I had no idea that just an hour and 15 minutes from my parents’ home in Bengaluru, in a place near Nelamangala, there was a dreamland full of Hindu art treasures with a close link to Amar Chitra Katha, my favourite comic series. I am so indebted to my friend Ramya Rohini for motivating me to go and visit a paradise called Omthara Kala Kuteera.

Until Ramya made me aware, I credited Anant Pai solely for the success of Amar Chitra Katha. Looks like there has been a big omission and you will know that only when you visit Omthara.

GK Ananthram is the brain behind Amar Chitra Katha. It is only after he pestered his boss Mirchandani that he got the budget to publish the comic series in Kannada which became a runaway hit. Impressed, the publishers (India Book House) decided to publish ACK in English and various other languages. Anant Pai who ran Indrajal comics was then brought in to run ACK in the late 1960s and the rest is history.

Coming back to GK Ananthram, he has not only published and edited thousands of Kannada and English books but has created a heritage museum in Omthara that brings to life the stories from Ramayana and the Puranas that we have been hearing from childhood. Whether it is the ornately painted wooden doors or the rock carvings or the elaborately sculpted statues or the hand-made floor tiles or stucco work, you will be left speechless at the Bhagirathan efforts that have gone into showcasing Sanatana Dharma (including Buddha). National award-winning artisans from Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala have mainly been employed to create the priceless works on display.

The entire place is located in the midst of verdant surroundings and you can even see peacocks moving around while birds call out to each other. The mood was set for me from the moment I saw the sculpture of a meditating Hanuman sitting right below a Parijata bush. It looked so real that I wondered if I was disturbing his Dhyana.

There is an imposing Ganesha near the entrance which is so life-like that one can even see little fangs inside the mouth of the snake encircling his stomach. The entire family of Shiva, Parvati, Ganesh and Kartikeya have been marvellously carved in wood next to the Ganesha statue.

I was also fascinated by Annapoorneshwari and made my mother pose next to her. After all, it is she in whom Annapurna first manifested herself to me.

There are other masterpieces in the garden such as Shiva in the form of Dakshinamoorthi and Amruta Mrityunjaya. The sight of Shiva joyously performing Abhisheka on himself made me smile and reminded me of the saying that Shiva always loved Abhisheka while Vishnu loved Alankara.

There was so much to see and admire that time simply flew. Both I and my daughter clicked scores of photos and recorded innumerable videos. Floor after floor we climbed and sometimes, we took a rest on the ornate chaises and sofas. We were served a delicious breakfast right in the beginning after we reached at 8:30 am. Five hours melted away and it was time to enjoy another delicious meal and this one was even more elaborate! The cook said he was from West Bengal and when I began conversing with him in Bengali, his eyes lighted up with happiness.

After lunch, I began examining the carved columns that stood outside the dining room. There were carvings showcasing the 108 dance poses of Shiva, with shlokas that were probably taken from Natyashastra. I was told that these carvings were copied from a Tanjore painting that was on display inside.

There were panoramic views of the green countryside from the balconies on every floor. I was informed that the entire design of the building had been carried out by Shri Ananthram and he had not used any architects or contractors. His sons and daughter, who live in the US are making sure that Omthara is well-maintained.

On the topmost floor, there is a lovely meditation room that opens into a beautiful terrace that gives the feeling of walking into the embrace of Nature.

It was with great difficulty that we tore ourselves away from the place.

I would invite all of you reading this to make a trip to Omthara whenever possible. It costs about 1000 INR for a tour with lunch included. I think this is a must-visit place for schoolchildren. My guide informed me that before the pandemic, many schoolchildren visited regularly but things went quiet during the pandemic. My mother, daughter, and I got the whole place to ourselves for several hours before some visitors came in.

This place is also an ideal location for Hindu weddings and private events. There are a few rooms with attached baths already available but more are being built. A grand hall under construction with beautiful sculptures and shining floor almost felt like a place where princesses in ancient times walked in for a Swayamvara to choose their life partners.

As we made our way back to Bengaluru, we were jolted back to reality on the bumpy roads. It felt as if we were coming back to Earth from Devaloka. I hope I will go back to Omthara soon to perhaps organize a children’s camp or an artists’ retreat.

All the images are provided by the author.