The Showcase

Every middle class Indian family had/has a showcase.

A glass and wooden furniture, which housed small artifacts. Artifacts purchased on trips, in fairs, collected with love and displayed with affection.

It housed what the lady of the house deemed nice, reflecting her taste. It housed what the Sir of the house found his lady liked. It housed stuff which fascinated the kids and awed their friends. It housed things which every guest had eyes glued to.

A replica of tajmahal, a scale model of a temple, a perpetual motion snake and charmer, sweet meat made of mud enticing a naughty child to take a bite, few trophies which the kids won in the school debate competition, a wedding card of the eldest son, small toys which have survived years……

Showcase, which brought joy when we were kids, brought nostalgia when we came back to home during college vacation, a lonely mother cleaning them when the birds have flown away from the nest.

The lifeless objects become attached to the family and the showcase becomes the showcase of the house.

I have my own showcase displaying collection of artifacts and memories ( the display picture of the post).