Bantwal: Tulu Traditional Museum to be inaugurated on Apr 4
Report and pics from Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (RD)
Bantwal, Mar 30: At the globalization era, where cultural hierarchy and family bonds are eroding including reverence to ancestors, Prof Tukaram Poojary would be the rare individual who has contributed his mite for safeguarding the traditional culture of Tulu Nadu, in the 21st century.
Rani Abbakka Tulu Study Center which was set up during 1995, with the chief objective of undertaking research on regional history and cultural study, had come a long way in setting up 'Tulu Traditional Museum.' It has been accomplished at a cost of Rs 40 lac at Sanchayagiri, near B C Road which beckons all the Tulu traditional enthusiasts.
The native traditional artifacts, astonishes the onlookers who would be transpired to the bygone era to view the tools used by our ancestors. Tulu Traditional Museum has the collection of native earthenware, metal-ware, traditional artifacts, weapons, worship materials, idols, ornaments, decorative items, coins, bullock-cart, weaving wheel, cannons, altogether three thousand items are displayed at the museum.
Prof Tukaram Poojary, who was already an accomplished dramatist and playwright, developed interest in Tulu cultural artifacts since 1990. He had displayed his collections during the silver jubilee celebrations of S V S College which brought recognition to his yeomen service. His hobby of collecting Tulu Nadu cultural artifacts led him to set up Rani Abbakka Tulu Study Center and Tulu Traditional Museum during 1993. He had been inspired by his primary school teacher, N Achyut Rao and his lecturer Dr Krishna Bhandary, when he was studying at Govind Das College, Suratkal, to take interest in Tulu Nadu culture and history. He had put-in 15 years of hard work behind setting up of Tulu Traditional Museum which was housed at S V S College, here, during the early stage where he has been serving as history lecturer.
However, the full-pledged museum that was set up in a plot with the effort of Prof Tukaram Poojary will be offered to the society on Friday April 4. 'Chandrama' Kalamandir will be inaugurated at the same occasion while national level seminar on 'Tulu Nadu history and culture' will be held from Saturday April 5 to Monday April 7.
Prof Tukaram Poojary and his wife, Prof Ashalatha Suvarna, serve as chairman and secretary of Tulu Traditional Museum'. It's indeed a tragedy that his interest in safeguarding Tulu Nadu culture has been well supported by neither the government nor social welfare organizations, except the generous contributions from likeminded individuals. It was during 1990 that Deputy Commissioner Dr Ramana Reddy had offered assurances of allotting 20 acres of land for setting up the museum. However, the assurances have not yielded owing to his transfer in the following year. It's implore-able that his efforts to garner financial support from state administration has been quite unsuccessful.
Moreover, his entire dream of providing in-house facility to undertake research study on Tulu Nadu culture has not been realized owing to lack of financial support from philanthropists. His idea of collecting maximum of Tulu Nadu artifacts has not been realized fully. The museum lies in need of library for those who want to do research on Tulu Nadu culture and other amenities. Government and social service organizations ought to extend their support to the noble task of Prof Tukaram Poojary, who was confident that his efforts in safeguarding Tulu Nadu culture and traditions through the museum would bring national recognition some day.
Prof Tukaram Poojary, chairman of Rani Abbakka Tulu Study Centre, was of the opinion that cultural activities should be held very often in the communally sensitive taluk here, in order to create harmony among the people.
There lies no doubt that the museum set up by Prof Tukaram Poojary, history lecturer of S V S College, here would serve the students and researches to undertake study on Tulu Nadu culture.
"Museum would not be a dumping yard for storing obsolete artifacts", said Prof Tukaram Poojary, while emphasizing on his desire to record the history behind the artifacts, conserve them for posterity, publish books, conduct workshops and seminars to shed new light on the new discoveries of Tulu Nadu culture.
Meanwhile, Prof Tukaram Poojary has expressed the concern over mechanical life in the predominantly agriculture based coastal district, where Tulu Nadu culture thrived since many centuries; which has inspired him to set up the museum for posterity.
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