Although Indian automobile history is heavily documented, fortunately, some automobile museums have done well to preserve the nation’s automobile journey.
A nation’s automobile history is as important as its political history or the country’s journey to becoming a financial superpower. Unfortunately, India’s automotive history was not properly documented. Awareness about automobiles was also limited among the general public, given that the country has traditionally been a price-sensitive market where cars and motorcycles are still considered a luxury. Fortunately, despite neglect, the country still has some automobile museums worth visiting.
It doesn’t matter whether a person is an automobile enthusiast or not, but this Independence Day, a visit to some of these automobile museums will fill a person’s heart with pride after they realise how far the country has come in terms of automobile development in merely 79 years.
(Credit- Pelago)
Supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Heritage Transport Museum in Manesar, Haryana, is one of the biggest automobile museums in the world. The museum was launched in 2013 and spans an area of 90,000 square feet and four floors. From vintage cars and motorcycles to unique vehicles like ‘jugaads,’ the museum has done a commendable job in preserving India’s automobile history. The museum is open on all days except Monday, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. According to its website, the ticket price is INR 500.
The Auto World Vintage Car Museum in Ahmedabad is one of the oldest automobile museums in the country. In fact, it was a museum located on a private estate, established by Pranlal Bhogilal in 1927. In 1987, Bhogilal earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for owning the world’s largest private museum. Today, the museum houses over 300 vintage vehicles, including the first-ever Maybach. The museum is open every day except Monday.
(Credit- Udaipur Tourism)
Maintained by the royal family of Udaipur, this museum features 20 vintage cars, including four classic Rolls-Royces, one MG-TC convertible, two 1939 Cadillacs, one Ford-A convertible, and one 1936 Vauxhall 12. The museum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and the ticket cost ranges between INR 250 and INR 400. One can even purchase a Rajasthani meal with the ticket or grab a quick bite in the café inside the premises. If you are lucky, you can even spot a member of the royal family.
(Credit - ItsGoa)
Goa isn’t all about beaches, parties, and cool drinks; it also houses the Ashvek Vintage World for automobile enthusiasts. The museum is small, with no more than 30 cars. However, one can spot some interesting models here, such as the Tempo G1200, Peugeot 301, Opel Kapitan, Volkswagen Beetle four-door limousine, and a two-motor Vidal Tempo, which was the world’s first four-wheel drive car and was used by N*zi forces’ commanders.
