The world knows the prestige of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art or Washington’s Bellevue Arts Museum. But what about India? India does indeed have numerous renowned museums. Take for example Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, whose founder Kiran Nadar won the Legion of Honour. There exist several museums in India which demand the same amount of prestige, yet remain in the shadows. One of them is the Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum.
Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum Alappuzha
Kerala is not only famous for its Kochi Muziris Biennale but also Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum Alappuzha, Kerala. The museum is a tribute to businessman Revi Karunakaran established in 2003 by his wife Betty Karan after his death. The museum is a privately owned museum displaying decorative art, furniture, porcelain, jade, ivory, Tanjore paintings, and crystals. These artefacts were accumulated over three generations from around the globe.
History of Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum Alappuzha
After Revi Karunakaran’s demise, Betty Karan decided to open their family collection (previously maintained privately) to the public. Talk about a love story as monumental as the Taj Mahal. The museum was designed by Lalichan Zachariah. The Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum commenced construction in 2003 and was inaugurated on 22 November 2006 by Sir MM Jacob, former governor of Meghalaya.
Art and Architecture of Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum Alappuzha
The Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum is built on an area of 28,000 square feet and showcases numerous magnificent Greco-Roman columns. The museum’s prominent artefacts come primarily from four major religions — Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam. Several of the museum pieces have been personally verified and authenticated by Betty.
Crystals
The crystal collection at the Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum features ancient and contemporary blown, hand-cut, machine-cut, and moulded crystal relics. The museum also houses one of the biggest Swarovski crystal collections. Some of their pieces such as the ‘Coffee Bean Grinding Mill’ or ‘Crane’ are counted amongst the main attractions due to their rarity (only 2 & 3 pieces remain in the world).
Ivory
The ivory collection of the Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum showcases five intricately carved shelves. In addition to them, multiple figurines such as Shakuntala, Rama-Krishna, Dasavatharam, Virgin Mary, infant Jesus, animals, and birds are on display.
Porcelain
The porcelain collection at the Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum showcases the excellence of famed brands such as Dresden China, Armani, and Noritake, among others. One may expect to see porcelain tableware, vases, plates, and figurines.
Prodigal Son
‘The Prodigal Son’ is a life-size, 7-foot, and 635 kg bronze statue made by the Israeli sculpture artist Sam Philipe. It narrates the moment of embrace from the biblical parable — the prodigal and the younger son.
Kerala Room
One room at the Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum is dedicated to educating the audience about the beautiful heritage and culture of Kerala. The floor is made of terracotta tiles, while the ceiling is made of hand-carved teak wood.
Image Courtesy – Kerala Tourism
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