Rare Ajanta stones, other antiques on display

KARIMNAGAR: A hobby which started with collection of a few rare crystals and stones turned into a passion and has taken the shape of a treasure, a veritable Salar Jung Museum of this Telangana town.Located at Srirampur Colony on the outskirts of Karimnagar, the Daram Suseela Memorial Museum was founded by Dr Daram Nagabhushanam, Suseela's husband.It all began when the octogenarian TB specialist picked up some exceptional stones during his visit to Ajanta caves four decades ago. And his collection began growing.He went on to collect artefacts, old lamps, rare paintings, wooden carvings and other objects used by people of Telangana and nobles of the Nizam era. All these have now been put on display on the lines of the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad in a two-storeyed building.The exhibits hold interest for both young and old. In the summer holidays, Nagabhushanam himself invited youngsters to visit his museum and many obliged him. Nagabhushanam took his medicine degree from Osmania University in 1952.He also collects postal stamps dating back to the British and Nizam era and rare photographs relating to the life of Gandhi, Nehru, Subash Chandra Bose.