Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas on Saturday inaugurated the Gundert Museum in Thalassery that will shed light on the life and contributions of Hermann Gundert, a German missionary who is remembered for his invaluable contributions to the Malayalam language.
The Tourism department gave a facelift to the Gundert Bungalow at Illikkunnu in Thalassery and converted it into a museum by including it in the Thalassery Heritage Project. The work was undertaken in two phases and was completed at a cost of ₹4.32 crore.
“Since it is a biographical museum, it has been designed in such a way that it narrates the story about the man and his work,” said Yohesh Shrinivasan, director, Fi Desighn and Development Private Limited, curator of the project.
“It is an interactive museum having digital installations where people can either interact or read,” he added.
Herman Gundert was not just a legend in literature, but he was a lexicographer, grammarian, historian, cartographer, musician, and a multilinguist with expertise in 19 languages. So a story line was created with the support and advice of Professor Scaria Zachariah, who is an authority on Mr. Gundert, he said.
Mr. Shrinivasan said the museum has different zones that narrate the life and work of Herman Gundert, and his relevance today. Sketches and photographs have been used at the museum.
In the museum, a library has been set up in the name of his grandson Hermann Hesse, who won the Nobel prize in literature for his work Sidhhartha. The library has received a collection of books worth ₹2 crore. The books were donated by Professor Marie Elisabeth Mueller of Media University at Stuttgart. Besides, there is a hall which has been named after Hermann Gudert’s wife Julie Gundert, he added.
