A walk down history

As the Secretariat, the seat of the government, celebrates 150 years, city residents are getting a glimpse of the historical journey of Kerala.
The  photo exhibition at Secretariat as part of the 150th anniversary  celebrations of the Secretariat buildingB P Deepu
The  photo exhibition at Secretariat as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of the Secretariat buildingB P Deepu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Do you know how Barton Hill or Chenkalchoola (Rajaji Nagar) received their names? What if someone told you that the naming had much to do with the nerve centre of governance, the Secretariat. Barton Hill received its name from the abode of chief engineer William Barton, while Chenkalchoola got its name as the soil to make the red bricks were taken from the place.

As the Secretariat, the seat of the government, celebrates 150 years, city residents are getting a glimpse of the historical journey of Kerala. One gets to tune into more of such interesting facts by paying a visit to the photo exhibition which is on at the Secretariat.  

You get a peek into the goings-on spanning several years at the exhibition. Be it a snap of the Durbar Hall or that of Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma taking the salute after being crowned as the king, all the frames let you tread through history. The file picture of the ministers in the first ministry of Kerala, the various information shared through the sepia-toned pictures is of great interest to any Keralite.
The photographs are gems for not just history buffs, but any Keralite as you get a look at the bygone era and the evolution of Kerala state. You travel in time, through the various ministries and get nuggets of information about the political and cultural scenario prevalent in the past.

This building has Kerala’s political history tied to it. Established in 1889, the Secretariat was inaugurated by erstwhile king Ayilyam Thirunal on July 8, 1869.The offices started functioning only on August 23. Since then, the Hajur Kacheri and the offices were brought under the same roof.

Even the foundation stone laying ceremony of the building evoked much interest. Amidst bejeweled elephants, the ‘local army’, and band melam, the foundation stone was laid. Although the work was envisioned to be completed in two years, it took four long years.The construction process of the building created much sense of wonderment that people from far away regions would visit to see it.Rock, lime, leaf juices, egg yolk were all used as construction materials.

All bedecked in white, with its unique circular structure, long circular pillars and long corridors, the edifice evoked awe among people.Though the estimate was Rs 1.7 lakhs, Rs 3 lakhs were spent on constructing the mammoth structure. In all, Rs 9 lakhs were spent, including the money for relocating people.The photo-exhibition is on till November 7. The exhibition is open to the public from 5 pm to 9 pm and is being held next tothe South Sandwich Block of the Secretariat.

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