Kuthira Malika - A 200 year old Palace in Trivandrum
Thiruvananthapuram, or Trivandrum, is the capital city of Kerala, popularly known as God's own country. Besides the famous Padmanabhaswamy temple in Trivandrum, there is another lesser-known but equally good tourist place in the city. It is Kuthira Malika palace, located next to the Padmanabhaswamy temple.
Puthen Malika Palace, popularly called Kuthira Malika, was built by the famous King Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma in the 1840s AD. The word 'Kuthira Malika' means ' Mansion of Horses' in Malayalam. (Malayalam is the regional language spoken in Kerala.)
The Puthen Malika Palace was left unoccupied for about 100 years after the demise of Swathi Thirunal. The palace was reopened to the public only in the middle of the 1990s.
The palace can be considered an excellent example of Kerala architecture. It has a lot of enclosed courtyards, pillared verandas, wooden ceilings with intricate works, and sloping roofs.
Some of the palace's rooms are still not accessible to the public. They are locked. However, a portion of the castle has been converted into a museum. There are many artifacts, such as ivory royal thrones, crystal chandeliers, paintings, traditional furniture, and various musical instruments. There is a crystal royal throne that looks exceptionally great. An ancient sundial is found. Most of the sculptures found here are made of teak. There is a dancing hall.
This palace was predominantly used by Swathi Thirunal for practicing music. It has around 300 rooms, and we can get a good view of the adjoining Padmanabhaswamy temple from a few rooms.
The palace complex also houses a temple of Lord Padmanabhaswamy. However, you and I cannot enter the temple. It is only for the royal family of Trivandrum. It is believed that this is the place where Lord Padmanabhaswamy was born.
To get a glimpse of a Kerala-style Palace, visit Puthen Malika Palace.
Happy travelling.
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