Sir MV's house to get a new look

Face lift

Efforts have also been taken to turn Muddenahalli, which is at the foot of the Nandi Hills into a tourist destination.

Muddenahalli is best known as the birthplace of Bharataratna Sir M Visvesvaraiah, who was the pride of entire state.

Visiting the house in which this extraordinary engineer was born brings one a lot of excitement. In honour of his birthday, September 15, not just this house, but the entire town will be decked up. There are a lot of preparations on towards this end.

There is work going on to give a new look to the house, which has been converted into a museum. A branch of the State Bank of Mysore, which was established by Visvesvaraiah himself, was opened in the first floor of the house.

Stunning

Enthusiasts who wish to learn of Visvesvaraiah’s life and habits require barely a few minutes to learn such things once they enter enter this house. Casting glances in different directions of the little museum in the big house tells one a lot.

Visvesvaraiah’s diary, the things he used, the awards he won, the titles bestowed upon him by famous organisations give a lot of information on the great man.

The accounts book of Visvesvaraiah’s State Bank of Mysore, the degree certificate of civil engineering, the certificate from the Patna University conferring doctorate on Visvesvaraiah, a 1923 typewriter, a dictionary that was a memento in 1881 from the then Principal of Central College, Charles Watters give the viewers goosebumps.

Visvesvaraiah’s diary is another amazing object of observation. One finds his routine at the age of 95 years to have been hardly different from that when he was 25 years old.
The first floor of the house takes one to the State Bank of Mysore branch.

The Manager, V Sunil expressed pride that their Bank branch has been started in MV’s house. “The nearby villagers have opened accounts here. Although this is a small town, the response to the branch has been excellent,” he added.

“This is just a temporary arrangement and the branch will be shifted in a few days. Therefore, we have not made any changes in the house,” he said.

Visvesvaraiah National Memorial Trust is managing the house and the museum. There are no entry fees to visit the museum. The timings for visit are 11 am to 5 pm.

Garden in ruins

The museum in Sir M Visveswaraiah’s house is in excellent condition. But the surrounding areas, including his memorial are not maintained up to the appropriate level.

Hygiene is maintained around the memorial. But the plans of the government to develop the flower garden around it and converting it into a playground for children has not seen the light of the day.

“Our department was directed to develop a playground here. We were also told that six acres of land would be given for this. But we are yet to be given the rights for the land,” said an official from the Horticulture Department.

He added that the previous garden was wrecked by people from the Visvesvaraiah Technological University.