Antiques narrate saga of Tulunadu in Udupi

DHNS

Udupi, 22 August 2010: Tulunadu with affluent traditional and cultural history adorns the heritage of coastal area. The customs and rituals practiced in the era is edifice for artistic bequest. 

 
Tulunadu had an exclusive civilisation with unique lifestyle. It is an incredible distinctive treasure of primordial evolution.

Here is a rare attempt to preserve and conserve the prosperous ethnicity of Tulunadu in the form of antiques that narrate the saga of Tulunadu. The museum exclusively dedicated to replicate the culture and tradition of Tulunadu is set up at Kalyanpur Milagres Church. Rev Fr Marcel Saldanha should be endorsed with the acclaims for venturing into an innovative perception never tried before.

Kalayanpur Milagres Church with its 330 years of spiritual legacy is now opening up to a new horizon in its attempt to introduce the stunning Tulunadu history to the outside world. Fr Marcel Saldanha was keen in his desire to start off with something that brings imperishable memories of Tulunadu back into reminiscence. The museum incorporates all the wonders of Tulunadu that unwrap the entire culture of an era before the viewers.

Speaking to DHNS, Fr Saldanha informed that the main purpose of opening a museum with antique objects representing Tulunadu culture is to introduce school children to the rich culture that existed in this land once. “A committee will be set up in the coming days for the maintenance of museum. However, the problem before us is the safety of materials that are displayed here,” he added.

The museum is set up at a cost of Rs 1 lakh. Most of the things in museum are from in and around Kalyanpur. There are as many as 460 houses surrounding Milagres Church. Fr Saldanha had expressed his wish to open a museum and urged people in the neighbouring areas to contribute whatever seems to be historic. He himself visited about 120 houses and collected some priceless objects that were half buried and lost in the corners of the houses. ‘Kaikule,’ ‘kutthari,’ bamboo baskets, ‘onake’, clay pots, ‘chennamene,’ ‘beediru noga’, ‘seru’, ‘pavu’, cradle, ‘kalambi’, ‘kallina hande’, jewel box and ‘kaludeep’ exclusively substantiates the way of life of Tulunadu.

Besides, the museum incorporates varieties of old radios, gramophone, tape recorders, typewriters, clocks, telephones, alarm, spectacles, cameras, watches, torches, wooden wash basin, glass bottles, sewing machines and so on.

Ancient church bell, battery less mouth organ, materials used to offer prayers, all these objects create a sort of nostalgia. Fish skeleton, wooden materials used in farming, utensils with primitive touch, varieties of knives, stilettos and swords, jaws of wild pig, varieties of ancient modelled chairs and tables, bronze and copper materials create the ambience of virtual bond with prehistoric civilisation.  The fusion of culture and tradition is simulated in each object that is displayed in the museum. The museum is kept open for public viewing from July 4. Fr Saldanha himself is the curator of the museum at present. He elucidates the intricacies of each particulars stored in the museum. Indeed, the materials displayed in the museum are absolutely precious and visualises the magnificent endeavour of conserving the extinct legacy.