Kuthiramalika () is a palace built by

Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma ( ml, സ്വാതി തിരുനാള്‍ രാമവർമ്മ) (16 April 1813 – 26 December 1846) was the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Travancore. He is also considered as a brilliant music composer and is credited with over 40 ...

on the south-eastern side of Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram.

Etymology

The palace gets its name from the 122 horses that are carved into the wooden wall brackets that support the southern roof. The official name of the palace is Puthen Malika (New Mansion). The palace forms part of a vast complex of royal buildings in the vicinity of Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The building was left unoccupied for more than a century, following the demise of Swathi Thirunal in 1846.

Architecture

Built in the 1840s, Kuthiramalika is an example of traditional

Kerala architecture Kerala architecture is a style of architecture found mostly in the Indian state of Kerala and in parts of Tulu Nadu region of Karnataka. Kerala's style of architecture is a unique Hindu temple architecture that emerged in the southwest part of ...

, with its typical sloping roofs, overhanging eaves, pillared verandahs and enclosed courtyards. Intricate carvings adorn the wooden ceilings, with each room having a distinctive pattern. The construction of the palace was completed by 5000 Vishwakarmas in four years. The palace is made from teakwood, rosewood, marble, and granite. The roof of the palace is made of wood and 42 beams support the carved patterns. The roof is supported by granite pillars. Floral motifs dot the ceiling of the verandah. The main 16 rooms of the palace are constructed in 16 different patterns. In all, the palace contains 80 rooms, of which 20 were opened for visitors in 1995. The floor inside the palace is made of

egg white Egg white is the clear liquid (also called the albumen or the glair/glaire) contained within an egg. In chickens it is formed from the layers of secretions of the anterior section of the hen's oviduct during the passage of the egg. It forms arou ...

charcoal Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, cal ...

, and limestone, which make it cold and smooth even in hot weather conditions. The concert venue built in the palace premises uses traditional sound reflectors comprising fifty clay pots hung upside down from the ceiling.

Museum

A portion of Kuthiramalika has been converted to a Palace Museum that houses some of the assets owned by the Travancore Royal Family. Although 80 rooms are there in the palace, only 20 are open for visitors. A guided tour is available inside the palace. The palace collections include 14 life-size

Kathakali Kathakali ( ml, കഥകളി) is a major form of classical Indian dance. It is a "story play" genre of art, but one distinguished by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes of the traditional male actor-dancers. It is native to the M ...

mannequins, Belgian and Italian mirrors, crystal chandeliers, paintings, a giant Belgian harpoon, armaments, musical instruments, traditional furniture, greek statues, a musical tree which produces 8 sounds on tapping, and other artifacts. On the right side of the mannequins are the ivory cradles of various sizes. The palace has on display two royal thrones, one made from 24 elephant tusks (''Dantasimhasana'') and the other of Bohemian crystal with the Tranvancore emblem 'conch' adorning the top of the backrest. The palace has a large collection of idols and sculptures made from white marble. On the first floor are rooms that once served as the audience chamber, the library and an alcove that Swathi Thirunal used for meditating and for conceiving many of his famous musical compositions. This place offers a direct view of the Padmanabhaswamy temple ''gopuram''. The small wooden stair there contains carvings of peacock, elephant, and dragon. Ceiling of the rooms contain paintings of parrot, peacock, and elephant. One of the rooms displays an illusion portrait of

Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma , popularly known as Sree Chithira Thirunal, was the last ruling Maharaja of the Princely State of Travancore, in southern India until 1949 and later the Titular Maharajah of Travancore ...

, painted by

Svetoslav Roerich Svetoslav Nikolaevich Roerich (russian: Светослáв or Святослáв Никола́евич Рéрих; 23 October 1904 – 30 January 1993) was a Russian painter based in India. He was the son of Helena and Nicholas Roerich, stud ...

. The face and the shoes of the king appear facing the onlooker from every corner of the room.

Swathi Sangeethotsavam

The courtyard of Kuthiramalika is the venue for Swathi Sangeethotsavam (also known as Kuthiramalika Festival), a yearly music festival commemorating the legacy of Swathi Thirunal. This music festival is conducted from 6 to 12 January every year. It attracts many of the leading stalwarts of Carnatic and Hindustani classical music. Some of the famous performers of the past include Bismillah Khan, Kishori Amonkar,

M. Balamuralikrishna Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna (6 July 1930 – 22 November 2016) was an Indian Carnatic vocalist, musician, multi-instrumentalist, playback singer, composer, and character actor. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in ...

D. K. Pattammal Damal Krishnaswamy Pattammal () (19 March 1919 – 16 July 2009), popularly known as D. K. Pattammal or DKP, was an Indian Carnatic musician and a playback singer for film songs in Tamil. Pattammal, along with her contemporaries M. S. Subbulakshm ...

, and Gangubai Hangal.

In films

The Kuthiramalika palace has been visualized in many Malayalam films. It was also mentioned in the famous TV show '' The Big Bang Theory'' in S11 E03: The Relaxation Integration.

References

External links

Prince Rama Varma on Swathi Sangeethotsavam 2008

* ttps://www.youtube.com/musiquebox Kuthiramalika Concert Videos
Kuthiramalika Palace Museum or Mansion of Horses
{{Tourism in Kerala, state=collapsed Decorative arts museums in India Kingdom of Travancore Classical music festivals in India Carnatic music Royal residences in India Tourist attractions in Thiruvananthapuram Palaces in Thiruvananthapuram