The Story of Mrs Raji Punnose: Founder and Curator of the Bay Island Driftwood Museum

If you’re a fan of unique and captivating art, then you won’t want to miss the Bay Island Driftwood Museum in Kumarakom. And behind this one-of-a-kind attraction is a fascinating story that begins with the museum’s founder and curator, Mrs Raji Punnose.

Mrs Punnose’s love for driftwood sculptures began while she was playing with her child near the sea on Andaman Island. She saw a black monkey’s posture amidst the waves in the nearby seawater and dragged it home. After removing the unwanted parts of the driftwood with a hack-saw blade, she was able to create a stunning sculpture of the monkey getting ready to jump.

This experience sparked her hobby of looking for driftwood articles with the potential to be transformed into meaningful sculptures, especially after minor tsunamis hit the Andaman sea and nearby water bodies. Mrs Punnose brought a few driftwood sculptures with her to Kerala, her native place, every year, and eventually accumulated an extensive collection over a quarter-century.

With her passion for driftwood sculptures, Mrs Punnose founded the Bay Island Driftwood Museum in Kumarakom, which features an impressive collection of driftwood sculptures from around the world. The Kottayam museum is a must-visit for art lovers, featuring unique and intricate sculptures that showcase the beauty of driftwood in art.

Mrs Punnose’s dedication and passion for driftwood sculptures are evident in the Bay Island Driftwood Museum’s collection. So next time you visit the museum, take a moment to appreciate the vision and hard work of its founder and curator, Mrs Raji Punnose.

The Bay Island Driftwood Museum in Kumarakom is the first and only driftwood sculptures museum in India, and it owes its existence to the passion and dedication of Mrs Punnose. She saw the potential in driftwood sculptures and created an impressive collection that visitors from all over the world now admire.

The museum is also a testament to Mrs Punnose’s commitment to preserving and promoting the art of driftwood sculptures. She hopes to inspire others to appreciate this unique art form by sharing her collection with the public.

So if you’re in Kerala, be sure to visit the Bay Island Driftwood Museum in Kumarakom. You’ll be amazed by the stunning collection of driftwood sculptures and inspired by the passion and dedication of Mrs Punnose.