the History Society at Ashoka has perfectly adapted its flagship event into the online format- taking a deep dive into all we have right now, our memories.
This walk down someone else’s memory lane was the brainchild of Prof. Nayanjot Lahiri and Shreeja (UG19). The project first began in 2018 and is currently in its 3rd edition. This year’s theme, very fittingly, is “Home Away from Home.”
The idea behind the museum came from an urge to explore the role of personal memory and its preservation played in our view of history. Like a professor’s old school report card, or someone’s matchbox collection. These items might not find their place in any history books, but the memories and stories attached to them make them special and worthy of collecting and sharing.
I got the chance to talk to Prisha Tiwari, one of the Core Team Members of Ashoka’s History Society, who said, “We hoped that in this time of social distancing and the shutdown of campus, this curation makes people feel more connected to each other and that it becomes an organic way for people to express themselves and the things they cherish most.”
The theme itself was chosen for the broad and personal interpretations it affords. “Home Away from Home” could refer to Ashoka, a frequent travel destination, or the ‘home’ we have all come back to after university life was abruptly disrupted. Prisha explains that instead of a geographical spot, this home away from home could also be chronological. An earlier time perhaps, a different generation or an identity of the past that we connect with through an object.
Although it isn’t possible at this time to physically experience a museum together, Prisha felt that it was of utmost importance that we share, connect, and reflect upon objects and memories. Memory Museum 3.0 would be their first time doing it completely online, with all the pieces going up on their Instagram page for everyone to see and reminisce. The Memory Museum in itself is made through crowdsourced submissions which are then carefully curated and organised into displays. “On campus, this is a two-day pop-up with nice aesthetic lighting and an opening address from professors,” she reminisces.
After having curated memories from students, professors, and even alums (with a special address from the History Department faculty), this year’s Memory Museum has everything from generations-old family heirlooms, to fond and sweet memories and objects created right in Ashoka’s very own campus. You can find the specially curated online museum on the History Society’s Instagram page, where the posts will begin from September 28th.