You have heard it right, I have relived World War 2, how? Well, long story short 2020 was the time when I decided finally to take a retirement from music and to focus more into travelling, exploration, self-discovery and writing but my ideas were locked inside four walls of social media and the barren lands of stage life.
17th January was my birthday and on 20th January I decided to take this little trip to memory
lane and re discover history or war, not any war but World War 2 when I have been hearing a lot about Treasured Wheels, a one of a kind antique museum for vintage cars dating back to pre as well as post world war era and motor bikes and bi-cycles from 18, 19th and 20th century.
The place also is the home to British Era Assam’s very first petrol depot, which was shipped from Digboi to the place through the efforts of the owner of the place Mr. Picklu Deka.
The cars: - As per my recollection, the museum has large collections of Aston Martins, Ford
(Including the king of muscles Mustang), Dodge Charger, Austin, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Hippy Wagon by Volkswagon, Rajiv Gandhi's rented Toyota, Volkswagon Beatle and surprisingly the Orange coloured replica of Mr. Bean’s smart car by Austin Mini Coupe.
The bikes:-Paratrooper bikes from WWII, Original Royal Enfield Models, Honda, Sunbeam, Cafe Racer and some amazing cycles.
Other Items:-A grand piano, vinyl player and records, a shot gun, some radios and tvs, a fridge that runs on fume, WWII siren etc.
Staying: - Campers can set up camps at the tree-houses but food and accommodation
they must bring on their own.
Charges:-100 RS as an initial entry but children can enter for free along with parents.
Distance and location: -It’s a 2 hours’ drive from Jalukbari to Sonapur towards Tapesia but you are recommended to follow the Google maps voicial A.I. for more sophisticated idea of the location.
Other attractive sites: - The entry gate of the museum is decorated with the helmets of the real fallen soldiers of the world war 2, adjacent to it there is a rubber plantation wood which is said to be a choice of location for Young YouTubers, Campers, Photographers, Videographers, Movie and documentary makers, Music video directors, Rock bands and modelling agencies form Guwahati as well as Shillong, Nagaland and the other parts of North East and overseas countries like Sweden and Indonesia.
At the end of my journey I had had the privilege to know the vision of Mr. Deka, an employee of the government by day and is a dreamer by the evening, Mr. Deka had a love for anything vintage since childhood, his first car was the red Renault which he deems as the mother of the museum. When he started his journey he was donated with the antiques of the old Sahabs of our tea estates around and outskirts of Assam. He also told me that Assam used to be one of the safe zone during the Word War 2 when two Atom Bombs were dropped upon some parts of South-East Asia and Japan, some of the paratroopers in the Marine Corp and the Army including the Indian Soldiers dropped to our land for shelter and this is how he found the helmets by digging it out from six fit under deep in the ground of some places which we may not have ever heard of. The cars however had more interesting stories, these were donated by doctors, drivers, Body-guards and PA’s of the politicians, sports car owners, racers as well as car collectors like Mr. Deka himself, and few were imported to him for sells in Assam. He also told that his current collection of cars and bikes has a large array of bidders and buyers, but he won’t ever sell them as these are priceless.
That moment I knew that I was looking at a passionate dreamer and a man of vision whose love for his roots and heritage is unconditional. He also told me that he didn’t raised his dream home with any help from the government of archaeological department of North East India but on his own.
Mr. Deka is indeed a man with gumption and loyalty towards his dream and we must salute as well as support his dream.
If you are planning your next vacation in summer then do visit this place once.
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