The large houses that turned into yesteryear memories of joint families and the division of responsibilities. Those houses were made from locally available resources and the artefacts blended with nature. The houses belonging to the heads of the village were comfortable and artistic as well. The cherishing of joint families even had courtyards converted into a stage for the village folk. The huge houses also alternated as marriage halls in villages, while serving as shelters for the nomadic artists while young children had space in the courtyards, halls, and front yards to cherish and play.
Where did the earthen pots, vessels, the cradle of the newborn, the wooden pillars, wooden planks and the roof of these houses disappear over time? Some were seen buried in soil periodically. The handicrafts and parts of the house structure were destroyed due to disregard.
Vijaynath Shenoy picked up these dreams and desires of our ancestors, appreciated their artistic nature and, with concern of losing the dream of his childhood, restored each of them. Studying the durability of these structures while reconstructing the ruined houses, his 4-decade work of re-use and restoration, without the support of any organisation or government, is something to be experienced by visiting such sites, Hasta Shilpa being one of them at Manipal.
Vijaynath Shenoy used to examine and understand the perished ruins of structures and restore them like an experienced doctor along with his trained team. And thus many housing complexes ensued and now stand as a village at Manipal. The troubles that Shenoy faced to create the “Heritage Village” are not just few. He was bold with the house demolishing brokers who took him blindfolded so as not to disclose the location and thus he acquired the Mahal of the Nizams.
He travelled across the streams to the Gowdas who gladly gave him away several structures, and hundreds of houses have extended him plentiful stories like the songs of the women folk, Veena belonging to Shanubhoga’ s house, piano of a padre, waving fans of the Diwans dance theatre....all meaningfully showcased in the Heritage Village now.
Varied documentation of the 19th century
During that time, the village heads had an ownership over acres of irrigated land. Amongst them, Dakshina Kannada Bunts community, Shanubhogas, the heads of Kodava people, the Gowdas of Malenadu and the traders of the plains had a great source of wealth. Like the emergence of life forms around the elixir of life, the societal and cultural world opened up around this wealth.
It was the prevailing prosperity in each house and the needs of the farmers working in these large houses that lead to such huge built structures.
The inhabitants of these large houses lived like kings in the region, and their houses were elegant so as to draw the attention of people of their own stature to form marriage alliances.
Reconstructing them was a pursuit to bring back the picturesque life of history, a visual poetry composed by Vijaynath Shenoy.
How elegant is the wooden architecture in the palace of the kings who were adored by the entire region? Kamal Mahal of Kukanoor, Deccani Nawab Mahal, Mudhol Palace Durbar Hall among others were restored and reconstructed at the Heritage Village.
Spellbound
The majestic paintings of Tanjore have been displayed in the most imaginative way in this museum. The litho stones, the original paints and coloured powders of Raja Ravi Varma, the Kinnala and Ganjifa paintings leave the onlookers spellbound.
Created from the magic wand of Shenoy, “Heritage Village” at Manipal is visited by many international students for their research work. This collection of art has attracted artists and tourists from around the globe for a nominal fee to be paid online.
H. L. Nagegowda of Janapada Loka had once gone looking for these collections. The locals said, “Vijaynath has visited this place and there won’t be anything left for you to collect.”
The collection curated this way is now a priceless possession for heritage value.
(The original in Kannada has been translated into English by Kiran Marlapudi)
