Take a train to Malgudi: Museum on RK Narayan’s fictional town opens in Karnataka

The museum was opened at the old Arasalu railway station where the popular television serial Malgudi Days was shot.
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maludi musuem
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The Indian Railways has brought RK Narayan's fictional town of Malgudi to life by developing a railway station in Shivamogga in Karnataka, where the popular television serial 'Malgudi Days' was shot into the 'Malgudi Museum'.

The museum developed at the Arasalu railway station was opened on Saturday and an inauguration was held with Union Minister of State for Railways, Suresh Angadi appearing via weblink.

"Iconic TV series Malgudi Days shot in Agumbe, Shivamogga district comes to life with "Malgudi Museum" at Arasalu station. Thank you Piyush Goyal ji for immortalising the legendary work of RK Narayan, Shankar Nag and for reviving memories of millions," Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa tweeted.  

The television series was directed by the late actor and director Shankar Nag based on the heartwarming short stories written by novelist RK Narayan. The stories were set in the fictional town of Malgudi and Shankar Nag decided to shoot the television adaptation in Shivamogga. 

The series was an adaptation of the heartwarming short stories set in the fictional town of Malgudi written by novelist RK Narayan. Shankar Nag chose Agumbe and nearby areas in Shivamogga as the locations for the serial due to the rustic ambience. 

 Arasalu had a small railway station where just two trains passed up and down everyday when the series was shot in the 1980s. It provided an ideal backdrop to shoot scenes. RK Narayan himself approved of the location after visiting the station during the shoot for the episode based on his story, The Old Man at the Temple. 

According to local residents, Shankar Nag stayed in Ripponpet, around 6 km from Arasalu, while filming the episodes.   

The plan to redevelop the station was confirmed by Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra in March 2019. The platform at the station has been expanded and it can now accommodate 28-coach trains instead of the 12-coach trains it earlier accommodated. The old Arasalu railway station is now a museum and a new railway station was constructed a few metres away from the old station. 

Master Manjunath, Girish Karnad, Vaishali Kasaravalli, Anant Nag were among the actors who played roles in the television series which was aired on DD National in 1986. The Hindi-language series was immensely popular across the country. 

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