Basildon Park is opening a new sensory installation, developed through a collaboration with the Local Reading Indian Centre.

The installation, called India and Me – a Journey, will open on February 13th.

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As visitors move around the room, they’ll be able to feel immersed in the sensory experience. They will be able to hear the sounds of birds singing in the banana trees, water lapping and people rowing.

Visitors can relax in armchairs and are provided with a headset to listen to the personal journeys of the Reading Indian Community, spoken in their own words.

The sensory installation has an atmospheric soundscape that has been mapped to recreate depictions of the historic, hand-painted wallpaper found on the ground-floor of the Garden Room.

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The imitated wallpaper stemmed from Lady Iliffe’s, who rescued Basildon Park in the 1950s, idea to create an Indian-themed design for the Garden Room to match its history.

Basildon Park has a history of connections with India. The mansion was originally built for Sir Frances Sykes in 1770 who had a vast amount of wealth acquired from the East India Company.

Rob Hayes, General Manager at Basildon Park comments on what the installation means to him: “I was drawn to Basildon Park because of its historic connections with India. My father was born in India, so it strikes a chord with me and my family.”

He added: “As general manager, part of my role is to make sure we are sharing the history of the properties with visitors, and local stories are part of the social history we need to tell. India & Me: A journey tells moving stories from the local community from the place I now call home, Reading.”