Facelift for natural history museum

Thrissur: While the state’s history is safe in the natural history museum on  the zoo campus here, many  ancient artistic, ritualistic and cultural artifacts are undergoing a facelift.  “Many articles need preservation,” says Mr T.V. Anilkumar, zoo superintendent. It is believed that the kathakali characters’ displays here date  back to over 100  years.

“It is difficult to find such ancient kathakali artifacts now, says Kalanilayam Haridas, who is in charge of the renovation of kathakali section. The ‘chutti’ used for the faces are made up of arimavu (rice powder). About 60 years ago, rice powder was replaced with paper for chutty. The mantles of beetles were used to decorate the crowns. We think that all these costumes were purchased from  the kathakali sangam (troop) for the museum,” he says.

The kathakali faces in the museum include Bhima, Kuchela, Narada, Bakasura, Hanuman and Ravana. Apart from these, the faces of Theyyam are also on display. A sum of Rs 3,60,000 has been allocated for the work, says  Mr Anilkumar.

The Boat House, where the belongings of Cochin royal family are displayed, will also get a facelift. The clothes and jewellery of the royal family,  apart from two huge boats which the family used to travel, are  exhibited here. “A sum of  Rs 4.5 lakh will be spent for the modification of the Boat House. All the works would be completed by the end of this month and the museum will be opened to  the public in January,” says Mr Anilkumar.