The Folklore Museum at

Mysore Mysore ( ), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Mysore district and Mysore division. As the traditional seat of the Wadiyar dynasty, the city functioned as the capital of the ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, is a

museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...

which exhibits folk art and crafts from all over the state of

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

Description

The folklore museum that contains representative collections of art and crafts from all over Karnataka. The museum was founded in 1968. It is located in the

University of Mysore The University of Mysore is a public state university in Mysore, Karnataka, India. The university was founded during the reign of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and the premiership of Sir M. Visvesvaraya. The university is recognised by t ...

in the Manasagangothri campus in the

Jayalakshmi Vilas Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion is a heritage building in Mysore. Description Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion is a building of architectural importance in Mysore city, Karnataka. It is located in the verdant surroundings of Manasa Gangothri, the campus ...

Mansion. Since its foundation the University of Mysore has contributed to study of folklore, and the museum has been developed to its present level by scholars such as P.R.Thippeswamy, Javeregowda and Jeesham Paramashivaiah. P.R.Thippeswamy brought material from all over Karnataka to increase the museum's collection. As a folklore museum it not only showcases items but also elements of music, dance and drama.

Exhibits

The museum has a spectacular collection of more than 6,500 unique folklore exhibits. The museum exhibits have been organized in systematic order according to the folk art forms. The gallery is divided into wings for folklore, large dolls, folklife, literature and art. The ''folklore section'' has several valuable collections. * It has on display the costumes of

Yakshagana Yakshagana is a traditional theatre, found in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kasaragod district and Uttara Kannada, Shimoga and western parts of Chikmagalur district, Chikmagalur districts, in the state of Karnataka and in Kasaragod district in Keral ...

. It has props and accessories of both Thenka thittu and Badgu Thittu, the northern and southern forms of Yakshagana. * A rare and valuable

Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...

crown from Kugala Balli village in North Karnataka. * Costumes of

Kathakali ''Kathakali'' (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Kathakaḷi ) is a traditional form of Indian Classical Dance, and one of the most complex forms of Theatre of India, Indian theatre. It is a play of verses. These vers ...

from

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

. * Costumes of folk dramatists from

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

. * Masks, puppets, leather dolls, sawdust dolls from various parts of Karnataka, in which regional and historical influences can be perceived. * Items representing to Soliga community. *

Ink Ink is a gel, sol, or solution that contains at least one colorant, such as a dye or pigment, and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing or writing with a pen, brush, reed pen, or quill. ...

preparation at Dodderi village of Chithradurga about 200 years ago. * The mantapa, an ornamental wooden

altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...

, used by Jnanapeeta awardee

Kuvempu Kuppalli Venkatappa Puttappa (29 December 1904 – 11 November 1994), popularly known by his pen name Kuvempu, was an Indian poet, playwright, novelist and critic. He is widely regarded as the greatest Kannada poet of the 20th century. He wa ...

. * Folk musical instruments include

string String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a percussion mallet, beater including attached or enclosed beaters or Rattle (percussion beater), rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or ...

and

wind Wind is the natural movement of atmosphere of Earth, air or other gases relative to a planetary surface, planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heatin ...

instruments. String instruments include ''kinnari'' of the ''Jogis'', the ''choudike'' and Tamburi of the Tatwa Pada singers, string instrument of the Nilagaras falls. Percussion instruments include ''birapana dollu'', ''Gondaliga’s sambala'', Halakki Gowda’s ''gummate'', ''chande'', and ''dimmi dammadi'', the ''damaruga'' of ''Goravas'', and the ''nagari''. Wind instruments include ''junjappana gane''- a one-metre long flute, the ''kombu'', ''kahale'' and

pungi The pungi, also known as bīn or Murli, is a musical instrument that originates from the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a reservoir into which air is blown and then channelled into two reed pipe, reed pipes. It is played with ...

. * Collection of figures, representing gods, kings, queens, gods, hermits and soldiers. * Folk deities, ceremonial headwear, religious objects, village deities like Soma and Bhutha. The ''large doll wing'' has statues and large dolls used in dances which include Soma, Talebhutha, Kaibhutha, Maari, and Gadi Maari. The ''folklife wing'' has instruments used by farmers, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, boatmen, fishermen, potters, cobblers and other artisans. It also includes household items like lamps, weapons, agriculture implements, cooking utensils, measures, churns, weaving implements, pots, beads, baskets, items of folk games and clothing.

Notable researchers

* P.R. Thippeswamy

References

{{authority control Folk art museums and galleries in India Museums in Mysore Karnataka folklore University of Mysore Art museums and galleries established in 1968 1968 establishments in Mysore State Decorative arts museums in India Indian handicrafts