MYSORE: The bungalow of Dewan Poornaiah, known for his visionary works and for making Wadiyar's empire strong, will shortly be converted into a museum in Yelandur, Chamarajanagar district. The Directorate of Archaeology and Museums is gearing up to make this happen within a month or two after the renovation is completed. This would make it the 16th museum in the state.
All negotiations have been complete with Dewan Poornaiah's grandson's wife Sukanya Poornaiah, who has agreed to give the bungalow on lease for 30 years to the directorate, sources said.
Historical records, monuments, sculptures, inscriptions pertaining to Chamarajanagar district and traditional Mysore paintings will be displayed in the museum, said the Director of Archaeology and Museums Dr R Gopal.
As per historical records, while bidding farewell to Poornaiah after his retirement, Krishnaraja Wadiyar III honoured him with shawls and also offered agricultural lands and a bungalow in Yelandur to Poornaiah in 1807.
In fact, Poornaiah's bungalow earlier housed the taluk office and the police station. After these offices were shifted to new buildings, the bungalow was kept locked for more than a decade, resulting in its dilapidated state.
However, timely intervention of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums for conservation of Dewan Poornaiah bungalow has received appreciation from various sections of the society. It has spent around `30 lakh for the renovation out of `75 sanctioned for conservation and converting the building into a museum.
Yelandur taluk has an historic and cultural importance in Chamarajanagar district. B R Hills, K Gudi, Himavad Gopalaswamy Hills, M M Hills are some of the famous tourist destinations in the district. The initiative of Directorate of Archaeology and Museums will contribute to the making of another tourist attraction by converting the bungalow into a museum.
Authorities will also bring manuscripts written by Dewan Poornaiah to the new museum. Presently, the manuscripts are kept in Keladi Museum in Shimoga district.
The authorities have also thought about establishing a wax museum at Dewan Poornaiah's bungalow. Poornaiah was Dewan of Mysore Kingdom during the reign of Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and the Wadiyars.