It was Sunday but I woke up with excitement. I had been invited for a curated visit to a unique exhibition of ,"Posters that Moved India: Tourism, Travel & Transport (1930s–1970s)" at the Heritage Transport Museum in Taoru, Gurgaon, as a part of it's 12th anniversary celebrations. And as expected it became an unforgettable journey filled with stories, nostalgia, and delightful surprises with new friendships.
After a delicious breakfast at Le Meridien, Delhi, our group boarded the bus to Taoru, Gurgaon. The long drive lulled me to sleep until I was gently awakened by Ms.Sudesh Chawla, the organiser of the visit.
A few minutes later, we stepped into a world where road, rail, water, and air travel came alive through timeless artefacts and captivating visuals.
Listening to Shri Tarun Thakral, the Founding & Managing Trustee of the museum was a delight. His narration during the walk through of the poster exhibition reflected his passion and the tremendous efforts made by him to create this treasure house of transport history.
Walking through the exhibition was like travelling across decades. Each poster was a visual time capsule , a slice of India’s travel destinations from the 1930s to the 1970s. It had ships sailing around oceans to trains winding through hills, bikes racing along roads and aeroplanes soaring across skies and each of them celebrated discovery, style, and aspiration.
A poster depicting, 'Holland British India Line', was fascinating as showed elephants and camels were transported from India to 'Ceylon' and Europe. The 'Anchor Line' poster was inviting travellers to sail in luxury to India and Pakistan; and posters of the 'Great Peninsular Railway' promoted pilgrimages and mountain retreats. One even promised a stop at Victoria Gardens in 'Bombay' to see giraffes!
The aviation section was truly breathtaking. 'Fly the World the Air-India Way' stood out for its grace, elegance and humour as it had jetliners imagined as giant elephants to posters showcasing destinations from Tokyo to Nairobi, Mauritius to Sydney.
Pan American Airways promised Americans a luxurious passage to India and Pakistan! Scandinavian Airlines highlighted India’s lush jungles with swinging gibbons! Air France paid tribute to the Brihadeeswara Temple, while Swissair proudly celebrated Mysore’s royal heritage! These posters weren’t just advertisements they were art that captured India's heritage, curiosity and pride.
Among the most memorable pieces were the quirky snake charmer twirling spaghetti to spell “Rome,” and early wildlife conservation posters, far ahead of their time.
The Highlight of the exhibition was that it extended beyond transport to feature radiant tourism posters from Madurai, Kashmir, Puri, and Banaras, Panchavati and Maharashtra’s lagnachi varhaad, ( 'Baaraat' ) to Agra and Manipur’s dance traditions. Each image felt like a window into India’s living heritage, culture, and artistry.
The museum itself is a vibrant wonderland filled with vintage cars, bicycles, scooters, train carriages, small boats, children’s toys , various artefacts and colorfully painted trucks. The Royal Jodhpur Carriage and the creative mobility corner with futuristic, interactive displays add a modern touch to this historical space. Each gallery at the four levels makes you pause, wonder, smile and remember the golden age of travel.
Whether you are residing in Delhi or a traveler exploring NCR, the Heritage Transport Museum is an experience not to be missed. It’s educational, inspirational, and delightful for families, students, history lovers, curious adventurers and those who love India for it tells us of our glory.
The 'Posters that Moved India' exhibition will be open to citizens till February 2026. Your visit can take you on a visual voyage through dream destinations and timeless stories the world once travelled. This is one place you must travel to experience India and it's glory through the poster art which has ceased to exist. We owe at least this to the coming generations.
R.Vimala, IAS,
Resident Commissioner, Maharashtra,
Compassionate Civil Servant &
PhD Scholar at IIT Bombay
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