Attractions Of Kanchipuram: Shakunthala Jagannathan Museum of Folk Art

Shakunthala Jagannathan Museum of Folk Art

Short Overview:

Shakunthala Jagannathan Museum of Folk Art is situated in Brahma Mandiram, the 400 year-old house belonging to land owners of Damal, the maternal ancestors of Sir C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar. Reliable sources date it to the 16th - 17th century.  The existence of wall paintings, sculptures and household collections prompted the reuse of the house as a museum.  Sir C.P.’s mother Rangammal was the only child of Savitri and Conjeeverum Venkatasubba Aiyar, so she inherited the house and the Damal lands. The front veranda, now adapted as a craft shop, a collection of lamps once used to light up house in Tamilnadu, the store house displaying cooking vessels of brass and copper.

Long Overview:

Shakunthala Jagannathan was the eldest granddaughter of Sir C.P. Who had the idea of establishing a Museum of Folk Art in her ancestral house and gifted her own collections and inheritance to make it possible. Each room reflects the life and collections of an age gone by; Shakunthala Jagannathan Museum of Folk Art is situated in Brahma Mandiram, the 400 year-old house belonging to land owners of Damal, the maternal ancestors of Sir C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar. Reliable sources date it to the 16th - 17th century.  

The existence of wall paintings, sculptures and household collections prompted the reuse of the house as a museum.  Sir C.P.’s mother Rangammal was the only child of Savitri and Conjeeverum Venkatasubba Aiyar, so she inherited the house and the Damal lands. On Raja Veedhi (street), another of her homes in Kanchi now houses the SSKV Girls’ Schools. Kanchipuram was reported to be a beautiful town and the 4thcentury Sangam work, Perumpanatruppadai, describes it thus: “Kanchi is beautiful like the heart of the lotus in the navel of Mahavishnu, which is said to be the birthplace of Brahma. Here, there are high ramparts around the town which are made of brick. Like the jackfruit tree which is full of singing birds and sweet and big fruit, Kanchi is also full of the noble festivals of people of, different faiths. Therefore, this city is the greatest of all cities on this earth, the main hall, with a swing and other traditional furniture, and a punkah for breeze. It also contains collections of old and antique dolls, once displayed during the kolu or festival of dolls during Navaratri, andancient palm leaves and writing systems, The room of musical instruments used in folk and classical music, The prayer room of the house, it contains the domestic temple and ritual metal items.


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