For the first time in 200 years, the royal family
has opened the Puttan
Malika Palace
to the public, primarily in order to generate and raise funds for the
restoration of the Palace.
Although presently most of the palace remains
off-limits, visitors are allowed to wander around some of the Palace's most
impressive wings, which have now been converted into a museum.
The Puttan
Malika Palace,
at the south-east of the Sri
Padmanavaswami Temple,
became the seat of the Travancore kings as Padmanabhapuram left at the end of
the 19th Century.
Cool chambers, lined with delicately carved wooden
screens and highly polished plaster floors, house a host of Travancore
heirlooms. Among the usual possession and display of portraits, royal regalia
and weapons, there are some real gems, such as a solid crystal throne given by
the Dutch, along with some exquisite murals. The real breath-catcher, however,
is the muted and elegant Kerala style of architecture. Beneath sloping red
tiled roofs, hundreds of wood pillars carved into the forms of rampant horses
prop up the eaves, with airy verandahs projecting onto the surrounding lawns.
Always the patron of the arts and tradition, the
royal family have effectively channelled their interest by holding an open-air
Carnatic music festival annually during the festival of Navratri in the months
of October or November.
The Puttan Malika is truly a melting pot of
history, art and tradition, making it a must-visit on every traveller?s list.
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