SAND SCULPTURE MUSEUM

ABOUT LOCATION

Located at the foot of Chamundi Hills, the sand sculpture museum is merely 5 km away from Mysore. The first sand museum in India, the statues were made using over 115 trucks. With more than 150 creations in 16 distinct themes, this can be an enjoyable addition to your Mysore itinerary.

INSIDE THE MUSEUM

At the entrance, visitors will be welcomed by a 15 ft tall carving of Lord Ganesha adorned with sculpted ornaments. The museum also has depictions of scenes from the epics such as Mahabharata. Among these, the most remarkable exhibit represents the Kurukshetra war, where Krishna is seen riding the chariot with Arjuna seated behind him. Some statues exhibit the cultural heritage of Mysore, such as the sculpture of the Mysore King Narasimha Raja Wodeyar sitting on a grand throne during the Dasara festival. These exhibits make it an important tourist destination in Mysore.

A beautiful representation of the goddess Chamundeshwari and the iconic Laughing Buddha are some of the distinct ones. The themes also transcend borders with creations of Western fairy tales, cartoons like Tom and Jerry and Santa Claus and middle eastern stories like The Arabian Nights. The ancient Egyptian era is portrayed with sculptures of pyramids and pharaohs. 

THINGS TO KNOW

ABOUT THE CREATOR 

M.N Gowri is the skilled artist and founder of Mysore’s sand sculpture museum. As a mechanical engineering dropout, she enrolled in an animation course and learned to create 3D models. However, Gowri felt the computer animation lacked the “feeling of life”. Soon she discovered her passion for sand sculpting. 

The idea to establish a museum got into her in 2012 when she wanted to safeguard the sand arts that were typically destroyed after every exhibition. For this, she leased 1-acre land at the base of Chamundi Hills for a 20 lakh loan. Finally, her perseverance and hard work of over four months bore fruit as the museum was unveiled in 2014. 

MAINTENANCE

The sand structures are protected inside metal closings, and a waterproof yet translucent sheet covers the roof. This protects them from rain and direct sunlight. As these delicate structures are made with sand, water and some glue, they are easily damaged. Hence they are brushed weekly and reconstructed in case of damage. Pests such as insects, rodents, and snakes pose a significant threat, so appropriate insecticides and pesticides are applied to the statues. 

3D SELFIE GALLERY

A unique gallery where you can click three-dimensional selfies or photos. A hard or soft copy of the picture can be bought at a nominal charge. 

WORKSHOPS

The museum hosts a workshop for kids on sand sculpting. Gowri uses this time to provide practical lessons with the help of her artworks. The hands-on experience encourages them to create their own sand art pieces. 

NEARBY LOCATIONS

• Melody World Wax Museum ( 1 km ): features lifelike wax figures of famous musicians and singers worldwide. 
• Mysore Zoo ( 2.5 km ): one of the largest zoos covering 160 acres and housing some of the rarest and endangered species on the planet. 
• Lalitha Mahal Palace ( 2.3 km): initially built as a guest house for the royal family of Mysore. Today, it has been converted into a luxury hotel that offers guests a royal experience.
• Chamundi Hills ( 7.5 km ): Chamundi Hills is a sacred landmark in Mysore, topped by a historic temple dedicated to the goddess Chamundeshwari.