Overview
The Ambalavayal Heritage Museum, sometimes called the Wayanad Heritage Museum, is an archaeological museum with an amazing collection of antiquities from the local tribes. It has an intriguing collection of artifacts belonging to the 2nd century that are tagged as rare. A portion of these relics date to the Neolithic period and consist of ornamental objects, everyday objects, terracotta figurines, memorial stones, and more.
The four sections of this archaeological museum are called Devasmruthi, Gothrasmruthi, Veerasmruthi, and Jeevenasmruthi. Every block has a variety of objects that capture the intelligence, simplicity, and rural way of life of a bygone era. With artifacts from the Wayanad tribe and stone idols from the 12th to 16th centuries, the museum vividly recreates our nation’s past in a way that is truly unique.
History of Wayanad Heritage Museum
Wayanad is home to numerous locations with significant anthropological and archaeological significance. One of these is Edakkal Caves, which underwent extensive study and preservation efforts in the 1980s. The anthropologists working on this project gathered a huge amount of artifacts from the district, mostly from Ambalavayal, Sultan Bathery, and the Wayanad woods.
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The district officials became increasingly interested in these efforts, and they strengthened their objective to unearth more items with archaeological significance in collaboration with anthropologists. Numerous artifacts were discovered in Muthanga, Nalluvayal, Edathara, and numerous other locations around the area. When students from Calicut University and other nearby colleges began to take part and gather artifacts from different parts of Malabar, the endeavors gained significant traction. Numerous objects utilized by the tribes were discovered, even by the locals.
The government started thinking of ways to conserve these antiquities and with the support of the state Archaeology Department, a museum was constructed at Ambalavayal.
Exhibits
The Ambalavayal Heritage Museum or Wayanad Heritage Museum, one of Kerala’s best-kept museums, is home to an extensive collection of antiquities that attest to the existence of a highly developed civilization in the Wayanad mountains. One of the biggest and best archaeological museums in the state is this historical museum. Numerous stone weapons, stone carvings, sculptures from the 14th to 16th centuries, Megalithic pottery, hunting gear, clay sculptures, and other intriguing items are on display at the museum. The museum displays idols composed of both soft and hard rocks, which were thought to have been worshipped by the ancient people as well.
Four blocks—Veerasmruthi, Gothrasmruthi, Devasmruthi, and Jeevanasmruthi—contain the collected exhibits.
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Veerasmruthi consists mostly of several kinds of pictorial rock inscriptions called Veerakkallu, or Hero Stones, that depict the heroic heroes of the past. Hero Stones were placed on soldiers’ graves to honor their valiant actions, whether they were during battle or an attempt to kill tigers or other wild creatures.
The articles under the Gothrasmruthi and Jeevansmruthi sections are connected to tribal life. Here are on exhibit tribal relics such as jewelry, headgear, farming tools, cowbells, hunting and fishing weapons, and musical instruments.
Due to the fact that the objects on display in the Devasmruthi block date back to the Neolithic era to the 17th century, many academics and students with an interest in archaeology are drawn to them. On display are terracotta sculptures, stone idols from the 12th century, and indigenous artwork that was unearthed from the Malabar region.
In addition, there is a multi-media theatre close to the museum that hosts guest performances.
How to Reach Wayanad Heritage Museum
By Road: Wayanad is accessible by road, and many people prefer to reach the museum by rental car or cab from the list of top car rental companies in Wayanad. It’s a charming trip through Wayanad’s breathtaking scenery. The Wayanad Heritage Museum is around 18–20 kilometers away from Kalpetta; depending on traffic and road conditions, the trip takes 40 minutes to an hour on average.
By Bus: If you’d rather take public transit, you can take a local bus to the town closest to the museum. For your convenience, Kalpetta is easily accessible by bus from neighboring cities such as Kozhikode (Calicut) and other important towns in Kerala. You can take an auto-rickshaw to the museum after you get to Kalpetta.
Entry Fee and Timings of Wayanad Heritage Museum
Adult admission to the Wayanad Heritage Museum costs INR 50 per person. If you have a still camera with you, you will have to pay INR 50. Coming to its schedules, the museum remains open from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM on all days and the advised exploring time is 1 hour.
