Blind-friendly tag under scanner as Nila Heritage Museum nears opening in Malappuram

Malappuram: On the tranquil banks of the Bharathappuzha near Ponnani, the much-awaited Nila Heritage Museum is set to open its doors this Thursday. Branded as a blind-friendly museum, the project was envisioned as an inclusive cultural space where visually impaired visitors could experience history through assistive technologies. However, days before the formal inauguration by Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas, several key facilities essential to making the museum truly accessible to the visually impaired are yet to be put in place.

Conceived as a "museum of narratives" rather than a conventional museum of objects, the institution-officially named 'Nila Samgrahalayam' seeks to chronicle the cultural legacy of the Bharathappuzha by narrating the lives and contributions of eminent personalities who lived along its banks. The project, under the Kerala State Tourism Department, was first conceptualised in 2017. It faced prolonged delays, primarily due to the unavailability of suitable land, before finally taking shape on 1.5 acres owned by the Irrigation Department.

Though the museum was designed with a blind-friendly concept in mind, essential dexterity tools, assistive software, and accessibility features have not yet been installed. Authorities estimate that at least ₹1 crore is required to fully implement these components. Without immediate financial support from the government, the museum's inclusive vision may remain unrealised, said PV Yasir, curator of the museum.

Designed in the Indo-Dutch vastu architectural style, the 17,000-square-foot museum has been developed to meet world-class standards, blending traditional aesthetics with modern exhibition design.

At present, the museum features curated sessions highlighting the contributions of renowned cultural and historical figures deeply connected to the Bharathappuzha, including VKN, Edasseri Govindan Nair, Kadavanad Kuttikrishnan, Poonthanam Namboothiri, Zainuddin Makhdoom II, EMS Namboodiripad, K Damodaran, M Govindan, MT Vasudevan Nair, Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri and Uroob. Plans are underway to include more prominent personalities associated with the river, including Kamala Das (Madhavikkutty), in the coming phases.

The sessions also document major historical events along the riverbanks, such as the Mamankam, the beedi workers' strike in Ponnani, the Sarvodaya Mela, and the astronomical contributions of Madhava of Sangamagrama.

"We aim to develop the museum as a centre for cultural education. We don't use the term 'blind' in museum. Instead, we use only 'differently sighted' (Nayanethara Kazhchakkar in Malayalam)," said Yasir. "The artefacts and exhibits that introduce the lives of the great personalities who lived along the banks of the Bharathappuzha are designed to be highly realistic and immersive. The landscaping, too, has been planned to meet international standards. However, our primary objective of making the museum fully inclusive and accessible must be achieved," he added.

MLA P Nandakumar said the fund crunch is the main reason for the delay in providing facilities for blind persons, and the facilities would be arranged during the next phase of development of the museum.

As the countdown to inauguration begins, the spotlight now turns to whether the Museum can truly uphold its promise of inclusivity- or whether its claim of being one of the country's most blind-friendly museums will remain a vision waiting to be fulfilled.