THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the Madras High Court on Tuesday reaffirming that Kuttalam Palace in Tamil Nadu belongs to the Kerala government, the Public Works Department (PWD) is considering applying for heritage status and conservation grants to support its upkeep, subject to availability of funds.
“We have been maintaining the palace for years, even as the ownership dispute with the Travancore royal family played out for nearly eight years. We secured a favourable verdict during the first LDF government’s tenure and have been renting out the property since then,” said Beena L, chief engineer, PWD (Buildings).
The HC’s Madurai bench dismissed the royal family’s petition claiming rights over the property. The verdict upheld the order issued by the Tirunelveli revenue divisional officer (RDO) saying the palace is owned by the state government.
The family had argued that the palace belonged to them, and wanted cancellation of the title deed issued by the TN government in Kerala’s name. The RDO rejected the family’s plea after which it moved the HC.
Advocate General (AG) Gopalakrishna Kurup, who appeared for Kerala, said although the family could file an appeal, the verdict clarifying ownership could set a precedent for similar disputes involving former royal properties.
“There are documents showing which properties the Travancore royal family was entitled to retain. Kuttalam Palace was not among them. Even the records of property transfers between royal families have no reference to the palace. In the 1991 will of Chithira Thirunal, the last ruling Maharaja of Travancore, Kuttalam Palace was not named as part of his estate. The court concluded the palace is not private property,” he said.
The covenant signed during the transition to democracy required the royal family to retain only certain properties, with the rest going to the state. The assets taken by the family did not include the palace.
The court also found that the family’s documents lacked clear or accurate details about the palace. It noted that the patta was issued in the name of the palace’s caretaker who was appointed by the government. So, the family could not claim any right over it.
“The Madurai patta passbook records show the land was in the king’s name and was officially transferred to the state government in 1996. The former royal family challenged this in 2010. The case was challenged again in 2019 and 2023 after further confirmations by the court in the state’s favour. The latest ruling addresses those later appeals,” the AG said.
In 2010, the TN government tried to claim the palace, but the court dismissed the case. In 2019, the Tirunelveli officer issued an order stating that 58.68 acres of land, which includes the Kuttalam and Dalawa palaces and all the buildings on it, belongs to the Kerala government.
After Kerala’s formation in 1957, the ownership of the palace was transferred to the state government. A few years ago, the Kerala government spent over Rs 2 crore to renovate the buildings. The site functions as a guest house, Kuttalam Palace Rest House.
Besides the AG, Senior Government Pleader V Manu appeared for the Kerala government. There are indications the royal family may challenge the verdict in a division bench.
Royal retreat
Kuttalam Palace is located in Tenkasi taluk in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu
Built in 1882 by Maharaja Visakham Thirunal of Travancore as a rest house near Kuttalam waterfalls
Designed and supervised by European engineers, completed during the reign of Sree Moolam Thirunal
The palace complex spans 56.57 acres with a built-up area of 2,639.98 sq m
Comprises 11 buildings and 34 rooms, including Dalawa Palace and Ammachi Palace
Ownership transferred to Kerala government after state’s formation in 1957