Manjusha Vintage Car Museum

THINGS TO DO, DHARMASTHALA Created :

Rashmi Gopal Rao

Rashmi Gopal Rao has travelled largely across South India, some parts of North India and also the United Kingdom. Her expertise lies in writing about unusual places to visit which includes local markets, temples, shops and exploring the native culture of a place. Other than Happytrips, she chronicles her trips on http://rashminotes.com/.


Located in the holy town of Dharamstala, around 75 km from the coastal city of Mangalore in Karnataka, this museum is owned by Dr. Veerendra Heggade. It is close to the main temple that is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Also, there is a very nominal entry fee to this museum but no photography is allowed inside.

The unassuming exterior of the museum is in total contrast to the treasure it houses inside. The collection is truly mind-boggling and includes several classics like the Pontiac, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Morris and Austin. The cars look as good as new which speaks volumes about the time and effort invested in their maintenance. All cars are firmly enclosed within steel arches and have information plaques neatly displayed against each one giving out the details of the piece.

Many of the cars displayed here were once owned by VIPs. For instance there is a UK manufactured Daimler Double Six that belonged to Jayachamararajendra Wodeyar, the erstwhile king of Mysore. Several of these cars were owned by famous statesmen and bureaucrats of Karnataka. You would not want to miss the ivory-colored Studebaker 1929 model, which was once used by Gandhiji during his tour of the state. The collection is ever growing with new cars being added after restoration on a regular basis.
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