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| he Kuttikkanam Palace,Idukki, Kerala |
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| Kuttikkanam Palace in Idukki .thehindu.com/ |
Kerala’s 130-year-old Kuttikkanam wooden Palace in Idukki District, Kerala . in typical Nalukettu architecture with wide sweeping Verandah, sloping tiled roof with supporting wooden pillars and a large central courtyard.........
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| Kuttikkanam Palace in Idukki.onmanorama.com |
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| Kuttikkanam Palace in Idukki.onmanorama.com |
The palace once served as the summer residence of the kings of erstwhile Travancore. Kuttikkanam, a picturesque the foggy hill station between Vagamon and Thekkady. The area is surrounded by a lush green expanse of tea and coffee plantations, pine forests and cardamom orchards. The hill station allows recreational activities like trekking and hiking
The historical palace has gained more popularity ever since it was featured in the 2018 Malayalam thriller 'Carbon' The hill station is in the Idukki district of Kerala where the consorts of the Travancore dynasty used to stay in the beautiful Kuttikkanam Palace specifically built to beat the summer heat. It is a humble and small palace with no embellishments or opulence to boast of. it ia a good example of the region's famous native Nalukettu architecture style - a classic rectangular structure of four halls surrounding a central courtyard open to the sky, providing good air-circulation sunlight indoors These houses with sprawling wrap-around veranda verandah all around remain surprisingly cool during summers. The palace has two grand halls for guests, three rooms and bathrooms, kitchens and dining halls for the ruler's sojourn during the hot season. A large dining hall with majestic ceramic wash basins would allow the cooks, etc to work comfortably. made. Part of the hall was meant to accomodate a large contingent servants at a time.
One of the large halls wa for the entertainment of the royal entourage. A large dining hall with majestic wash basins made of immaculate ceramic is present here. There is a kitchen adjacent to this dining hall that can accommodate a large retinue of servants at a time.
The ceiling is completely made of wood and the floor is paved with tiles. Winding long corridors, inner courtyard, expansive bedrooms with bathrooms,etc make the stay here quiet and comfortable. The Nadumuttam’ which is an open courtyard like is enclosed by walls on the 4 sides. One of these sides houses three rooms. The first one was used by the Raja, the second by the Ammachi and the third by the maids of the Ammachi.
The wife of the erstwhile Maharajah of Travancore is popularly known as ''Ammachi''(the non-royal wife took the title), ‘Ammachi’ in Malayalam meaning maternal grandmother; hence the name Ammachi Kottaram' Kottaram meaning palace in Malayalam /Tamil. The wooden palace was built upon the ghat at Glenrock Estate and was opened by J D Munro. Kottaram means not only a village but also a Palace because 18th & the beginning of the 19th century Kottaram village was ruled by Travancore Maharajah who constructed Guest Houses for their comfortable stay.
Though no records are available, it is often said that the Ammachi Kottaram was constructed by the Travancore Maharajah Moolam Thirunal in the late 19th century on a huge plot of 14 acres of wooded area with an underground tunnel linking the Peermade Sreekrishna Swami Temple. The Kingdom of Travancore, part of the present-day Kerala was ruled by the Travancore Royal Dynasty from 1729 to 1949. The kingdom that was once a powerful rich kingdom in the 9th century when Venad freed from the Chera dynasty during the colonial rule, it became a Princely state. .The Travancore Dynasty followed a matrilineal succession and Rani Gouri Parvati Bai played a major role in maintaining the family’s royal status. When Sir. C.P Ramaswami Aiyar, a legal luminar was the Diawn, he consolidated the royal status of the erstwhile rulers. was
The palace is in Idukki District which has innumerable, breathe-taking geomorphological features. The Valanjanganam Waterfalls, a nice tourist spot, is just 5.1 km from the palace on the Kottayam-Kumily road. Kuttikkanam is a paradise on earth enveloped in mist with rain drops. As for the palace, it is not well maintained and it has resulted in shabby look. The palace is owned by .private parties and visitors may go on a short trip to the old era and may be surprised at the way they led the royal life in a luxurious way. Conservationists, heritage lovers should convince the state government to take up the the renovation work and explore the possibility of converting the site an attractive tourist destination with recreation, park facilities, etc.
According to the ASI this palace is well qualified to be declared as a protected monument as per the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act.
https://www.onmanorama.com/travel/kerala/2022/07/23/ammachi-kottaram-palace-in-kuttikkanam.html...
https://www.greenwoods.in/travel/ammachi-kottaram-palace-of-the-royal-consorts
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