Kuthiramalika Palace Museum Trivandrum



Tourist Information:
Kuthiramalika Palace Museum,
Trivandrum.
Ph: 2473952

Entry Fees:
Indian Nationals Rs 10
Children Rs 3
Foreign Nationals Rs 20

Museum Timings: 8.30am to1 pm and 3-5 .30 pm (Monday closed) Camera Fee 15 (no photo inside)

Visitors to the museum must remove footwear before entering the inner palace and must be accompanied by a guide. The guide waits for a batch of at least 5 visitors to accompany.

Location And History:

The Padmanabhaswamy Temple is Trivandrum’s most salient landmark Right next-door, in the East Fort, stands the Kuthiramalika Palace Museum also called the Puttan Malika Palace. This enclosure of several palaces forms the nexus of the Trivandrum Fort. Built in the 19th century by the famous poet monarch of Travancore, Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma, the Kuthiramalika Palace preserves the relics that represent the rich heritage of the erstwhile state of Travancore.

Architecture and Importance:

This majestic palace museum is a fine example of Kerala Architecture. As one approaches inner palace, attention is drawn to the spectacularly carved slanting wooden beams of the upper galleries. The horses carved out here are astoundingly lifelike.

Display And Attraction:

The Kuthiramalika Palace Museum displays King Swathi Thirunal’s paintings and collection of musical instruments and an assortment of war arms belonging to the royal family of Travancore. The very first room tourists enter exhibits 14 life-size images portraying stills from the legends of Kerala and the traditional dance form of Kerala, Kathakali. Visitors are fascinated by the exquisitely carved ivory cots and thrones of the rulers. A musical tree that reproduces the seven 'swaras' or notes of Carnatic music when tapped is a major draw. The display of both objet d'art and arms of war points to the royals’ inclination of winning over the hearts of men by pacific and cultural means rather than by outright warfare and their immense spiritual maturity.

The Kuthiramalika Palace Museum is a major tourist attraction of the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram and is easily accessible. Located at a distance of about 1 km from the Thiruvananthapuram Railway Junction and about 6 km from the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, the museum truly showcases the beautiful spirit of the state of Kerala and reveals to the international visitor glimpses of the glorious history of India.

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