Krishnapuram Palace

Krishnapuram Palace

This palace is the best example for the Kerala style architectural buildings, especially the residence of local Chief-tains and royal palaces of Travancore. Its gabled roof, narrow stair - cases, dormer windows, classical impluva, heavy doors, narrow corridors etc. are worth to be mentioned. It carries one of the largest mural paintings of the the 18th century school in Kerala, covering an area of 150 sq.ft. An archaeological museum is also accommodated inside the palace. The palace and the surrounding area is declared as protected by the Department in 1961 under the protected monuments act.

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Krishnapuram palace was constructed during the reign of Marthanda Varma (1729-58), the king of erst while Travancore.After demolishing the original palace of Kayamkulam Raja (Odanadu King), a small palace was erected under the supervision of Ramayyan Dalava and later it was enlarged and modified by Ayyappan Marthanda Pillai. This palace is specially noted for its peculiar architectural style, which is a typical 'Pathinarukettu'. Besides it is the miniature of Padmanabhapuram Palace, the Head Quarters of Travancore. This Palace is also noted for 'Gajendra Moksham', the largest single panel of mural painting found in Kerala.

Gajendra Moksham Largest Single Panel Mural Painting in Kerala

Techniques Adopted in Travancore Mint

Travancore had adopted punching technique for making coins in the earlier period. Travancore silver chuckrums and copper kasus were coined by using the dies and punches. this technique was in use from late 17th century to middle of the 19th century. There is evidence to show that silver coins like the bombay rupee and dollars were bought for coining the Travancore silver chuckrum. These silver coins were melted in a Moosa (clay crusible). When this molten silver is suddenly poured into cold water, it falls into water as grains and dust. this form of silver was weighed to the exact weight of a chuckram, and seperate quantities were thrown into small cavaties in a large earthern plate. This plate contains thousands of holes of the exact size of a chuckram. This plate with its contents is then put into the furnace for three or four hours. With high temperature the grains of metal are fused and formed into separate globules. There may be 3000 such globules in a single earthern plate. Silver chuckrums and copper kasu circulated largely in Travancore. Silver chuckrum is a tiny silver coin about the size of a small pea and its weight was below six grains. The impression on one side appears to be crescent and dots. On the other side we can see twelve dots. on two curved lines. It represents the legs and toes of the Travancore state deity Sri Padmanabha. From the early part of the 19th century the coinage of Travancore was more technically advanced. A press with feeding machine for the manufacture of Fanam pieces was procured from England. The first machine struck silver coin in Travancore was R.V.Fanam of Rama Varma - IV (1860-1880 A.D).

Krishnapuram Palace Location :

Village - Krishnapuram, Taluk Karthikappally, District Alappuzha, Location - 0.5km left from Krishnapuram in Kollam-Kayamkulam N.H.

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The Palace is noted for its characteristic style of Kerala Architecture such as the gabled roofs, narrow corridors, dorma windows, pent roofs and so on.

An Archaeological museum is set up in the Palace in which stone and wood sculptures, bronzes, copies of Mural paintings, coins, megalithic remains, stone inscription and such historically and archaeologically important objects are preserved and protected.

The palace visiting hours are from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm on all days except Mondays.

How to reach Krishnapuram Palace:

By road: Kayamkulam is about 47 km from Alappuzha.
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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