A visit to Janapad loka near Ramanagara, Karnataka

If yes a visit to Janapada loka located enroute to Mysore (from bangalore) is a must!The place is really enchanting and gives a welcome change to the working lot of bangalore. It is located roughly 50 kilometers frm Bangalore on the Bangalore-Mysore highway and is very next to the famous KAMAT LOKARUCHI restuarant. So by all means don't even pack your lunch!

For the urban young there is no awareness and knowledge of the culture that
Karnataka had which was once rich with the tradition of folk arts, a form of theatre. This culture and art forms are almost exstinct. Not many people today know about Dollu Kunitha, Karagada Kunitha, Rangada Kunitha, Karapala, Kolata or Guravayya singing.

The visionary H. L. Nage Gowda set up the Karnataka Janapada Academy in 1979, with the strong intent of preserving our culture.

The place is on a 15-acre complex and houses museums, an open-air theatre, a studio, lake for boating and other structures. The natural settings are beautiful and the place can easily be a great picnic getaway too.
The museum, drawn from the life and arts of a large number of tribal and rural folk across Karnataka, has an amazing array of collection of 5000 artefacts that represent the essence of Karnataka's folk culture. Also, is a display of traditional dresses like Koduva -Traditional dress, Dasaiah Traditional dress, Kinnari Jogi Traditional dress, Doddata costumes, Yakshagana costumes and Lambani costumes

Vibrant with all its arts and crafts, there is an annual festival of performances, the Lokotsava. As i had made a visit during the dasara festival my family could enjoy Special performances on folk arts and music!. Workshops on folk songs, seminars and others activities involving folk art and music have been initiated here. Practitioners of colourful native folk arts like Dollu Kunitha, Karagada Kunitha, Rangada Kunitha, Burrakatha, Karapala, Kolaata can always be reached by contacting them at the Janapada Loka centre.

Modeled on a village house complete with a cowshed and cows, this restaurant serves typical home food like Ragi dosa, Mudde, Idli and meals served on banana leaf.

Be sure to visit this place as it is much better way of spending our time than loosening our purse strings on malls and buying useless things there. Also better than eating the unhealthy fried foods that the ultra modern malls have to offer.

The address of this place is:
Janapada Loka,
Bangalore - Mysore Road,
Ramanagara,
Bangalore - 571 511.
Tel: 080 - 7271555.
Timings: 9 am to 1 pm and 2.30 to 5.30 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays.

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