Tender soon for DPR of proposed museum in Lakkundi

Gadag: If all goes as planned, work on an open-air museum will soon begin in Lakkundi.The archaeology department will call a tender to finalise an agency to prepare a detailed project report, after which the cost and other details will be known. Efforts are also under way to add Lakkundi to the World Heritage Site list, Dr Sharanu Gogeri, commissioner, Lakkundi Heritage Area Development Authority, told TOI.
While presenting the 2025-26 state budget, chief minister Siddaramaiah had announced the project. Following the announcement, authorities purchased 3.1 acres of land in Lakkundi to establish the museum near the Nanneshwar and Jain Basadi temples. Antique articles unearthed during exploration will be displayed in exhibition halls under the supervision of the archaeology department. Dr Gogeri said palm leaves, inscriptions, statues and other antiques can still be found in Lakkundi.The state tourism department, in collaboration with the district administration and archaeology department, has taken steps to conserve the antiques found in Lakkundi village in Gadag district, which has several sites dating back to the Kalyani Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas and Vijayanagara kingdoms. Lakkundi has been in the news for the past three weeks after a family discovered antique jewellery while building a house there, following which exploration resumed.