In the heart of Pune's historic Kasba Peth neighborhood, behind an ordinary iron door, lies what might be India's smallest museum - a treasure trove of history crammed into a mere 10x12 foot room. Anandi Sansar, a passion project spanning 35 years, houses an astonishing collection of 1,000 artefacts made from brass, copper, and silver that tell the story of Maharashtra's rich cultural heritage.
The Hidden Treasure of Kasba Peth
Located near Phadke Haud, the museum occupies space in what appears to be a typical Pune housing society with scooter parking, dangling electric wires, and tube lights. Yet this unassuming setting conceals one of the city's most remarkable cultural gems. The museum's shelves, walls, and floors are filled with glowing artefacts that invite visitors to explore history through tangible objects rather than textbook narratives.
The collection includes an extraordinary variety of items: plates, glasses, kalash, cups, vases, old coins, a vintage saxophone, alarm clocks, miniature models of scooters, cars, trucks and bullock carts, tribal figure busts, and even a metal purse. Each piece tells its own story of daily life from generations past.
A Grandmother's Inspiring Legacy
Anandi Sansar is the brainchild of Girish Potphode, who retired as senior manager (finance) of Tata Motors in 2019, and his wife Girija. The museum's name honors Girish's grandmother, Anandi Potphode, whose passion for collecting utensils sparked what would become a multi-generational endeavor.
"I belong to the Tambat community, so we naturally have an affinity for metal utensils. All the utensils in my collection are the most precious to me," Girish explains. "My grandmother began this tradition of collecting, and my father, Krushna Potphode, continued adding to it over the years."
Among the most cherished displays is a utensil that Anandi herself used to clean rice. "She would make delicious idlis from that rice," Girish recalls with evident fondness. Another standout piece is a massive tawa used for making puranpoli. "They used to create large puranpolis that were both sweet and fulfilling. I can still remember the taste, and I've never seen a tawa of that size anywhere else," he adds.
Four Sections of Living History
The museum is thoughtfully organized into four distinct sections: antiques, kitchen utensils, bathroom equipment, and contemporary items created by the current generation of coppersmiths from Tambat Ali. This organization helps visitors understand the evolution of daily life and craftsmanship over time.
Girish notes that the museum's compact size itself speaks volumes about changing lifestyles. "An entire family could once live in a space of this size, complete with kitchen and bathroom facilities. Today, even children's bedrooms in modern apartments are larger than this entire museum," he observes.
The collection includes particularly fascinating items like an embellished silver hair ornament that once adorned long braids, a copper basin from 1847 used for holding warm bath water, an assortment of swords with intricate hilts and scabbards, and a 100-year-old koeri with an ingenious locking system designed to hold rice, kumkum, and other essentials for ritual prayers.
From Temporary Display to Permanent Museum
Girish began publicly exhibiting the collection during milestone celebrations of the Ganeshotsav organized by Twashta Kasar Samaj Sanstha, the committee of coppersmiths from Tambat Ali. "We displayed our collection when our Ganeshotsav turned 75, 100, and 125 years old. People came from across Pune and thoroughly enjoyed the displays," he recalls.
Encouraged by well-wishers who suggested creating a permanent exhibition, Girish faced the challenge of ensuring proper security for the valuable collection. During the pandemic years, he finally decided to convert a ground-floor room in his housing society into the museum's permanent home.
"We cleaned, polished, and lacquered all the items. We prepared the room to showcase these pieces as effectively as possible," Girish says of the transformation process.
Connecting Past and Present
Since opening, Anandi Sansar has attracted visitors with a passion for art and heritage, while also benefiting the local coppersmith community. "Tambat Ali now has only 30 workshops remaining, down from 100 in earlier times. Thanks to this museum, we're seeing people visit the coppersmiths to purchase utensils, so the community has directly benefited," Girish notes with satisfaction.
For many visitors, the museum offers a tangible connection to forgotten ways of life. Girish, with a storyteller's flair, demonstrates various artefacts: a brass signal used by railway guards, a light that dangled in front of bicycles when Pune lacked street lighting, a makeup box, a sculpted conch shell, and a 'bumb' used for heating water before geysers became commonplace.
He particularly enjoys showing visitors a brass pipe called phukni, which was used to blow air into the chulha (traditional stove), and tea cup and plate holders that are over a century old.
The museum is currently open daily from 6 PM to 8 PM, though Girish accommodates visitors at other times by appointment. Those interested can contact him at 9975507283 to schedule a visit. Looking ahead, Girish reveals plans to relocate the museum to a dedicated floor in a building currently under construction, ensuring this remarkable collection continues to preserve and share Pune's rich heritage for generations to come.
