June 2014 - Sampath Menon

Pilikula Heritage Village, located in Mangalore, is a 35-acre site that recreates the typical rural ambience of Dakshina Kannada region. This is a must-visit site if you are in Mangalore.

The Guthu House – a traditional house of the region, Kambala Track (Buffalo race track), Nagabana (a shrine dedicated to serpents), artisan corners, and gardens (areca, coconut) are all turning out to be great tourist attractions in Mangalore.

A trip to Pilikula Heritage village can be included in your Mangalore trip itinerary even if you are looking for adventure activities in Mangalore since there is a Zoo, a lake for boating and a water park nearby.

This Pilikula Heritage village blog is a record of my visit to the site as part of a Nikon Photo walk that was held in Mangalore. Read on.

Nikon Photo Walk to Pilikula Heritage Village

June 22, Sunday: I wake up earlier than usual, excited at the prospect of meeting fellow photographers at the Photo Walk organized by Nikon in Mangalore to Pilikula Heritage Village.

I get dressed and drive to Pilikula, an interesting area located about 15 KMs off Mangalore city that contains a fabulous zoo, a biological park and an artisan village.

I reach on time (9. 15 AM) and notice that a group had already formed at the entrance. I join them and get introduced to the group.

The organizers informed us that we would all drive to the artisan village, a.k.a, the Heritage Village and spend some time there shooting pictures.

Artisan homes in pilikula heritage village

The place is quiet and beautiful. The typical rural atmosphere of Dakshina Kannada has been recreated in Heritage Village. The dwellings of the various types of artisans reflect their work. Visitors could interact with the artisans, and could also try their hand at some of the stuff the artisans do.
Below are some photos from my Photo Walk.

“Mangalore was an important town…Sultan Bateri, a watchtower…built by Tipu Sultan..”

What?!

This is big! I am actually sharing real estate with one of history’s greatest, though in a different timeline! I am standing at the entrance of a queer little monument; a watchtower built of black stones by Tipu Sultan in the 1700’s called Sultan Bateri. It looks like a mini fortress, with mounting places for canyons.

The blue information board erected by ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) informs me (with a minor spelling error in Tipu’s name) that this watch tower was built to contain the entrance of warships into the Gurupur river. The name Sultan Bateri evolved from ‘Sultan’s Battery’, where Battery meant firing of cannons.

But the strangest part about this historic monument is this: there is absolutely no perceptible importance/protection assigned to it by locals/authorities. It leads to the low profile life of an abandoned building!

You would probably not give it a second glance if you are ever in this area. I myself had been to this place many a time during my aimless evening rides but had never stopped to examine it carefully.

Not to mention the mindless graffiti and scribbling (well, now the whole world knows that Suresh is in love with Sini) that locals and visitors have left on this monument which has withstood the test of time.

A stairway leads you to the top of the monument from where you get a good view of the river. There is also an underground storage area (locked) that was used to store gun powder.
Here are some photos from my visit.