The Unsung Ballad of Krishnapuram Temple

Anshika Rana

The Unsung Ballad of Krishnapuram Temple

The Krishnapuram Palace, located in the town of Kayamkulam, is a historical monument built by the Travancore king. It is designed as a replica of the Padmanabharan Palace, the headquarters of the Travancore Kingdom in Tamil Nadu, and boasts typical Kerala architectural features. The palace offers visitors a glimpse into the lives of the rulers who once inhabited it and the people who lived under their rule.

Krishnapuram Palace; Source: Trip Advisor

One of the greatest epic stories has focused on kings who defeated their enemies, battles that changed the course of history, and dynasties that overcame all opposition. However, structures that have survived the ravages of time do not often find extensive ballads dedicated to them. They remain as the property of the kings who built them and must bear the burden of preserving and telling their own stories through their walls, carvings, and features. One such monument is the Krishnapuram Palace.

In the 18th century, the rulers of Travancore fought against the local Kayamkulam royal clans for control of Kayamkulam and emerged victorious, thereby annexing the town. Kayamkulam, the second-largest town in Alapuzha district, was a famous ancient maritime trading centre known for its lucrative trade. In 1764, Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Verma of the Travancore kingdom built Krishnapuram Palace as a replica of the Padmanabhapuram Palace in Tamil Nadu, the headquarters of the Travancore rulers. The palace was constructed on the site of the existing palace of the local Kayamkulam clans, symbolizing the Travancore kings' victory, the beginning of a new era, and the power and grandeur of the kings.

After the Travancore kings, the palace was left abandoned. In the 1950s, the Archaeological Department of the state restored the palace and established a museum on the ground floor.

Krishnapuram Palace is located on a small hill in Kayamkulam, Alappuzha district, Kerala. It is surrounded by lush gardens and stands beside a large pond. It is a two-storey building constructed in Kerala architecture with a narrow corridor, dormer windows, gabbled roof, and thick-framed door, and follows the traditional technology of Vasthu. It is built as a Pathinarukettu - a structure consisting of sixteen halls with four central courtyards and has twenty-two rooms in total separated by wooden partitions. The doors, windows, and ventilators are positioned such that sunlight and air circulate through each room. The floor is made of polished wood and concrete coated with a mix of black and red oxide. The complex used to be larger and grander, but over time its ancillary units were demolished, and only the main structure remains today.

The mural depicts a scene from a popular myth from the Bhagavat Purana. According to the myth, a Pandyan king named Indradyumna was cursed by a sage to be reborn as an elephant named Gajendra. Once, the reborn elephant king went on a pleasure trip to a lake where a crocodile seized him by his leg. He was stuck there for several years, but he eventually prayed to Lord Vishnu to deliver him from danger. Hearing his prayers, Vishnu came riding on his Garuda and killed the crocodile.

One of the highlights of the museum is the 3-meter-high mural painting called Gajendra Moksham, celebrated as the largest mural painting found in Kerala. The vibrant colours and intricate details of the painting come alive as you stand in front of it, almost as if the scene depicted in it is playing out before your eyes. The depiction of Vishnu sitting on his Garuda, the elephant saluting him, and the crocodile lying dead at his feet all speak of the devotion of the Travancore kings to their family deity. The floral designs on the edges of the mural add a touch of beauty and elegance to the painting. The mural is placed near the entrance to the pond so that the king could worship the lord after coming out of his bath in the pond.

The coolness of the stone walls, the faint smell of incense, and the soft glow of the oil lamps all combine to transport you to a different time. It takes you back to a time when the Krishnapuram Palace was the seat of power and the center of a thriving kingdom.

Today, the palace stands as a testament to the kings who built it and the society they lived in. It tells their stories through its walls, carvings, and features.

The once royal abode now houses an antique museum displaying artefacts from various time periods, including heirlooms of the Travancore dynasty, a double-eyed sword called the Kayamkuyam Vaal used by the Kayamkulam kings, a Sanskrit Bible, bronze statues, stone inscriptions, megalithic specimens, panch loha (a combination of five metals) figurines, oil lamps, and ceremonial utensils. One of the most important exhibits is a statue of Buddha placed in a chamber in the garden, believed to be a thousand years old.