Made in Rajasthan—Kozhikode wedding card collector's slate-model invitation letter for son's marriage

When M K Latheef of Kozhikode decided to make his son's wedding card, he wanted a slate.

He had it brought from Rajasthan. The slate, made of raw, natural stone and hand-cut and processed, was Latheef's tribute to a vanishing era - the kind of slate children once carried to class, and frequently broke. The choice was deliberate. Latheef, who has spent years collecting and preserving wedding invitations as historical artefacts, wanted this one to carry a story of its own.

It did. When he handed the slate invitation to a 90-year-old man, the recipient was transported back to his school days, recalling how hard slates were to come by and how he used to snap his own as a boy. For Latheef, that moment captured exactly what his hobby has always been about: using an invitation card not just to announce an event, but to reopen a memory.

What began as an attempt to assemble unusual invitation cards eventually earned Latheef a Guinness World Record for a collection of 444 verified, unique cards, though he insists the real number is much higher. He estimates he has gathered over 1,000 cards over the years, but Guinness’ strict verification process has certified only 444. 

Today, at 52, his personal archive runs past 5,000 cards. The slate is only the latest experiment in a collection that already includes invitations shaped like ration cards, passports, boarding passes, and even an ATM card. Geographically, too, the archive stretches well beyond Kerala, with cards from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Australia, and parts of the Arab world, some dating back to 1935.

Treating these cards as vital historical artefacts, Latheef and other antique collectors like him formed an association called the Archaeology and Heritage Association. The association serves as a hub for members to organise the collection, exchange items, and coordinate the preservation of new acquisitions. 

Exhibitions are frequently held at educational institutions, including schools and colleges, to connect younger generations with their cultural heritage. These events serve as more than just displays; they are designed to educate the public about the evolution of craftsmanship and the importance of preserving social rituals. The association presents these items both as individual collections from its members and as a collaborative effort, highlighting the community's shared history.

Latheef is not content with simply maintaining the past; he is actively evolving his collection. “For the remaining 500 cards for my son’s wedding, I intend to print a supportive message for Operation Toofan,” says Latheef. Operation Toofan is a massive, statewide, anti-narcotics campaign launched by the Kerala government to curb drug abuse and dismantle drug networks across the State. Latheef’s work ensures that the delicate printed invitations of yesterday are not lost to time but serve as an enduring testament to the community's social evolution. After the invitations are printed, he is preparing to meet the Home Minister and present him with this slate.

He receives calls daily about his invitations. Latheef gives them out to those who approach him personally. The invitations are not sent by post because they could be damaged in transit. Out of the unique cards that he has collected over the years, a particular card piqued his interest. 

“Not only in shape, but it was also just about the same size as well. Though I have collected unique cards over the years, an ATM card model invitation amazed me,” says Latheef. 

Through it all, his family has stayed closely involved—wife Aneesha and children Mishan and Minaza are as invested in the project as Latheef himself, treating what started as a personal hobby as more of a shared family mission.