Shuka Vana

Before you go: the aviary has been temporarily closed to visitors since 1 June 2026 for development work, while the Bonsai Garden and Vishwam Museum stayed open. Call the ashram on +91 821 248 6486 to confirm it has reopened before you plan your day around it.

Most people come to Mysuru for the palace, the zoo and Chamundi Hill. Shuka Vana rarely makes the first page of a standard itinerary, which is odd, because it is the only place in the city that holds a Guinness World Record.

Shuka Vana sits inside the Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Ashrama on Ooty Road, about ten minutes from the palace. The name is Sanskrit for parrot forest, and it is literal: inside a single tall enclosure, macaws, cockatoos, African greys, conures, amazons and dozens of other species fly overhead while visitors walk below on tiled paths.

It is also not a zoo. Every bird there arrived because it was injured, surrendered, seized or abandoned. The place runs its own bird hospital, and the birds are residents rather than exhibits.

What is Shuka Vana?

Shuka Vana is a bird rehabilitation centre and free-flight, walk-in aviary within Avadhoota Datta Peetham. It houses around 2,000 to 2,100 birds across more than 450 species, most of them parrots.

The structure covers about one acre and rises to around 50 metres, a little over 160 feet. That height lets birds fly properly rather than shuffle along a perch. You walk through at ground level, surrounded by palms, ferns and crotons planted to feel like a forest floor. Shuka means parrot in Sanskrit and also honours Sage Shuka, and vana means forest or grove.

Birds arrive here after injury, illness, abandonment or confiscation, and the on-site avian hospital provides treatment, quarantine and long-term care. Some recover and live in the free-flight zone, while others stay in enclosures because their condition or feeding needs require it. School groups visit often, and every enclosure is labelled with the species and basic details.

Species you are likely to see: scarlet, blue-and-gold and hyacinth macaws, sulphur-crested and umbrella cockatoos, African grey parrots, sun conures, quaker and eclectus parrots, amazons and a wide range of parakeets.

Location and how to reach

Address: Shuka Vana, Avadhoota Datta Peetham, SGS Ashrama, Ooty Road, Datta Nagar, Mysuru 570025, at the foot of Chamundi Hill. Older listings call the road the Mysore to Nanjangud highway, so if your map app struggles, search for "Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Ashrama" instead.

• Auto or cab: the simplest option, 15 to 20 minutes from the palace area outside peak hours.
• City bus: several routes stop at Ganapathi Sachchidananda Ashrama, including the 203, 204 and 205 series.
• Own vehicle: parking is available inside the ashram. From Bengaluru, the expressway gets you here in about three hours.

Timings

Shuka Vana runs in two sessions rather than a continuous day. The midday gap is for the birds: feeding, cleaning and rest.

Some listings show a 10:00 AM opening, and hours sometimes change around festivals and ashram events. The Wednesday closure is deliberate: that is when birds otherwise kept in enclosures are let out to fly freely inside the aviary without visitors.

When to go: the morning session is better. Birds are more active before noon and the crowd is thinner. Weekends and school holidays get busy, and October to February brings the pleasantest weather. Allow 60 to 90 minutes for the aviary, or about two and a half hours with the Bonsai Garden and Vishwam Museum.

Ticket price

Entry is free, to both the aviary and the ashram grounds, and has been since the centre opened. That is one reason the crowd is so varied: devotees, school groups, birdwatchers and tourists all pass through the same gate.

These figures come from visitor reports and have changed over the years. The ashram does not publish a rate card online, so carry some cash. Websites quoting a ₹100 to ₹150 entry fee are unreliable: entry itself is free.

The feeding session is what most families remember. You hold a plate of chopped fruit, and birds land on your arms, shoulders and head to eat. Children tend to find it either magical or terrifying, with very little in between.

History and founder

The story begins with a boat accident. In 2011, Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, head of Avadhoota Datta Peetham, was travelling in South America to promote mass chanting of the Ramayana. According to the aviary's management, his boat overturned in Venezuela, and as he was pulled from the water he saw a flock of white Amazon parrots circle above him and fly away. That moment is credited as the origin of the idea.

The aviary opened the following year, in 2012, with its first birds arriving as rescues and surrenders rather than purchases. Swamiji, well known in Karnataka for spiritual, musical and social welfare work, remains closely associated with it. Veterinarian and ornithologist Dr S. Subramanya is credited with helping design it, which is why it works as a true aviary rather than a large cage: the height, planting, feeding stations and hospital were planned around bird welfare from the start.

Its purpose, in short: shelter for injured, abandoned and confiscated birds; treatment in a dedicated avian hospital; conservation of endangered parrot species; and public education about bird life and habitat loss.

The Guinness World Record

On 6 May 2017, Guinness World Records confirmed Shuka Vana as holding the record for the most bird species in an aviary, with 468 species verified, and an adjudicator came to Mysuru to present the certificate. Most large national aviaries keep 100 to 200 species. Shuka Vana holds more than double that in one acre, alongside about 2,000 birds. Some came from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, others were surrendered by Indian owners or handed over by forest departments, and the collection includes endangered and critically endangered species.

What else is on the ashram premises

• The aviary: the main draw, with labelled sections and feeding points.
• Kishkindha Moolika Bonsai Garden: a quiet, shaded garden of bonsai and medicinal plants, a welcome counterweight to the noise of 2,000 parrots.
• Vishwam Museum: artefacts, instruments and collections associated with the peetham.

The wider ashram also includes the Sri Datta Venkateshwara Temple and the main peetham complex. Dress and conduct expectations are those of any temple in Karnataka.

Visitor rules

• Photography is restricted: personal cameras and phone photography inside the aviary are generally not permitted. Photos with birds are arranged through the on-site photographer.
• No flash anywhere: it distresses the birds.
• Follow staff during feeding: sudden movements, grabbing and loud noises are the main causes of scratches.
• Keep voices low, and do not bring outside food for the birds, since their diets are managed by the hospital.
• Footwear is allowed in the aviary and Bonsai Garden, unlike the temple areas.

The aviary has closed temporarily before, including for bird flu precautions and during the pandemic, and reopening news is usually shared locally rather than online. Calling ahead is the safest plan.

Places to combine with your visit

• Chamundi Hills: 10 km away, best in the early morning.
• Mysore Zoo: 4 km away, plan half a day if you include it.
• Mysore Palace: 4 km away, illuminated on Sundays and public holidays.

A practical order: Shuka Vana in the morning session, lunch near Ooty Road, then the palace in the late afternoon.

Frequently asked questions

What is Shuka Vana?

A bird rehabilitation centre and free-flight aviary inside Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Ashrama on Ooty Road, sheltering around 2,000 rescued birds, mostly parrots, with its own avian hospital.

What is the ticket price?

Entry is free. Feeding sessions start at about ₹110, photos with birds cost extra, and the Bonsai Garden charges about ₹25.

What are the timings?

Usually 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM, closed on Wednesdays.

Who founded Shuka Vana?

Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, head of Avadhoota Datta Peetham, in 2012, with ornithologist Dr S. Subramanya helping design the aviary.

Why is it famous?

It holds the Guinness World Record for the most bird species in an aviary, 468 verified in May 2017, and it is a rescue centre with free public entry.

Is photography allowed?

Personal photography inside the aviary is generally restricted. You can pay the on-site photographer for pictures with birds. Flash is never allowed.

Is Shuka Vana open now?

It was temporarily closed from 1 June 2026 for development work, while the Bonsai Garden and Vishwam Museum stayed open. Call the ashram before you visit.

Is it worth the detour?

Shuka Vana does not photograph well, and it does not need to. Standing under a 50-metre enclosure while a scarlet macaw crosses overhead is not something a website can convey. What makes it special is the intent: a rescue centre with a hospital, run by an ashram, charging nothing at the gate, that happens to hold a world record. Go for the morning session, keep photo expectations realistic, and confirm the reopening first.

Continue the Mysuru road trip, and take home a box of fresh Mysore Pak.