My Rendezvous with Padmanabhapuram Palace

This vacation was in the month of Dec 2012 when we were travelling to our own ‘God’s own country’, Kerala. After my visit to the Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvanathapuram we moved to the place called Padmanabhapuram which is in the Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu.We were to this place to see and explore the Padmanabhapuram Palace. I was surprised why a Kerala palace is in Tamil Nadu? 

As soon as I reached the place I enquired regarding the same and what I came to know was that even though the palace is located in Tamil Nadu, the palace and its surroundings is owned and governed by the Kerala State. The place called Padmanabhapuram was the capital city of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom. This place is about 60 km from Thiruvananthapuram and around 20 km from Nagercoil.This palace is located in the backdrop of the Veli Hills which is part of the Western Ghats. We reached in the afternoon and then moved to the ticket counter. After some time we assembled at the gate and one instructor came and accompanied some 20-30 people to the palace. He previewed us with the history of the palace and the people who were associated with the history of the palace.

Padmanabhapuram Palace

                This palace was built by Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal, the ruler of Travancore in 1601 AD. This Palace was also called Kalkulam Palace. It’s said that after the Kulachal war in 1741, the King Marthandavarma rebuilt this palace to this state that we see today. This palace is unique in the sense that this was built with wood. 

Padmanabhapuram Palace

This building was made with the traditional building methods which we call as Taccusastra (science of `taccu’ or carpentry) .There is no pomp and show of the palace spectacle as we enter this palace from the main entrance. It looks very ordinary and does not have a traditional palace look as we see in other places like in other parts of India. This palace is spread across some 6.5 acres of area with around fourteen palaces. Each of these palaces have stood the testimony of time and still enthralls the visitors with the replete interiors with rosewood carvings, windows with colored mica, carved ceilings with around 90 different floral designs. There was more to see in this palace than we thought.

As we entered the Palace Complex the first structure that we encountered was called ‘Poomukham’ .This structure was unique in the sense that there were images of horse riders on both sides of the entrance with exquisite wood carvings. It was here that the King used to entertain his special guests.There were wooden ceiling ornamented with lotus medallions. 

Flowers carved on Ceilings

There are 90 flowers carved on the ceiling of this structure and each of the flowers is different from the other. 

Ornamented Pillars

In the entrance of this Palace we can also see ‘Kuthira Vilaku’ (Horseman Lamp) made of brass hanging on the ceiling. 

‘Kuthira Vilaku’ (Horseman Lamp)

Some of the rarest of the rare things which feature here are a Chinese chair presented to the King by the Chinese merchants and ‘Onavillu’ presented to the king as a tribute by landlords and chieftains of different clans during onam festival. 

Chinese Chair

Adjacent to this structure is the ‘Manimalika’ (Clock Tower) which is believed to be some 200 years old. This tower contains a clock which is unique in the sense that the movement is regulated by two weights made up of disc shaped blocks and which is raised up every week and by a 1.5 meter pendulum.

Manimalika (Clock Tower)

                As we moved on to the first floor of the Poomukham we were entering to the ‘Mantrasala’, the kings Council Chamber. As the name indicates this is the place where the king as well his ministers holds meetings and consultations regarding the kingdom and its administration. The uniqueness of this place comes from the features like wooden louvers to admit light and air which helps in maintaining a pleasant temperature inside the Mantrasala.The interiors of this structure is shady most of the times and cool and admits plenty of light and air always. 

Mantrasala -The Kings Council Chamber

Next as we moved we were in the ‘Uttupura’ the Dining Hall which was adjacent to the Council Chamber.This has got two floors and this dining hall used to accommodate some 2000 people at a time when there was free food offerings by the king. 

Uttupura - Dining Hall

We can see some Chinese jars which were used during those times for preserving the pickles in this hall.

Chinese Jars

As we moved forward the next structure was the mother of all. This was called the ‘Thaikkottaram’ (Mother’s Palace).This place is also called as ‘Darbhakkulangara Kottaram’ (Palace near the pond). This building is a typical ‘Nalukettu’ (four houses on four sides) with a ‘nadumittam’ (courtyard) in the centre of the four houses. Houses like these are traditionally built in Kerala for a long time. The most decorative part of this palace is that it is built of finely decorated and carved wooden pillars with local indigenous style of wood carving. ’Ekanta Mandapam’ (chamber of solitude), the open verandah is located on the south west corner of Thaikkottaram.’Chithrathoonu’ (Carved Pillar), one of the ornamented Pillars and attraction in the Thaikkottaram is located in this open verandah. This is also called ‘Kannithoonu’ (ceiling supporting pillar) built from the wood of jack fruit tree with artistic brilliance. 

’Chithrathoonu’ (Carved Pillar)

From here we all moved towards the ‘Uppirikka Malika’, (Multistoried building).Unfortunately for us this was closed for renovation at the time and we were not able to visit this palace.

By this time we were getting fatigued. Then the instructor took us to a long corridor and then to a small balcony sort of place on the sides of the corridor. As we moved along the corridor we were witness to the nice lattice work on the sides of the pathway. This place was called ‘Ambari Mukhappu’ (Bay Window).This was built for the kings to view chariot races during festivals and to appear before the public on special occasions.’Ambari’ is actually the seat put on elephants back for safaris. The building has been constructed based on the shape and structure of an ‘ambari’.This is a perfect example of craftsmanship of Travancore wood carving. This place was probably used by the king for seeing the religious processions which used to pass by this place. 

 ‘Ambari Mukhappu’ (Bay Window)

From the corridor we went towards the famous ‘Navarathri Mandapam’.This was built by King Marthandavarma in 1744 AD. This mandapam is famous for its architecture, breath taking beauty and exquisite carvings which speaks of the rich cultural and artistic tradition. Various cultural programmes were conducted here during the Navarathri festival. The dance floor has been polished to mirror like perfection so much that it is known as ‘Kannadithara’ or mirror floor. 

‘Navarathri Mandapam’

Separate rooms with ‘Kilivathil’ (small wooden windows built in the wall) have been made for the king and his royal family to view the programmes without being seen by the common public. Next to this mandapam is the Saraswati temple where we can see some stone sculptures on the pillars with exquisite artistry.

After seeing this entire place we moved towards the southern side of the palace. On this part of the complex lies the Palace called ‘Thekkekkottaram’ (The Southern Palace). This is a ‘Nalukettu’ (four houses on four sides) structure and this was built during the period of Marthanda Varma.This palace is more or less turned to be the Heritage Museum with old palace articles and belongings of the royal family. We were witness to kitchen utensils, articles like book reading pane, easy chair, walking stick, hand fan, swing (Jhula), exquisite mural paintings which depict one or the other form of history. 

Old Kitchen Utensils

As I felt that I was at the fag end of my visit to this wood palace, the different facets of the palace was running across from the ‘Poomukham’ to ‘Thaikottaram’ then to the exquisite wood work on the jack fruit tree, the words of the instructor depicting the palace history at each of the place. 

Thaikottaram

As I came out from the complex it was evening and the Velli hills, part of the Western Ghats in the backdrop gave a picturesque, quiet and wonderful end to my travail to this wonderful wooden palace.

The Following article was edited and published in the September 2015 issue of Spiceroute,which is an inflight magazine of Spicejet airways.

The link for the same is as below

http://www.spiceroutemag.com/wooden_palace_of_Kerala.html

Thanks for your patient reading

Please share your thoughts & comments.

Join my Facebook page :https://www.facebook.com/SujithPhotostream
Follow me on twitter : https://twitter.com/sujith768
Follow me on Flickr : https://www.flickr.com/photos/sujith768/

Copyrights Sujith Nair - ©SujithPhotography

All rights reserved 2015