Monuments of Kerala

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Madhavan Nayar Foundation, Edappally

Location: 8 km from Ernakulam town at Edappally Ernakulam.
Timings: 10:00 17:00 hours on all days except Mondays.
Attractions Showcases the historic events and arts of Kerala.
Located at a little distance from the crowded urban centre of Ernakulam is a quiet, ethnic building hidden in the shades of huge trees. A statue of Parasurama, the sage who is said to have created Kerala, greets the visitor. This is a monument to the history of Kerala and homage to its makers. The Madhavan Nayar Foundation also called the Museum of Kerala History and Its Makers showcases historic episodes from the neolithic to the modern era through life size figures. Light 'n' sound shows are regularly organised with commentaries in English and Malayalam. There is also a gallery for paintings and sculptures, displaying over 200 original works by contemporary Indian artists. The Centre for Visual Arts here has a collection of the authentic reproduction of select world masters and larger than life mural reproductions of Indian art.

Getting there

Nearest railway station: Ernakulam, about 8 km from Edappally.
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 20 km from Ernakulam city.

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The Poonjar Palace, Kottayam district

Location: Poonjar on the Pala-Erattupetta route, Kottayam district, central Kerala.
Attractions: Royal collection of antiques, rock cut lamps, sculptures etc.

The Poonjar Palace is a glorious testimony to the regal opulence of a bygone era. Within the palace walls is an extraordinary royal collection of antiques and exquisite furniture including a palanquin, a thoni – carved out of a single piece of wood – for Ayurvedic massages, huge chandeliers, palm leaf engravings, jewel boxes, varieties of lamps, sculptures of Nataraja (the dancing Siva), grain measures, statues and weapons.

A unique conch preserved here is taken out once a year for ritualistic purposes.Near the palace is an amazing replica of the Madurai Meenakshi Temple. The walls of this temple bear sculptures that narrate stories from the Puranas (the legends of ancient India). However, the most fascinating thing here is the Chuttuvilakku (row of lamps) carved out on the stonewalls of the Sastha Temple nearby. Such rock cut lamps are rare in India.

Getting there

Nearest major railway station: Kottayam, about 30 km from Pala.

Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 76 km from Kottayam town.

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Dutch Palace, Mattancherry

Location: Mattancherry, 10 km from Ernakulam.Visiting hours 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on all days except Fridays. Built by the Portuguese in 1557 and presented to Raja Veera Kerala Varma of Kochi, the Palace was renovated in 1663 by the Dutch. The palace with a Bhagavathi temple in the central courtyard is built like the typical Kerala style mansion the Nalukettu the home of the aristocracy, nobility and upper classes, with four separate wings opening out to a central courtyard. The double storeyed palace building which stands by the panoramic Kochi backwaters has an exquisite collection of murals collectively covering over 300 sq ft of its walls. The themes of these murals have been borrowed from the great Indian epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha, and mythology and legends about the Hindu gods especially Guruvayurappan. Some murals depict scenes from Kumarasambhavam and other works of the great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa. Also on display are royal paraphernalia like weapons, swings and furniture which offer a glimpse of the lifestyle of the royal family. Getting there There are frequent bus and boat services to Mattancherry. The boats start from Main Boat Jetty near Subash Park at Ernakulam town.Nearest railway station : Ernakulam, about 10 km.Nearest airport : Cochin International Airport, about 20 km from Ernakulam town.

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Museum of Kerala History

The Museum of Kerala History is located on the National Highway just after Edapally on the way to Aluva. It is one stop, not just foreign tourists but even Malayalees, should never miss to take, at least once. Founded by the late Mr.R.Madhavan Nair, a seafood exporter and connoisseur of art and artifacts. A stroll through the corridors of the museum takes you period by period through the pages of Kerala's history and what's more, reveals the splendours of classical and modern art. Located on a generous plot of land full of tall trees and carpeted lush green with a garden full of blooming flowers, it is a pleasant getaway. The artistically designed alleyways laid with black granite stones provide an excellent backdrop for the complex. The din and bustle of the busy highway fails to disturb one's peace and tranquillity within the complex. Established in 1987, the museum is perhaps the only one of its kind in India. The museum brings to life, in magnificent sweep, the entire history of Kerala and all its social, cultural, political and religious life through about 90 lifesize statues of the makers of history in a soundandlight show, set in appropriate and authentic background. More than just a chronicle of political events and transformation, one can witness the relationship from the dawn of history between Keralam and Thamizhakam, the Aryan descents from the north, centuries before the arrival of St.Thomas, the Apostle in 52 AD. The Advaita vedanta of Adi Sankaracharya, the Maharaja Marthanda Varma, Tipu Sultan, Kathakali which is Kerala's contribution to art, Dr. Hermann Gundert etc. The flitting lights, the colourful background music, set to synchronize with the impact of the visual together produce an enduring impression. The Gallery of Paintings and Sculptures in the museum are on the fourth floor and very aesthetically conceived. It contains 250 original paintings of Indian masters like Raja Ravi Varma, M.F Hussain, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Kishan Khanna, Abindranath Tagore, Bhunen Kakhar and many others. The Centre for Visual Arts within the complex displays about 400 authentic and high quality reproductions of paintings of world masters including Cezanne, Titian, Leonardo Da Vinci, Monet, Ucello, Van Gough, Picasso and others. The Dolls museum on the first floor has a spectacular and colourful collection of beautiful dolls in glass modules of people from all parts of India.

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Kottayil Kovilakom

On the fall of the Cheran Empire sometime in the 11th century, Kerala was divided among many small royal fiefdoms. What remained were two notable independent kingdoms Cochin and Travancore. Though there were many minor kingdoms in Kerala, most of them were devoid of any actual royal powers, but not lacking in wealth and status. Marthanda Varma, the erstwhile King of Travancore defeated the Dutch and ended their political domination in the subcontinent. He subsequently expanded his kingdom by conquering many minor royal chieftains and annexed them to Travancore. Meanwhile, in the Malabar area, the Zamorins were the principal rulers. Long battles with the Portuguese made the Zamorins weak and ultimately with the fall of the Zamorins, Malabar came under the direct administrative control of the British. Minor kingdoms that survived these changes were the Arakkal Kingdom, the only Muslim royal house of Kerala and the Kottayil Kovilakarm, the only Christian royal house of Kerala and probably in entire India. Kottayil Kovilakam is located 12 km away from Kodungallor, a place that was once a major port at the time of the Cheran rule. The history of Kottayil Kovilakom is a tragic episode. It depicts the romantic story of Princess Mariyam who was also known as Kripavathi. She was the only daughter of King Thoma, the King of Valliyarvattom, who was renowned at that time. Following the death of King Thoma, Princess Mariyam inherited the throne. The Princess was extremely beautiful and a Prince in the Cochin Royal family fell in love with her. It is believed that he ultimately converted to Christianity, changed his name to Immanuel and married the Princess. Eventually Immanuel became the ruler of the Kovilakam. Chieftains in the Valliyarvattom royal family were enraged by this. They ultimately organized a coup and Immanuel was rusticated. He disappeared from the scene soon after . Some believed that he was killed and others say he went to Sri Lanka. The sad princess is believed to have committed suicide. Subsequently, the Cochin Kingdom claimed right over Valliyarvattom and soon conquered it putting to an end the aristocratic powers and royal status of the Valliyarvattom royal house.

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Krishnapuram Palace, Kayamkulam

LocationKayamkulam, 47 km from Alappuzha.Visiting hours9.00 am to 5.00 pm on all days except Mondays.The Krishnapuram Palace is a rare specimen of the Kerala style of architecture complete with gabled roofs, narrow corridors and dormer windows. Residence of the rulers of Kayamkulam kingdom, the ageof the palace is unknown. Renovated sometime in the 18th century, the palace is today a protected monument under the Archaeology department. Recently it has been again renovated according to the scientific techniques prescribed for the protection of heritage buildings. Today the palace is an archaeological museum, and the most fascinating exhibit here is the 49 sq.m. Gajendra Moksham the largest single band of mural painting so far discovered in Kerala. Literally, the salvation ( Moksha) of the elephant king ( Gajendra), the theme of the mural, is mythological and depicts an elephant saluting Lord Vishnu in devotion while the other gods, goddesses and saints look on. It is said that Lord Vishnu was the family deity of the Kayamkulam rajas. This mural was placed at the entrance to the palace from the pond to enable the rajas to worship the deity after their bath. Other attractions here are the beautifully landscaped garden in the palace compound where you have a variety of flora typical of Kerala, and a newly erected Buddha mandapam, where a recently recovered statue of the Buddha is housed. Other collections at the museum include rare antique bronze sculptures and paintings. Getting there Nearest railway station: Kollam, about 39 km.Nearest airports: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 103 km; Cochin International Airport, about 132 km.

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Fort Kochi, Ernakulam

LocationAbout 13 km from Ernakulam town. Welcome to a 6090 minute walking tour of the old streets of Fort Kochi. This is the ideal way to discover a historic town brimming with tales of myriad seafaring visitors who came here to trade and then stayed on to cease their work on this impressionable land. 'Walking through Fort Cochin' is a tour organised as part of the conservation and development initiatives taken up by the Corporation of Kochi. The eventful history of this city began when a major flood in AD 1341 threw open the estuary at Kochi, till then a landlocked region, turning it into one of the finest natural harbours in the world, with the sobriquet, the Queen of the Arabian sea. Kochi thus became a haven for seafaring visitors from all over the world and became the first European township in India when the Portuguese settled here in the 15th century. The Dutch wrested Fort Kochi from the Portuguese in AD 1663 and later in the last phase of the colonial saga, the British took over the town in 1795. During the 1660's, Fort Kochi peaked in stature as a prime commercial centre and its fame spread far and wide variously as a rich trade centre, a major military base, a vibrant cultural hub, a great ship building centre, a centre for Christianity and so on. Today, centuries later, the city is home to nearly thirteen communities. A few interesting sites included in the tour are the Chinese fishing nets along the Vasco Da Gama Square, Santa Cruz Basilica, St.Francis Church, VOC Gate, Bastion Bungalow etc. Apart from these architectural splendours, an array of restaurants serving fresh seafood are also popular among tourists. The Chinese fishing nets erected on teak wood and bamboo poles work on the principle of balance. Records say they were first set up here between AD 1350 and 1450. Vasco Da Gama Square, the narrow promenade that parallels the beach, is the best place to watch the nets being lowered and pulled out of the sea. The Santa Cruz Basilica, a church built originally by the Portuguese and elevated to a Cathedral by Pope Paul 1V in 1558, was spared by the Dutch conquerors who destroyed many Catholic buildings. Later the British demolished the structure and Bishop Dom Gomez Vereira commissioned a new building in 1887. Consecrated in 1905, Santa Cruz was proclaimed a Basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1984. Fort Kochi is also home to one of India's oldest churches St.Francis Church. This was a Roman Catholic church during the Portuguese rule from 1503 to 1663, then a Dutch Reformist Church from 1664 to 1804, and Anglican church from 1804 to 1947. Today it is governed by the Church of South India (CSI). Another important fact about the church is that Vasco Da Gama, who died in 1524, was buried here before his mortal remains were returned to Portugal 14 years later. Each and every structure, street, door, window and brick in Fort Kochi has several stories to tell. Getting thereFort Kochi is accessible by bus or ferry. The bus ride from Ernakulam town, which is nearly 13 km away, takes about an hour and the ferry ride from Main boat jetty at Ernakulam about 20 minutes.Nearest railway station : Ernakulam, about 1 1/2 km from the Main boat jetty.Nearest airport : Cochin International Airport, about 20 km.

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Pazhassi Raja, the warrior who redefined patriotism

The life of Pazhassi Raja symbolises one of true nationalism. The patriotic ruler had declared war against the British during his period. Despite many attempts the British could not capture him.At the end, the valiant ruler ended his life after getting trapped by the British who corrupted the king’s compatriots. On that fateful day the British army had assembled on the banks of Mavilan Canal near Pulpally in Vayanad district. The local army and the spies were there along with the British. Realising that he was surrounded by enemies, Pazhassi came out of his hiding place and took his life in front of the British. Versions of his death are found in history. The British records state that he was shot dead by them. But according to a local version, Pazhassi put an end to his life by swallowing his own diamond ring. His wife, who always followed him, also killed herself there. Yet another version about Pazhassi’s death is, the brave warrior stabbed himself to death using his golden knife that he always carried. These versions apart, one thing is for sure, Pazhassi was a ruler who was exceptionally brave and patriotic. The British had declared a ransom of 3000 pagodas for whoever could catch him. The British rewarded the then subcollector T.H.Babar with 2500 pagodas for nabbing Pazhassi. Many of Pazhassi's associates were brutally killed by the British and some were jailed. Pazhassi’s palace was demolished by the British.

[kelvinpl80]

Madhur Temple is located at Kassaragod Dist. at Kerala. The temple is spiritually bless with God Ganesh. It says that it self God Ganesha come and give a darshan to his followers.

You will get some peace and Bhakti here....It is best place to see.....