THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid the clamour in Nedumangad, a bustling commercial hub near Thiruvananthapuram, it is perhaps difficult to tell that the city has a storied history. But one need only pay a visit to Koyikkal Palace to dispel such doubts. The very air here is soaked with tales of the past.
Built in the 17th century, the palace was home to Umayamma Rani, the queen regent of Venad, when military raids at the capital rendered it unsafe. “Though it was built during the reign of Umayamma Rani, the construction took place under Kottayam Kerala Varma, who met the queen on a pilgrimage,” says Dr M G Sasibhooshan, a historian. “Being an exemplary scholar and a military genius, he was able to shield the queen from the anarchy that prevailed in the kingdom then,” says Sasibhooshan.
The two-storey building with its gabled sloping roofs is the epitome of traditional Kerala architecture. According to Sasibhooshan, the structure could be compared to a miniature replica of the Eraniel Palace at Kanyakumari. “Almost every aspect of Eraniel could be found in Koyikkal’s design, except the Vasanthamandapam,” says Sasibhooshan, explaining the architectural significance of the palace. The traditional nalukettu’s nadumuttam and the pillars on the veranda are made of granite.
“One of the fascinating features that I noted was that the palace had a drainage system, even back then! It had a urinal facility with pipes made of granite rings which took the waste outside the palace,” he adds.
The palace came under the Department of Archaeology in 1979. In 1992, it was converted into a Folklore and Numismatics Museum, housing historical relics, including 2500-year-old coins and instruments like Chandravalayam.
“The palace itself should have been considered a historical treasure where people could get an insight about the lifestyle of feudal lords rather than converting it into a museum to house things that don’t have much to do with the palace,” Sasibhooshan says. As long as there’s Koyikkal Palace, the radiant past and the rich legacy of Nedumangad could hardly be forgotten.