Padmanabhapuram Palace
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (October 2013) |
Padmanabhapuram Palace | |
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Kerala architecture | |
Town or city | Padmanabhapuram |
Country | India |
Construction started | 1601 |
Client | Maharaja of Travancore, Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal |
Padmanabhapuram Palace, also known as Kalkulam Palace, is a Travancore-era palace located in Padmanabhapuram in the Kanyakumari district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The palace is owned, controlled and maintained by the government of the neighbouring state of Kerala. Padmanabhapuram is the former capital city of the erstwhile Hindu kingdom of Travancore. It is around 20 km from Nagercoil, 39 km from Kanyakumari town and 52 km from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.[1] The palace is complex inside with an old granite fortress around four kilometers long. The palace is located at the foot of the Veli Hills, part of the Western Ghats. The river Valli flows nearby.[2]
Another palace known as
Construction
The palace was constructed around 1601 CE by Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal who ruled
Unique rooms
The Padmanabhapuram Palace complex consists of several structures:
- Mantrasala; the King's Council Chamber
- Thai Kottaram, constructed before 1550
- Nataksala; the Performance Hall
- A four-storeyed mansion at the centre of the complex
- Thai Kottaram; the Southern Palace
- Indira Vilasom, a guest house built to host guests and foreign dignitaries
Central mansion
The four-storeyed building is located at the centre of the palace complex. The ground floor houses the royal treasury. The first floor houses the King's bedrooms. The ornamental bedstead is made of 64 types of herbal and medicinal woods, and was a gift from the Dutch merchants. Most of the rooms here and in other parts of the palace complex have built-in recesses in walls for storing
Southern Palace
The southern palace is as old as the Thai Kottaram (
Uppirikka Malika
To the northwest of Thai Kottaram is one of the most notable parts of the royal complex, Uppirikka Malika (
Other features
The Padamnabhapuram Palace complex has several other interesting features:
- The palace is located near Thuckalay, Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu state but administered by the Government of Kerala state.
- The clock tower in the palace complex has a 300-year-old clock, which still keeps time.
- A big hall now bare, which can accommodate around 1000 guests, and where ceremonial feasts were held, on auspicious occasions.
- A secret passage, now blocked, through which the king, his immediate family members, and their entourage could escape to another palace, located several kilometers away in the event of any emergency. Name of this palace is Charottu Kottaram.
- A flight of steps leads to a bathing pond, which has lost its freshness due to neglect and years of disuse.
- The palace complex also has a section of curios and several interesting objects:
- An entire room filled with old Chinese jars, all gifts by Chinese merchants.
- A variety of weapons (which were actually used in warfare), including swords and daggers.
- Brass lamps, wood and stone sculpture, a variety of furniture and large mirrors made of polished metal.
- A gallery of paintings depicting incidents from the history of Travancore.
- A wooden cot made of up to 64 wooden pieces of a variety of medicinal tree trunks
- Polished stone cot, meant for cool effect
- Toilet and well
Gallery
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Padmanabhapuram Palace exterior facade
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Padmanabhapuram Palace (Side View)
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Padmanabhapuram Palace
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Padmanabhapuram Palace (Front View)
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Padmanabhapuram Palace
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Padmanabhapuram Palace
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Padmanabhapuram Palace and Pond
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Kuthira Vilakku (Side View)
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Kuthira Vilakku
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Navarathri mandapam - dance floor
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Meeting chamber
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The Clock Tower
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Kings' bed made from 64 different herbal planks
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Engraved wooden ceiling of the Thai Kottaram
See also
- List of State Protected Monuments in Kerala
- Tentative List of World Heritage Sites in India
- Eraniel
- Marthandavarma (novel)
References
- ^ "Distance between Trivandrum and Padmanabhapuram". Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ^ "Padmanabhapuram Palace - Padmanabhapuram Palace Trivandrum Kerala, Padamanabha Puram Palace Thiruvananthapuram India". Iloveindia.com. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
- ^ "Padmanabhapuram Palace | Department of Archaeology". Archaeology. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
- ^ Abraham, Sharon (21 August 2021). "Padmanabhapuram palace: An ornate marvel made of wood". Mittai Stories. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
External links
- Protected Monuments in Kerala, Archaeological Survey of India
- Padmanabhapuram Palace at the World Heritage Tentative List