The stillness of kings
A one-hour drive from the heart of Kochi, skirting along the languid backwaters of the Perandoor canal, brings you to Chittoor Kottaram—a single-key royal mansion where Rama Varma Sakthan Thampuran, the Rajah of Cochin, once lived. The coconut palms bowing into their reflections are only a gentle prelude to what awaits: a world that still breathes the quiet majesty of early 19th-century Travancore.
The temple, originally established by the Cheranelloor Swaroopam family around 1375–1475, was later adopted by the Cochin royals as their family shrine. Known today as the Chittoorappan Temple, it remains one of Kerala’s most revered Krishna sanctums.
“So devoted was the Maharaja,” says resort manager Milton Varghese, “that he chose to live close to the temple. He built this mansion just 46 metres away.” The palace—now restored but still steeped in its original grace—is a masterpiece of Kerala temple architecture: sloping terracotta roofs to defy monsoons, lime-washed walls that glow under the sun, hand-painted Athangudi tiles, pillared verandahs, and carved wooden railings framing rectangular windows.
Downstairs, two bedrooms open into shaded courtyards. The master suite, once reserved for royal repose, sits upstairs with a private living room. “The Maharajas usually stayed at the Tripunithura Hill Palace, about two hours away,” says Varghese. “But whenever the King came here, he travelled by boat. The left-side room downstairs was his chosen chamber—so he could sleep on the same level as Lord Krishna.”
The palace weathered neglect, until the family sought help from the CGH Earth Group. “In 2010, we took the mansion on lease,” says Mridula Jose, Vice President of Product Development at CGH Earth. Thus, Chittoor Kottaram was reborn as a single-key heritage retreat—one family, one palace, one story at a time.
In 2015, the story took another turn. Lady Helen Hamlyn (91), British philanthropist and architect, fell under its spell. “She restored the large veranda and added sliding glass panels in the living room,” recalls Varghese. The ancient pond was reshaped into a private pool, and the old dining area transformed into a kitchen, spa, and office. Upstairs, the master suite remains her personal residence. “Every year, Lady Hamlyn spends 15 days in November and 15 in February here,” Varghese adds.
At Chittoor Kottaram, nothing is hurried. The air moves at the pace of devotion, and the silence feels almost royal. Here, luxury isn’t about grandeur—it’s about stillness.