Authorities are scouting for a suitable heritage structure to house the proposed Cauvery Gallery to showcase the life, culture and biodiversity supported by the river.
The Cauvery Gallery is to be established by the National Academy of Sciences of India (NASI) in collaboration with the University of Mysore and other departments on the lines of the Ganga Gallery at Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh and Brahmaputra Gallery at Guwahati in Assam.
Though it was initially mooted that the Old Professor’s Quarters belonging to the University of Mysore was an ideal place to develop the Cauvery Gallery, the authorities are having second thoughts about it. Besides, the Old Professors’ Quarters has also been handed over to the Indian Heritage Cities Network (IHCN), which is slated to launch a conservation project here in due course.
In connection with it a delegation of officials led by Arvind Jhadav, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Tourism, visited Mysuru on Thursday and inspected the Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion and the Wellington Lodge on the Irwin Road.
The Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion is located in the Manasagangotri campus of the University of Mysore and houses the Folklore Museum.
The Wellington Lodge belongs to the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage and houses the Indira Gandhi Rasthriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) Southern Region. In addition, there is also space at the office of the Directorate of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage at the Exhibition Grounds.
Later, Deputy Commissioner C. Shikha, Principal Secretary in the Department of Higher Education Bharatlal Meena, Mysuru City Corporation Commissioner C.G. Betsurmath, Knowledge Commission Secretary Mukund Rao and others participated in a meeting to discuss the gallery issue.
The gallery will highlight the geological and ecological characteristics of the Cauvery river apart from projecting the social and cultural characteristic features of civilisation that have evolved along the river bank. The exhibits will also include multimedia features and electronic display to provide the visitors an immersive experience of life and culture along the Cauvery.
The gallery will highlight the geological, ecological characteristics of the Cauvery, besides projecting the features of civilisation that has evolved along the river bank
