Visiting Janapadaloka - An Wonderful Folk World

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How to reach there


If you are going from Bangalore, you can go straight on Mysore highway till Ramanagara. Then go further for 5 Kms more, you will see Janapadaloka at your right. If you are coming from Mysore then you will cross Channapatna and go further till you find it at your left before you reach Ramanagara. If you are going by bus, you can go upto Ramanagara by bus, and then take some local conveyance till Janapadaloka. The signboard of Janapadaloka is quite huge and prominently visible from distance.


The entry fee


There is a ticket counter near the entrance gate. There is plenty of parking place on the highway side. We parked the car there and got the entrance tickets. The tickets were like:

Entry fee: Rs 10 per person, Kids – Rs 5

Camera fees: Rs 100 (if you want to take pictures inside museums)

Video show – Rs 5 (there are specific timings of the show)

Timmings: 9.00 am To 5.30 pm, Tuesday holiday


The entrance gate or mahadwara


The entrance gate is one of the attractions of Janapadaloka. A majestic door adorned with Harige and Trumpets and tall brass Nandidwajas on either side of the pathway enhance the grandeur of the entrance. We were there during July 2011 and there was a workshop for drum beating (Charma Vadya Sibira) was going on during that time.


Lokamata Mandira


Lokamatha Mandira is a museum displaying articles of daily use of folk people like cooking vessels, equipments used for farming and animal husbandry and other such rural activities.


Chithra Kuteera


"Chithra Kuteera" which reflects different stages of the founder's literary achievements and struggle during the building of Janapada Loka and also houses photographs of different folk art forms of Karnataka.


Loka Mahal


"Loka Mahal" is a two-storied building where more than 5000 folk artifacts are aesthetically displayed. The artifacts include agricultural, hunting and fishing implements, weapons, ingenious household gadgets, masks, dolls and shadow puppets etc.


Doddamane


A community house called “Doddamane" built in the traditional rural style. It serve as a place for workshops and seminars. During that period there was a workshop on drum beating and we had an opportunity to see the fantastic drum beating show.


The Garden and Lake


When you go inside you find gardens and a lake (known as Loka Sarobara). Some people say that there was boating facility in the lake, but we did not see any boat there. We saw an attractive logo board of Janapadaloka made in the lawn.



Behind the lake, there are some interesting cottages. They are just empty and don’t seem to be used for any purpose. However, they look pretty attractive like tribal cottages.


Cafeteria


There are various other things to see in the campus, such as, art gallery, amphitheatre, playground for children, gardens and statues etc. There was also a canteen inside the campus. We enjoyed some tea and snacks in the canteen, although the items were highly overpriced than outside.

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Something additional


The most attractive item for us was drum-beating event. A group of 20 participants were demonstrating their drum beating with various styles and dances. We took a full video of their drum beating and enjoyed for long time.

Drinking water and toilets are available inside Janapadaloka. I did not see certain things which I was expecting, but I saw many more things which I had never expected. It is a must go for people traveling frequently between Bangalore and Mysore.

We visited this place after visiting Ramadevara beta and Siddheswhar beta as all these are close to Ramanagara. If you are combining more than one place in your tour you should start early to give enough time to each of the place. (Read this article on JournalSite at http://journalsite.tk/journalsite/articles/viewarticle.asp?articleid=216)

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