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| Padmanabhapuram Palace. travelswithannmarie.wordpress.com |
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| Interior wood work, Padmanabhapuram palace, .mouthshut.com |
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| Padmanabhapuram palace. padmanabhapurampalace.org |
Above image: The Padmanabhapuram Palace complex (6.5 acres) is set within a granite fort complex of 185 acres located strategically at the foot hills of Veli hills, Western Ghats. It is 52 km from the capital city of Tiruvanthapuram (also Trivandrum), Kerala State and 2 km east of Thuckalay, Tamil Nadu State. In accordance with the state reorganization settlement of 1956, the 6.5 acres of Padmanabhapuram Palace complex was retained under the custodianship of the Kerala Government. The Palace which is in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu is a Protected Monument of the Department of Archaeology, State Govt. of Kerala. The palace was built around 1601 CE by Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal, ruler of Venad between 1592 and 1609. The founder of modern Travancore, King Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma (1706–1758) who ruled Travancore from 1729 to 1758, had the palace rebuilt around 1750. King Marthaanda Varma dedicated the kingdom to his family deity Sree Padmanabha (God Vishnu). Hence the name Padmanabhapuram Palace.............
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| Location map, Padmanabhapuram,TN. keralatripguide.com |
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ventilated Wwndows,Padmanabhapuram Palace travel.paintedstork.com
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Padmanabhapuram Palace is the oldest, largest and well preserved surviving traditional wooden building not only in India but also in Asia. Its unique exquisite wooden architecture is one of a kind in this country The Palace structure is built out of high quality teak wood with minimum laterite (locally available building stone) for plinths and for a few selected walls. The roof structure is made of timber, covered with clay tiles.
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| Well ventilated Windows, Padmanabhapuram Palace. tripadvisor.in |
The palace buildings were built between 1590’s to early 1800’s CE, showing continuous building activities of varied styles and forms with consistency of indigenous building techniques and excellent craftsmanship in wood. The murals at this palace are best preserved in the original state and are done in the time-tested traditional style of Kerala, infusing grace, beauty and vivid realism of carved figures.
Built as per the Taccusastra (science of `taccu’ or carpentry), using locally available materials, an old traditional timber architectural style that evolved out of the Hindu religious and astrological principles unique to Kerala, this historical wooden palace is an example of structural detailing, simple royal ambiance, exquisite carvings, extraordinary murals and an indigenous tradition steeped in distinctive design, craftsmanship and motifs.
The fourteen purposes denoted structures in the complex include Kottarams (Palaces), Pura (House or structure), Malikas (Mansions), Vilasams (Mansions) and Mandapams (large Halls).
These are 01. Poomukam (reception hall), 02. Plamootil Kottaram (living quarters), 03. Veppinmoodu Kottaram (living quarters), 04. ThaiKottaram (oldest palace), 05. Uttupura (kitchen and dining hall), 06. Homappura (rituals and prayer hall) 07. Uppirikka Malika (multi-storeyed building) 08. Ayuddhapura (armory house), 09. Chandravilasam (entertainment hall), 10. Indra Vilasam (entertainment hall), 11. Navarathri Mandapam (dance hall), 12. Lekshmi Vilasam (mansion), 13. Thekke Kottaram (palace), 14. Padipura (Entrance porch) and other smaller ancillary buildings. These were gradual additions to the initial Thai Kottaram or Mother Palace.
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| Padmanabhapuram palace, kerala artnlight.blogspot.com |
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| Padmanabhapuram palace, kerala artnlight.blogspot.com/ |
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| Padmanabhapuram palace, kerala artnlight.blogspot.com/ |
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| Padmanabhapuram Palace. transindiatravels.com |
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Padmanabhapuram Palace.galaxys2snaps.blogspot.com
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Among them, the Uttupura or the Dining Hall, and the Uppirika Malika or the four-storeyed building, are worthy of mention.
The Uttupura or the Dining Hall, has two floors, measuring 72m x 9 m each, large enough to accommodate 2000 people at a time on occasions of free feeding or annadhanam. The Uppirika Malika or the four-storeyed building, built in 1750 CE, has the treasury chamber on the first floor, Maharajah’s resting room on the second floor, and the revered prayer room on the third floor the walls of which are replete with traditional mural art work, so specific to Kerala.
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Navaratri mantap. Padmanabhapuram palace, kerala en.wikipedia.org
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| Padmanabhapuram palace, kerala Kuthirai vilakku (horse lamp) en.wikipedia.org |
The Tekkek kottaram (literally the palace in the south ) is the most attractive building in the Palace Complex, with elaborately carved wooden pillars, doors beams and ceilings.The 'Thai kottaram' (Mother's palace), is believed to be older than 400 years.
Museum building was set up in (1993) the Palace complex, has invaluable stone inscriptions and copper plate inscriptions, sculptures in wood and stone, armory, coins, paintings, etc. The Thekkek kottaram Heritage Museum, has on display household articles and utensils, reflecting on the life and style of Kerala's earlier society.
Ref:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padmanabhapuram_Palace
www.kanyakumaritourism.com/Padmanabhapuram_Palace
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