The FRRC archives has a sizable body of folkloristic materials in the form of audio and video cassettes, photographs, slides, manuscripts and palm leaf manuscripts. Archival holdings are organised, computerised and preserved in formats accessible to interested persons. Besides building up a library of audio / video tapes, featuring almost all known variants of Folk arts in this part of the country, FRRC has a collection of Folk tales, most of those handed down orally from generation to generation, Folk ballads, songs and utterances peculiar to an area or a tribe and recordings of conversations with the elder member of a place, of whatever they might remember of what their grandparents had told them.
Besides tapes and other recordings made with the help of scientific gadgets, FRRC has obtained and preserved ancient documents and records, palmleaf manuscripts and antiques, making the Archives and its materials unique in their range and utility. More than 100 bundles of Palmleaf manuscripts have been processed, catalogued and preserved in our archives. FRRC develops projects and activities which bring to light the folk wisdom of the people of Tamilnadu. It collects and documents data regarding folklore. So far the centre has completed the following research projects: Documenting the South Indian Folktales, Catholicism of Mukkuvar Community, Tribal Folklore among Irula Tribes, Seven Sisters' Cult, Ethnography of Kaniyan Koothu, Tale Type Index of Tamil Folktales, Vinayagar Chathurthi in Tamilnadu and A Cultural Perspective of Fishermen Development. Some of the ongoing research projects are 'Conflict and changing folklore in southern districts of Tamilnadu' and 'Folk deities of Tamilnadu', 'Paddy growing culture', 'Lifestyle of Kaatunayakkar community'.
AUDIO - 3,700 hrs.
VIDEO - 749 hrs.
PHOTOGRAPHS - 15,650 nos.
SLIDES - 1,008 nos.
PALM LEAF MANUSCRIPTS - 126 bundles.
FRRC produced four audio productions,
1. Mannin metukkal
2. Vidiyal kaana
3. Verhalin Muzhakam
4. Urimai thedum oorkuruvihal
The Folk Museum of FRRC, has number of collection of traditional materials which reveals the cultural heritage of Tamilnadu. The 'Kal Chekku', 'Kamalai'(water management system), wooden pots, clay pots, kudhir (for preservation), ritual objects of ethnic people. Grinding stones are some special items among the exhibits. The materials used in the paddy growing culture, Fishing are also exhibited here. Apart from these items the folk musical instruments are also exhibited. FRRC has a good collection of leather puppets which are used by artiste in the performance of Leather shadow puppetry in the southern parts of India.
This museum was established in the year of 1957. It has a very rich set of species which show cases and educates the students and give good exposure. In the southern districts’ institutions, SXC is having this much rich museum.
