KOCHI: The sites and architecture of Tripunithura, the erstwhile capital of Cochin Kingdom, have stories of royal culture and heritage to tell. And participants of the ‘Heritage Walk’, which moved through the places and ended on Sunday, got to learn it first-hand.The ‘Heritage Walk’ was organised on six days, in the mornings and evenings of November 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26 , to create awareness on the need to preserve the royal architecture. People from various parts of the district participated.
“Nearly 150 people participated in the walk. They included people from other sides of the district and local residents. Foreigners living in Tripunithura and other parts of the city also participated,” said C K Balagopal, a member of the royal family and co-founder of Heritage Walk. A positive sign in this edition of the event was the participation of more local residents unlike previous outings where more participation came from tourists, said Balagopal.
“The walk revisits the cultural heritage and beautiful ancient architecture unique to Tripunithura,” he said.Balagopal, who donned the job of a guide in the walk, said Tripunithura was a traditional heritage site with many royal buildings built around it.“Places of colonial history in Kochi like Fort Kochi or Mattancherry, get highlighted more. The walk aims to create awareness and interest among people towards Cochin’s royal past,” he said.
The walk started from Deepthi Palace and covered the famous Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple–where Tripunithura’s annual fest is held–Kalikota and Edoop Palace, Iron Bridge and Mani Malika (Clock Tower) and other locations. Participants were told in detail about the historical significance of the places in the two-hour walk.
Balagopal said his cousin Krishna Varma initiated the walk in 2014 within the inner fort of Tripunithura. “The walk has expanded to more places now, thanks to social media through which the programme reaches more people. Many monuments in Tripunithura are either dilapidated or have been demolished to construct other buildings,” Balagopal said. Tripunithura is a heritage site and should not be considered for real estate, he said.
Balagopal said it was necessary to preserve the remaining forts.“Spreading this message to the public is vital, which is what the walk aims at. We are planning similar walks in future so that Tripunithura’s heritage and royalty do not fade into history,” he said. The Heritage Walk coincides with the annual festival at Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple which commenced on November 18 and ended on Saturday this year.