Cricket
Cricket is an extraordinary sport but apart from being just a sport, cricket is a celebration. It is an emotion that binds the whole nation together. Cricket was invented during 17th century in England. Today, a lot of countries play this sport but there is no denying that nobody worships cricket like the Indians do. Cricket unites people of all ages, gender, color, and nations. Cricket doesn’t discriminate and maybe that’s why it’s loved by one and all. Whether it’s ODI, Test, IPL, or gully cricket, it is always so much fun to watch cricket.
Tribute
India has a very rich history in cricket. Some of the best cricketers in the world are from India. A museum has been built in Pune, India to celebrate this enchanting sport. The ‘Blades of Glory’ cricket museum was founded in 2012 by Rohan Pate, a former Indian cricketer. The museum was inaugurated by the legend Sachin Tendulkar himself. The museum stands as the world’s largest cricket museum and is entirely dedicated to the sport of cricket. Rohan Pate envisioned Blades of Glory especially for cricket enthusiasts, to give people an opportunity to learn about the history of cricket and immerse themselves in their passion, to inspire the younger generation. The museum holds an impressive collection of 75,000 pieces of memorabilia and artifacts from cricketers all around the world. The chief objective of the museum is to preserve and share the golden moments of cricket throughout the history and the present.
The Museum
The museum is located on 3rd floor in an residential building. They have combined 2 apartments on the same floor to have a comfortable space for the museum. The area of the museum spans almost 5000 sq. ft. The entrance to the museum is through a wide door. At the entrance, there is a display of the evolution of bats from the 1720s to today. The museum inside displays unbelievable and rare collectibles that includes personally autographed bats, balls, jersey, kits, caps, shoes, and gloves by heroic cricketers all over the world. The gallery pays tribute to so many cricket legends including Sachin Tendulkar, Dhoni, Yuvraj, Virat Kohli, Gayle, and Watson. There are collectibles on display signed by an entire team that only goes to show that cricket is never a one-man game but always a team effort. Signed jerseys of Indian women cricketers are also on display. The museum showcases a short video in which a brief history of cricket and how the museum came to be is narrated while pictures of cricketers visiting the museum run in the background. The museum also exhibits evergreen photos of teams and players from memorable matches. A beautiful art piece of Virat Kohli made of thumbtacks is put on display in a room specially dedicated to him.
Interior
The residential building was developed by Amit Enterprises but there is no mention of the interior designer of the museum. The interior of the museum is kept simple and subtle. Walls are decorated with wood finish laminates that give very earthy and rustic vibes. Soft wallpapers are used in contrast to wood laminates as to add light tones and keep the attention on the displays. Wood finish flooring that goes with the walls and plain effortless ceiling with spotlights are used to not disturb the symphony. The palette used is very modest so the eyes travel from one artifact to another without any uneasiness to the eyes. All the windows are closed with blinds to avoid any harsh natural light. Artificial lighting has been carefully planned to illuminate/highlight necessary spaces. The entire museum is ventilated through AC so that comfortable temperatures are maintained in all climates. Use of reflective glass in small spaces to make the space look bigger and to avoid dense feeling areas. The main hall is decorated with a very attractive chandelier that illuminates the space even more. The building is located at a dead end of a very sparsely populated area so noise pollution isn’t an issue.
Lastly
The museum holds a New World Record for collecting a total of 51,000+ cricket memorabilia. It is also mentioned in the Limca Book of Records. By the year 2021, more than 500 International Cricket Players have visited the museum. Blades of Glory is a monument in itself filled with timeless memorabilia and artifacts that gives tribute to one of the most loved sport, cricket. This museum highlights important aspects like the history, culture, impact, and achievements of cricket from the past to the present. It offers the visitors a mesmerizing experience that celebrates their passion while serving as an epitome of inspiration for the younger generation and a walkway through memory lane for the older generation. Rohan Pate is taking wider steps toward his dreams and currently working on expanding the museum and opening a second branch in Chennai.
References:
- Blades of Glory [online] Available at – https://www.bladesofglorymuseum.com/
Image References:
All images are clicked by me _©Isha Mutha
