JOIN USShalmala Sculpture Garden, a theme park depicting the indigenous culture and lifestyle of people Uttara Kannada, has been set up in Chipagi forest, two km away from Sirsi.
Spread over an area of 12 acres, the park has sculptures reflecting different communities of the district, their livelihood and cultural activities. The main entrance of the park has been modelled as the Bhairaveshwara Shikhara in Yana. Inside the park, one can see sculptures representing different indigenous communities including gavli, fishermen, kunubi and halakki. While the huts set up here display the cultural and traditional richness of the region, there are also scenes that represent the serene environment of the Western Ghats. Figurines of wild animals like leopard, elephant, tiger, deer, bear and hornbill have also been carved beautifully. This park is an initiative of the State Forest Department and Tourism Department. A team of 40 artists led by Tippanna Solabakkanavar has designed the sculptures at the park. The theme park has been developed along the lines of the rock garden in Haveri district, which was also developed by Tippanna.
The sculptures are made using cement and steel. The series of sculptures depicting the lives of tribal communities of the district is said to be the first-of-its-kind. Images of siddi dance, gavlis tending to the cattle, fishermen fishing and carrying fish to the market etc, give a realistic feel of the life and culture of the local communities. An amphitheatre, toys for children, eco-research centre, a kiosk that provides information about the cultural life of tribal communities and information about different trees found in the region, a butterfly park etc, make it a place that provides both information and entertainment. To make information accessible for the visually-challenged people, a system has been introduced wherein people can get details of a particular sculpture when they touch it. The park has been set up at a cost of Rs 1.32 crore.