Tamil Nadu News: Collector of vintage automobiles throws open his collection for the general public

DJ Venkatesh Durai, an automobile shop owner in Tiruchirappalli town of Tamil Nadu, has opened his rare collection of vintage cars, motorbikes and antique items like clocks and telephones for the general public. For Durai what started out as a hobby became an obsession after he saw the fascination people had for his collection. Today, he is a proud owner of a number of cars and motorbikes that belong to the pre-independence era. "I saw different vehicle models when I went on a marketing canvass as a part of my work and I asked the person, he said he wanted to scrap it all. I got it all as they fascinated me but my father asked why I bought the scrap. I was curious, I didn't know what they were. A few mechanics worked on it and started the vehicle. When I took them on the road, everyone were looking at me and that's what inspired me start this collection in 1996 and now I have 66 motorbikes," says Vintage Automobile Collector. According to Durai the main motive of allowing the general public to have a glimpse of his collection is to spread awareness, specially among the young generation, about the need to preserve vintage automobiles. He says, restoring them is not an easy task and can be done only by old mechanics with perfect hands. People living in Tiruchirappalli and those visiting the city can take a look at Durai's collection for two hours every Friday and Saturday evening.