வரலாற்றைத்தேடி: டிசம்பர் 2024

A brief annotation of the citizen’s Heritage programme conducted by the Kerala Historical Research Society on 21, 22 and 23 November, 2024.

The Kerala Historical Research Society has arranged a heritage yathra for three days on 21, 22 and 23 November, 2024 to 12 places on the eve of Heritage week celebrated from Nov 19 to 24 every year. A total number of 28 KHRS members of history enthusiasts, experts and myself have participated in this programme and a brief description is narrated hereunder:

Day-1 (21-11-2024)

1. All the members were informed to assemble at Thrissur before the Vadakunathan Temple, thenkkinkadu maidan at 6.30 A.M and most of them assembled and four of them got on the way to Thiruvananthapuram high way. On the way at about 9.00 A.M we had breakfast Sree MU Sravana Bhavan we visited the Pandalam Palace and Thiruvabaranam. The Palace is small one and the descendent was offering blessing there. It is believed that Lord Ayyappa spent his childhood days in the palace. As this was the season for devotees observe penance and proceed for worshipping at Sabarimalai most of them visit pandalam and crowd started coming. Then we left and took lunch and proceeded to Kilamanoor palace.

2. Then we proceeded to Kilimanoor Palace at 4.20 P.M, the birth place and studio where Raja Ravi Varma the great painter of 19^th and 20^th century. We had the glimpse of the hall where Ravi Varma painted the stand, harmonium he used to play and a building he built. Most of the buildings are vacant. There is bath pond by the side the palace. A family member of Raja Ravi Varma came and welcomed us and explained the present condition. A trust is established and maintaining the palace and a school. We refreshed there in the evening and on the way while travelling we also finished dinner and reached Kovalam near Thiruvananthapuram where night stay has been arranged at Grand Harmony Beach resort. Some of the members went to Kovalam beach and took rest.

Day-2 (22-11-2024)

1. At 7.15 A.M the second day started and at Pazhayidom ruchi hotel we had breakfast and first went to Kuthira Malika near Thiruvananthapuram Padmanaba Temple around 8.40 A.M. Inside the Palace there is H.H.Uthiradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma Chitralayam and Palace Museum. The guide in the Museum has taken us inside the complex and explained the buildings that was built by various Kings on their administration. There were Levi building, Krishnavilasam palace, Anandavilsam Palace.

At 9.15 A.M we were taken by a guide inside the Kuthira Malika Palace. He explained that there were 80 rooms and all of them are not built in the same design with teak wood. Each one has unique design.

ØAt the first room the list of rulers of Travancore and the palaces were displayed.

ØSecond room had the life statues of Kathakali and other traditional dancing figures, palanquins with glass chandeliers. There is a big mirror brought from Germany and there is two elephant ivory displayed on wooden stand. There is also painting displaced on the wall an ivory throne gifted by Queen Victoria with details of persons standing on the occasion.

Ø In the next room porcelain jars and vessels with intrigue design are kept

Ø Paintings of various Kings and family and palanquin are exhibited in next room. The chola period bronze sculptures are in the another room.

Ø The full size of all Rajas of Travancore are displayed in the next hall, at one side of the hall ivory craft patronised by Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma and an ivory throne and baby cradle presented by Kholapur Maharaj is kept.

Ø On the way to climb upstairs guns and painting about the Travancore Dutch war is shown in a room.

Ø On the first floor hall swords, kalaripayattu, daggers, katara, talwars are displayed.

Ø In another hall gift items presented to the Raja such as glass materials, five step lamps, ivory stands, ivory candle stand, dolls, sengol are put on view. The roof is very nicely designed.

Ø In another chamber the guide explained that the Raja Swathi Thirunal composed many of famous kirtis and used to compose music and for meditation in that hall.

Ø In the next hall there are music instruments, thanjavur water colour paintings and a special noon cannon which fires at noon 12 using a sundial and gun powder.

Ø Wooden furniture’s, Krishna, Rama and other sculptures made of jade, terracota and Burmese frog drum in one kept in next room

Ø ØBig storage jars, Chinese porcelain jars and special foo dog doll on display at the next hall.

Ø ØIn the last room water colour paintings, silver carved work and rare powder coated first photo copy print are displayed.

The Kuthira malika is named as there are 123 wooden horse sculptures placed facing out on the front top portion of the palace. The veranda, pillars, floor and roof are finely carved and the artisans work are remarkable. It is also known that the Palace was built by the Thanjavur workers who were brought at that time numbering 5000 and it took four years to complete it.

2. Our next visit we went to Napier Museum. This Museum is located in vast campus comprising Zoo, Art gallery, park and Museums. This was established during 1855 Uthram Thirunal Marthandavarma Maharaja and named after the Governor Lord Napier and functioning from the year 1880. The building is an old structure with unique ornamentation and architectural style with three big halls connected by long corridors four towers, ornamental ceiling panel, wood works, coloured panes. The museum displaces sculptures in bronze and stone, wooden temple chariot, Chinese wooden box, ivory crafts, oil lamps, numaistic collections, model of Guruvayoor temple, koothambalam building, south east Asian gallery, Balinese calendar, musical instruments, sword of brave Velu thambi dhalava.

3. We then proceeded to Sri Chitra Art Gallery of Raja Ravi Varma. At the entrance the life and family details, his passion towards painting are exhibited and at back side and at first floor most of all the original paintings of Ravi Varma’s are displayed which are very fantastic to see which are not even a highly precise camera could take a picture. I was really got taken aback and wished for a long time to see Ravi varma’s paintings and his work which was fulfilled by this visit to Art Gallery.

4. After Art Gallery we then saw Natural History Museum. Evolution of earth, human being, types of animals, birds their dissections, parts are shown in this museum

5. The last place of the day was the Kerala Museum situated opposite of the Museum and zoo campus next the Thiruvananthapuram corporation office. More or less same artefacts and archaeological materials are displayed. After seeing Mr. Joe Francis has showed and explained some rare coins, rock and materials that he had collected. We then went to Sree Padmanabha Temple through East fort went round the pond and got on the bus had dinner and took rest at the Grand harmony beach resort.

Day-3 (23-11-2024)

1. At 7.25 we again moved on to our next programmed place in Kanyakumari district of Tamilnadu, Thirunandikarai a rock cut temple excavated on a rock during 9th century by a military leader of chola king. There is also later period Siva Temple at the entrance before going to the rock cut temple and regular puja and festivals are conducted.

2. Then our next place was Thiruvithankode Arapally an old orthodox Christian church established during 63 A.D. The old Malankara orthodox Syrian church is now being rebuild and the prayers are held in the adjacent building. The priest of the Church came and explained about the importance and details.

3. After lunch the next visit was Padmanabapuram Palace. The Kerala Government Palace Superintendent has invited our KRHS member and hailed the initiative taken during the heritage week and also deputed a guide to accompany the travel and explain the places.

During period of Travancore rulers, Padmanabapuram was capital and it was shifted afterwards in 1795. King Marthanda Varma dedicated the kingdom to family god Sree Padmanabha and named after it. At first when we enter the Palace we have to climb the first floor to the Mantrasala i.e, Kings Ministerial meeting takes place and to the big Ottupura (Dining hall) for 1000 persons to serve food and Chinese jars and stone tanks for cooking are kept. In the upper floor also another 1000 persons can be served food in this building. There is Thai Kottram i.e, mother’s palace where the foundation was laid for the Palace according to the vastu. In another room there is a bed with medicinal value made up of 64 types of wood, and the ceiling with teak wood fine carvings and designs, in another hall there is a swing and German mirror and old paintings. In the Natakasala traditional dances are performed and the royal ladies, Queens can see through special chamber doors. Proceeding to the next hall there is Armoury and watch tower, Ambary Mokappu where the King use to sit, see and hear the people. The last building was Indira vilasom where foreign dignitaries stayed. There is also Heritage Museum on other side of Palace, where the old traditional house with house hold items are kept for display.

4. After Padmanabapuram Palace we went to Udayagiri fort which was built by Vira Ravivarma 1595-1607 A.D. The fort served as a cantonment i.e, military base. During a war between Dutch and Travancore force the captain of the Dutch De Lannoy was captured as war prisoner and later appointed as Commander-in chief of Military. It also served as Jail when Tipu Sultan’s solders were kept here. De Lannoy died and was buried in this fort with his wife, and two sons. The fort is maintained under the Archaeological Department of Tamilnadu.

5. Our last visit terminating the tour was Suseendaram Sree Thanumalayan Temple. It’s combination of Siva, Vishnu and Ayan. It is one of the 108 Shiva temple revered and built be Chola dynasty in 9^th century, later expansions were built by Thirumalai Nayak and Travancore Maharajas.

There are 124 stone inscriptions found in the temple and 9^th century earlier Pandya Maranjadayan inscription is the old one. Veera Pandian has given a number of donations to the Temple. Travancore Maharaja Kulasegara Perumal has dug a well and pond.

There are four musical pillars cared out in a single stone with 18 feet height in the Alankara Mandapam. There is an Anjaneya statue with 22 feet carved in single granite stone.