Kazhakkoottom Palace, which holds a unique historical significance, and acres of land surrounding it will soon become a petrol bunk if the Travancore Devaswom Board has its way. Even as the government is spending crores of rupees to conserve the Padmanabhaswami Temple and other historical monuments, it seems to have totally neglected the palace over the years. Adding to its woes is the recent proposal of the Devaswom Board to convert the historical building into a commercial entity. For the past several years, the palace which is under the control of the Travancore Devaswom Board, has been a safe haven for anti-social elements.
The existing historical building is part of the erstwhile palace of Kazhakoottathu Ugran Pillai, prominent among the Ettuveetil Pillamar. In the late 18th century, Pillai revolted unsuccessfully against the then Travancore king Marthanda Varma who destroyed Pillai’s palace and dug a pond in its place. ‘’However, a part of the palace, along with the pond, exists even now near the Krishna temple.
Before the Devaswom Board acquired the property, the building was given on rent and functioned as a ‘jyotishalaya’ for several years. Later, it became a hangout of anti-social elements. Political parties, along with the support of the local people have for long been clamouring for conservation of the palace,’’ said Syamjith, a resident. Interestingly, officials of the Department of Archeology are unaware of the Devaswom Board’s plan. ‘’We will study the issue in detail and take action if necessary,’’ said J Reji Kumar, Director, Department of Archeology.
Meanwhile, there are demands from the local people to convert the palace either into a library or a park which would help maintain the heritage of the structure and sanctity of the temple nearby. The local residents told ‘Express’ that the administration had turned a blind eye to the development projects in the area. Owing to administrative inaction, the palace has been neglected for the past several years by the government, they alleged.