Pics: Joshwa D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JD)

Mangaluru, Apr 14: Replica of the royal 'Guttuda Ill' (Guthumane or Guthu House), the house of the landlords, which has been constructed at Dr Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama to preserve the rich culture of Tulunadu. opened for public on Friday April 14.

The first visitor to write in the visitors' book was Dakshina Kannada in-charge minister Ramanath Rai. He appreciated the work done by the Pilikula administration and opined in the comments section of the book that the house had come up beautifully but it would need constant maintenance.

Speaking to Daijiworld, director of Pilikula Nisargadhama Dr Prabhakar Sharma said, "From April 15, a fee of Rs 30 will be charged per visitor which will be utilized for the maintenece of the house. Similar to the other spots in the Nisargadhama, school children and interested organizations can will be given concession. The amphitheatre will also be completed soon and will be open for public and artistes to showcase their performances. As soon as the grants are sanctioned the work on the folk museum will be started."

Deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim said, "We want to develop this spot as a tourist destination. Thanks to funds from the government of India and the government of Karnataka, this Guthu House has come up fresh and alive, depicting the rich culture and lifestyle of this region in the 19th and 20th centuries. Public need to spread the word so that this place gains publicity and awareness is created about the rich culture of Tulunadu and carried forward to the next generation."

Consturucted at a cost of Rs 1 crore, the replica of the Guthu House truly brings to life all elements of Tulu folklore and traditional households.

On entering the house, you are welcomed by the large 'Jagali' where you can find wooden pillors given a touch of art by the artisans. There are traditional 'pallakki' (palaquin), 'Maene' which were used for the transporatation of women, along with artificial horns of wild animals depicting the bravery of Tuluvas. On the left is the 'Ugrana', the store room and 'Daivada Kone' where imprints of dieties of the house and other articles pertaining to the diety are kept. To the right there is the Bhutaradhane ritual materials along with a large pendulum clock and other antique artifacts.

When you enter inside, to the left you have life-size sculpture of an old lady explaining a story to her grandchildren. One can also choose between four stories and listen to the recording of the story from the grandmother. On the right you have the traditional furniture like the easychair and an olden day cot.

In the central part of the house are sculptures depicting Aati Kalenja, Koti-Chennayya and Yakshagana characters. There is also a room dedicated to Yakshagana artistes and a documentary room with visuals of Paad-dhanas and Yakshagana for the visitors.

All in all, Guthu House is an artistic and visual treat for the visitors, a place that takes you down memory lane and recreates the charm of the bygone era.