Travancore Palace: Where Great Murals Meet Ancient Figurines

Waheeda Bi khan

Travancore Palace: Where Great Murals Meet Ancient Figurines

Centuries ago, magnificent monuments were erected in India to commemorate the triumphs and expansions of courageous kings from illustrious dynasties and empires. These awe-inspiring structures now grace our lands, preserving a treasure trove of antiquities, relics, and architectural wonders that immortalise our rich heritage. Among them stands the Krishnapuram Palace Museum, located in the Alappuzha district of Kerala. This exquisite palace is a scaled-down replica of the majestic Kalkulam or Padmanabhapuram Palace, captivating visitors with its grandeur and historical significance.

Krishanpuram or Kayamkulam Palace; Source: Kerala Tourism

The mural vividly portrays the mythological story of Gajendra's liberation, which was granted due to his piety towards Lord Vishnu, as narrated in the Maha Bhagavata. The mural also reveals Lord Vishnu as the family deity of the original kings who resided in this palace. According to legend, in the Ashtamaskantha section of the epic, the ancient sage Agatsya cursed King Indraddyumna of the Pandyan kingdom to be reborn as an elephant. Thus, Indraddyumna was reincarnated as Gajendra, the king of elephants. One day, while Gajendra was on an outing with his family near a lake, he was ensnared by a crocodile that gripped his leg tightly. Seeking liberation, the elephant king fervently prayed to Lord Vishnu. Answering his plea, Lord Vishnu appeared, riding his vahana, Garuda, and defeated the crocodile. The entire story is depicted in this colourful mural, showing Gajendra saluting Lord Vishnu amidst other gods and goddesses. The central figure is Garuda, poised with open wings ready to attack, while Lord Vishnu gazes upon them with a compassionate expression. The mural also includes miniature-sized figures, such as Lord Krishna as a child surrounded by adoring females, all bordered by intricate flower patterns.

Centuries ago, monuments in India were constructed to commemorate the victories and annexations achieved by valiant kings from glorious dynasties and empires. Today, these monuments grace our lands, adorned with a wealth of antiquities, relics, and architectural archives that immortalise our heritage. One such testament to our history is the Krishnapuram Palace Museum in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, which stands as a miniature version of the majestic Kalkulam or Padmanabhapuram Palace.

During the final phase of the medieval era, a feudal state called Odanad, known as Otanatu in Malayalam, existed in Kerala. The great Sanskrit work, Mayura Sandesam by Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran, mentions this state as the land of vines. However, historians suggest that the name may have derived from otam, meaning boat, and natu, meaning land, or otamula, meaning bamboo, indicating that it was the land of bamboo. Established in the 11th century, this state was ruled by the Nairs, with the king residing in the capital city of Mavelikkarawere. The capital, associated with Maveli, the symbol of Onam, earned the name Onattukara or the land of Onam. In the 15th century, for the convenience of maritime trade, the capital was shifted to Krishnapuram near Kayamkulam. The feudal state flourished until the reign of King Veera Ravi Varma when a single-story building known as Ettukettu was constructed on a hillock in Krishnapuram, overseeing the surrounding lands. The Kandiyoor Sree Mahadeva Temple holds records of most of the Odanad rulers during their heydays. Sadly, the northern expedition led by Marthananda Varma, the great king of Venad and Travancore, resulted in the defeat of the last Odanad king, Kotha Varma, leading to the annexation of the Odanad lands by the Venad kingdom.

The palace itself is a replica of the Kalkulam Palace, built using scientific techniques to ensure its long-term preservation. The entire complex is enclosed within walls, housing a captivating museum, archaeological offices, and other functional structures. The main building features gabled steep roofs with Mangalore tiles, rooms adorned with ornamental and carved wooden partitions, and the use of materials like teak, laterite stones, and rosewood. The palace is surrounded by a well-maintained, beautiful garden, where a separate mantapa showcases a magnificent statue of Buddha and a metallic post box from medieval times, all nestled amidst the blooming avenues. The renovators have replaced metallic fittings and fixtures with wooden hinges and locks for doors and windows, while the floors combine polished wood and concrete, with red oxide flooring in certain areas. The craftsmanship of the narrow corridors, classical impluvia, dormer windows, and stone pipe drainage system preserves the medieval traditional ambience of the palace.

If the Padmanabhapuram Palace epitomises the glory and grandeur of the Travancore kings, then the Krishnapuram Palace serves as a mirror reflecting the victorious expeditions of the Venads and the flourishing ethnic exuberance that connects traditional heritage with contemporary Kerala. The palace museum not only preserves the harmonious cultural legacy through various art forms like murals, sculptures, and manuscripts but also immerses visitors in the nostalgic tales of ancient and medieval times at every corner of the palace, offering a cherished experience for generations to come.

Notable exhibits that should not be missed include the Kayamkulam val, a double-edged sword; the silver sword of Sri Vishakham Thirunal; measuring devices such as Rathal and Thola, used in the kingdom of Travancore; urn burials; black and red potteries excavated from Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa; and the shield of the famous Diwan of Travancore.

The museum within the palace mesmerises visitors with its displays, transporting them to ancient times and distant lands in India. Exhibits include a bronze idol of Varuna on Makara Matsya from 1900 CE, showcasing Varuna holding a pasa or thread; megalithic models of Dolmenoid cists, capstone flushes, cairn circles, umbrella stones, and hood stones; ancient coins; a bronze mirror and prabha used in Kerala temples; a Sanskrit Bible; stone handcuffs and bullets; a wooden model of the Thiruvegappura temple, and more, collectively representing the rich heritage of Kerala.

The present Krishnapuram Palace was built by the victorious Venad king, who demolished the old Odanad structure and constructed a new palace adhering to the principles of Vastu Shastra. The palace complex originally included various utility buildings, a pond, and a temple spread over 56 acres of land. It was constructed under the supervision of the Venad prime minister Ramayyan Dalawa and later extended by his successor Ayyapan Marthananda Pillai. However, after the monarchy was dissolved, the palace was abandoned, and most of the smaller buildings within the complex fell into ruins over time, with only the main palace building remaining, albeit in a dilapidated state.

Three centuries later, when India gained independence from British imperialism in the 1950s, the Archaeological Department of Kerala decided to revive the historical significance of Krishnapuram by renovating the palace complex on a reduced area of 2.55 acres. The renovators successfully restored the original traditional layout of the three-storey palace, following the distinctive Kerala style known as Pathinarukettu. This architectural style featured sixteen kettus or blocks surrounding four courtyards of nadumuttam and twenty-two rooms. The palace's backyard opens to a serene pond that reflects the grandeur of the palace and was originally used for bathing before worshipping Gajendra Moksham, the largest single-piece mural painting in Kerala, located on the wall directly facing the back entrance door on the ground floor.