Kilimanoor is a panchayat and a town in the

Varkala taluk Varkala Taluk is a Taluk (tehsil) situated in the northernmost tip of Thiruvananthapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the 3rd most densely populated taluk in the district comprising 10 villages and Varkala municipality. Spanni ...

Thiruvananthapuram district Thiruvananthapuram District () is the List of districts of Kerala, southernmost district in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. The district was created in 1949, with its headquarters in the city of Thiruvananth ...

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

, India. It is located on MC/SH 1 Road, northwest of the city of Thiruvananthapuram (

Trivandrum Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the largest and ...

), east of

Attingal Attingal is a municipal town in Thiruvananthapuram metropolitan area in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala state, India. It was the location of the Attingal kingdom, under Travancore. It is the headquarters of Chirayinkeezhu Taluk, and th ...

and east of

Varkala Varkala is a major coastal municipality and a northern suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. In legends and myths related to Kerala, texts like the Keralolpathi, Kerala Mahatmyam describe the Varkala reg ...

History

Kilimanoor ("land of the bird and the deer") was ruled by a Pillai ruling chief and was forfeited to Travancore by Maharaja Marthanda Varma. The estate comprising several villages was then handed over to the family of the father of the King who had come south from Parappanad in Malabar around 1718. was ruled by a chief during time of the

Ettuveetil Pillamar The Ettuveetil Pillamar (Lords of the Eight Noble Houses) were Nair, Nair nobles from eight ruling Houses in erstwhile Travancore, Travancore Kingdom in the present-day Kerala, India. They were associated with the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Vena ...

in the kingdom of

Travancore The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...

. The chief rebelled against the

Maharajah Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a prince. However, in late ancient India ...

Marthanda Varma Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma (Malayalam: ; 1706 – 7 July 1758) was the founding monarch of the southern Indian Kingdom of Travancore (previously Venadu) from 1729 until his death in 1758. He was succeeded by Rama Varma ("Dharma Raja") ...

, and the region was annexed and later given to the Royal House of Kilimanoor. This

Royal House of Kilimanoor Kilimanoor Palace is a palace located in Kilimanoor, in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the birthplace of painter Raja Ravi Varma and Raghava Varma, the father of king Marthanda Varma. The Palace The Palace complex covers more than six hectar ...

has a history of more than 300 years. In 1705 (ME 880), the son and two daughters of Ittammar Raja of Beypore Thattarikovilakam, a

Parappanad Parappanad was a former feudal city-state in Malabar, India. The headquarters of Parappanad Royal family was at the town Parappanangadi in present-day Malappuram district. In 1425, the country divided into Northern Parappanad (Beypore kingdom) a ...

royal house, were adopted by the Royal house of

Venad Venad was a medieval kingdom between the Western Ghat mountains of India with its capital at city of Quilon.Noburu Karashmia (ed.), A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2014. 143 ...

. Parappanad was actually the ruling family of

Parappanangadi Parappanangadi () is a major town and a municipality in Tirurangadi taluk of Malappuram district, Kerala, India. It is a coastal town located close to the Arabian Sea. Parappanangadi railway station is one of the oldest railway stations in Ke ...

in present-day

Malappuram district Malappuram (), is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala, with a coastline of . The most populous district of Kerala, Malappuram is home to around 13% of the tot ...

. Ittammar Raja's sister and her sons, Rama Varma and Raghava Varma, settled in Kilimanoor and married the now-adopted sisters. Marthanda Varma, the founder of the

Kingdom of Travancore The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as st ...

was the son of Raghava Varma. Raghava Varma's nephew, Ravi Varma Koil Thampuran, married Marthanda Varma's sister. Their son came to be known as Dharma Raja Kartika Thirunnal Rama Varma. In 1740, when an allied force led by Dutch Captain Hockert supporting the Deshinganadu king attacked Venad, an army from Kilimanoor tactfully resisted and then defeated them. Although a small victory, this was the first time an Indian army defeated a European power. In recognition of this feat, Marthanda Varma, in 1753, exempted the areas under control of

Kilimanoor Palace Kilimanoor Palace is a palace located in Kilimanoor, in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the birthplace of painter Raja Ravi Varma and Raghava Varma, the father of king Marthanda Varma. The Palace The Palace complex covers more than six hec ...

from taxes and proclaimed autonomous status. The present palace complex was also built during this time along with the Ayyappa temple for the family deity. Velu Thampi Dalawa held meetings at the Kilimanoor Palace, planning his revolts against the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

. He handed over his sword at the palace before going for his final battle against the British. India's First President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad received the sword from the palace, and it is now kept at the

National Museum, New Delhi The National Museum in New Delhi, also known as the National Museum of India, is one of the largest museums in India. Established in 1949, it holds a variety of articles ranging from the pre-historic era to modern works of art. It functions un ...

. Subsequently, placed at the Napier Museum in the capital city of Kerala.

Politics

The

Communist Party of India (Marxist) The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (abbreviated as CPI(M)) is a Communism in India, communist List of political parties in India, political party in India. It is the largest communist party in India in terms of membership and electora ...

(CPI(M)) and

Communist Party of India The Communist Party of India (CPI) is a political party in India. The CPI considers the Foundation of the Communist Party of India, December 26, 1925 Cawnpore (Kanpur) conference as its foundation date. Between 1946 and 1951, the CPI led m ...

(CPI) have a strong base. Attingal Constituency (Scheduled Caste reserved) is part of

Attingal (Lok Sabha constituency) Attingal Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala state in southern India. This constituency came into existence in 2008 following the delimitation of the parliamentary constituencies based on the recommendation ...

. *

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...

Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; , ) is a political party in India and one of the two major List of political parties in India, Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. BJP emerged out from Syama Prasad Mukherjee's ...

;

Transportation

Kilimanoor is on the

Main Central Road Kerala's State Highway 1 or KL SH 1, also known as Main Central Road or MC Road, is the arterial state highway starting from Kesavadasapuram in Thiruvananthapuram and ends at Angamaly, a suburb of Greater Cochin in Ernakulam district, in the s ...

. It is connected to the whole major destination by buses run by KSRTC from the Kilimanoor bus depot. Kilimanoor is only away from

Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the Capital city, capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the ...

. The nearest airport is

Trivandrum International Airport Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is an international airport that serves Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. Established in 1932, it is the first airport in the state of Kerala and the fifth international airport of ...

. The nearest major railway station is

Varkala Railway Station Varkala Sivagiri railway station (station code: VAK) is an NSG–3 category List of railway stations in India, Indian railway station in Thiruvananthapuram railway division of Southern Railway zone. is a major railway station in Kerala serving ...

which is from Kilimanoor.

Educational organizations

*MGM Polytechnic College, Kilimanoor * Rajadhani Institute of Engineering, Nagaroor, Kilimanoor * Sree Shankara Vidyapeetom College, Nagaroor, Kilimanoor * Vidya Academy of Science And Technology, Kilimanoor

Climate

Notable people

Kilimanoor Chandran Kilimanoor Chandran (born 9 February 1950) is an Indian author, poet, and columnist from Kerala, India. Bibliography * ''Daaham'' (Thirst)- Novel * ''haviss'' – Novel * ''Keralathile naadan pattukal'' (Folk Songs of Kerala) * '' Nammude naadan ...

Kilimanoor Raja Raja Varma Koithampuran Kilimanoor Raja Raja Varma Koithampuran alias ''Kareendran'' or ''Cherunni'' (1812–1845) was an accomplished Sanskrit poet, composer in the Court of Swathi Thirunal Rama varma, King of Travancore. He was born in the Kilimanoor palace. He was an e ...

* Madavoor Vasudevan Nair * Kilimanoor Ramakanthan * Sithara *

A. R. Raja Raja Varma A. R. Raja Raja Varma (1863–1918) was an Indian poet, grammatician and Professor of Oriental Languages at Maharaja's College (present University College Thiruvananthapuram. Life A. R. Raja Raja Varma was part of the royal family of erstwhi ...

C. Raja Raja Varma C. Raja Raja Varma was an Indian painter and the youngest brother of the painter Raja Ravi Varma. He was known as a plein-air artist. He acted as assistant, secretary, and business manager to his brother. Life Varma was also an English languag ...

Raja Ravi Varma Raja Ravi Varma () (29 April 1848 – 2 October 1906) was an Indian painter and artist. His works are one of the best examples of the fusion of European academic art with a purely Indian sensibility and iconography. Especially, he was notable f ...

Prajesh Sen G. Prajesh Sen (also spelt G. Prajeshsen; born 29th May at Kilimanoor) is an Indian filmmaker and writer. In 2017, He has made his directorial debut with ''Captain (2018 film), Captain'', the first sports biopic in malayalam starring Jayasurya ...

Tourist attractions

Kilimanoor palace Kilimanoor Palace is a palace located in Kilimanoor, in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the birthplace of painter Raja Ravi Varma and Raghava Varma, the father of king Marthanda Varma. The Palace The Palace complex covers more than six hec ...

* Raja Ravi Varma Art gallery *

Thirupalkadal Sreekrishnaswamy Temple Thirupalkadal Sreekrishna Temple (Thiruparkadal Sreekrishnaswamy Temple) is one of the oldest Hindu temples dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu (worshipped as Krishna), located in the village Keezhperoor, Chirayinkeezhu Taluk, Thiruvananthapu ...

* Kadalukaani Para * Thampuratti Para

References

;Bibliography *{{Cite book, first1=V. Nagam, last1=Aiya, author-link1=V. Nagam Aiya, title=Travancore State Manual, publisher=Travancore Government Press, url=https://archive.org/details/travancorestate00aiyagoog, year=1906 Cities and towns in Thiruvananthapuram district