TAXIDERMY
Hiteshi brothers were known for taxidermy in the undivided India and the United kingdoms. This was an art witch came to them as a second habit as they were fond hunters . They were four brothers out of whom three brothers worked as taxidermists namingly Mr Hira Lal Hiteshi (Sethi), Mr Krishan Hiteshi and Mr Chaman Hiteshi . The eldest brother mastered the art under a British taxidermist and there after worked as a full fledge taxidermist at Lahore ( now Pakistan). Immediately after partition of the country in 1947 Mr Hira lal Sethi worked at Calcutta with the Zoological Survey of India. The balance two younger brothers followed him to Calcutta and learnt the art. By the end of 50's Mr Hiralal Sethi opened his work in Delhi, Mr Krishan Hiteshi went to England and started working over there and Mr Chaman Hiteshi opened his work at Solan (HP). All the three brothers worked from different places and earned a huge name in there countries as taxidermists.
I am Lt Col Dinkar Hiteshi (Retd) son of Mr chaman Hiteshi. I worked in the Indian Army for 22 years and quiet there after, presently I work for AgustaWestland Helicopters. Not diverting from the main topic of taxidermy and my family lineage to it.
Taxidermy was an art where in the living beings specially the birds and animals were stuffed and preserved by the nobles and the aristocracy. The more the number of trophies the more a person would be regarded in the social circle.
What is Taxidermy? This is the art of carefully removing the skin of the animal/ bird there after treating it with various chemicals/ preservatives like borax. Once the skin is treated and properly pickled it is mounted on a paper mache cast so that shape can be given to the skin to look just like the original animal. Though each step in the process is important, however making of the inner cast to give the skin a life like feel is an art. This is where a large number of people jumped into the field in the 60's and a huge competition came up. However it weathered out very soon as these taxidermist had half cocked knowledge and they could not bring out the beauty of the birds and animals which they mounted.
