Shifting of museum fails to take off

Mysore/Mysuru: India’s first Sandalwood Museum, located at Aranya Bhavan in Ashokapuram in city has failed to attract crowd and the plan to shift the museum to another place has failed to take off.

This first-of-a-kind museum has been set up by the Mysuru Forest Division at the Sandalwood Depot in Aranya Bhavan and was inaugurated by District Minister S.T. Somashekar on Jan. 25, 2021. The museum was conceptualised to help spread awareness about the history,  cultivation of sandalwood and selling of sandalwood by growers. Ever since the museum was inaugurated last year, visitors to this museum are very less and only those who require sandalwood visit the museum to purchase it.

The Museum has been set up by the Regional Forest Department in an area of 17X8 metres (55.77X26.24ft) at a cost of Rs. 18 lakh. The Museum has a display of 20 Sandalwood classifications, types of sandalwood, billets, dust of sandalwood, sandalwood products such as incense sticks, sandal soaps, sandalwood sculptures, talcum powder, etc. and posters containing information pertaining to sandalwood growing and prevention of diseases.

The Museum has a separate room and an auditorium with a projector and seating arrangements for visitors and sandalwood growers to learn about sandalwood cultivation and have first-hand information about it through interviews of successful sandalwood growers.

Shifting fails to take off

District Minister S.T. Somashekar, who had inaugurated the museum last year had planned to shift the museum to Mysore Palace premises and at Mysuru Zoo as these two places receive tourists and visitors in large numbers all through the year. But even after a year of its inauguration, the Museum shifting process has failed to take off.

Only those in need on sandalwood visit

Meanwhile, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Kamala Karikalan told SOM that the number of visitors to the museum is very less and only those who are in need of sandalwood and its products visit the museum to purchase them. Process to shift the museum to other places has not taken place, she added.

Anyone can purchase up to 3 kg of sandalwood for puja purposes at the ‘Gandhada Kote’ in Aranya Bhavan premises and buyers need to produce his/her Aadhaar card or Voter ID.

 The Museum is open to the public on all days (except on Sundays and general holidays) from 10 am to 5 pm.