BENGALURU: Shashwati Museum in NMKRV college, Jayanagar, which has several artefacts dedicated to craft by women, will be shut due to lack of footfall.
It also contains the founder's (CN Mangala) artefacts which she collected during the padyatra to many parts of Karnataka.The authorities claim that the artefacts and other valuables are safe and secure. Speaking to City Express, Snehalata Nadiger, principal of NMKRV college, says, “This museum is close to our hearts. The institution has also invested in buying many valuable paintings. All the items are kept without a single scratch on it.”
Snehalata adds, “For the past 30 years, we have had only one visitor a month. The public don't seem to be interested.” The residents, in fact, had been using the museum to dump the Dasara dolls after the festival. “It was literally a dumping yard for the local people but we welcomed those dolls as it signifies the tradition and culture of Karnataka,” she says.
There was also no support from the government. She says, “We notified the Department of Tourism about the issue and requested them to provide some funds for maintenance but they didn’t pay any heed. The management of the institution spends lakhs to restore the artefacts.”
The space will be now used to conduct a law course, she says adding, “But, we are not going to dismantle everything. Only one part of the museum will be used for the course.”
About the Musuem
The museum was established in 1973 by CN Mangala. The items and the artefacts included utensils used in different parts of the state, grinding stone and brass measurement items. There are old sarees of the founder's mother. The institution had bought many Tanjore paintings too.