Padmanabhampuram Palace
Just
off the busy national highway 47, and a further two-hour bus ride from
Thiruvananthapuram, Padmanabhampuram, though now officially in Tamil Nadu,
was the capital of erstwhile Travancore between 1550 and 1750. By virtue of
this it has a far more intimate connection with the history of Kerala than
with the state of Tamil Nadu.
The ancient and majestic Padmanabhampuram Palace, an epitome of Kerala
architecture, which dates back to the 17th century is located in the town of
Padmanabhampuram and is its main claim to fame. The Archaeological Survey Of
India now maintains the palace. The rulers of Travancore, a princely state
for over 400 years, which included a good part of present-day Kerala and
part of western Tamil Nadu, ruled from this palace, replete with outstanding
wood carvings, stone sculptures and fantastic murals.
The Palace :
A guided tour through the maze of 108 rooms leaves one breathless at the
artistic expression and sheer opulence of these magnificent rooms. Even the
ceilings have intricately carved floral patterns! The palace made of granite
and teakwood displays a perfect combination of clean lines and gentle
angles, the sloping tiled roofs of its various interconnecting buildings
broken by projecting gables enclosing delicately carved screens.
Rooms In The Palace :
Especially famous is the dining hall, which could accommodate 2,000 people
at one sitting. The paintings in the prayer room are simply superb. However
this room is mostly kept locked and one has to have permission to enter.
Each room in the palace has its own characteristic style and is unique in
style. One is transported to a bygone era as soon as one-steps into the
entrance hall (a verandah). A huge brass oil lamp hangs from an ornate teak,
rosewood and mahogany ceiling carved with ninety different lotus flowers.
On the wall is a painting of 'Onamvillu', ceremonial bows being offered to
a reclining Lord Vishnu on the occasion of Onam (a harvest festival).
Another interesting artefact is the sword placed in front of Lord Vishnu's
idol in the prayer room.
As per historical records, in 1750, Raja Marthanda Varma in a symbolic
gesture presented this weapon to Lord Padmanabha and thereby dedicated the
kingdom of Travancore to him. From that day on, the Raja took the title of "Padamanabhadasa"
- which literally means, the servant of Lord Padmanabha. Travancore thus
belonged to Vishnu with the Raja functioning as a spiritual-cum-legal
custodian.
The Mantrashala :
The 'Mantrashala' or council chamber is placed directly above the entrance
on the first floor and is gently illuminated through panes of coloured mica.
Herbs soaking in water were put into the box-benched seats along the front
wall as natural air-conditioning. The flooring got its gleaming patina from
a unique but an obsolete technique using burnt coconut, sticky sugarcane
extract, egg, white lime and sand which were mixed together.
Another amazing feat of architecture is seen in the oldest part of the
complex, the "Ekandamandapam" or "the lonely place" with
elaborate floor paintings. A loose ring attached to a column is tour de
force of the carpenter, as both the ring and column are carved from a single
piece of jack wood. Also close by, is a trapdoor, which once opened to a
secret passage leading to another palace a few kilometres away, but long
since destroyed.
The Pandya-style stone columned dance hall stands directly in front of the
shrine of Goddess Saraswati and is very impressive. Women of the royal
household watched the performance through screens on the side and the staff
through holes in the wall from the gallery above.
Women's quarters were totally separate. The rajas and maharajas were
equally elaborately adorned with Belgian mirrors and Tanjore miniatures of
Lord Krishna. A four-poster bed made from sixteen kinds of medicinal wood
dominates the Raja's bedroom. Its elaborate carvings depict inter alia human
figures, birds and a central motif - the snake - a symbol of medicine
associated with the Greek Physician, Ascepius.
Frescos Adorning The Walls :
The murals for which the palace is famous are alive with details, colour,
graceful form and religious fervour and adorn the walls of the meditation
room, used by the raja and heirs apparent, directly above the bedroom.
However, this section has been closed to preserve the murals. The museum
across the ticket counter has beautiful wooden sculptures and displays
copies of the murals from the palace.
How to get there ?
Frequent buses run from Thiruvananthapuram's Thampnoor bus stand for
Padmanabhampuram. Best way is to board any bus for Nagercoil or Kanyakumari
and alight at Thakkaly.
Rock Fort Temple
The
Rock Fort temple complex in Tiruchirappalli is a collection of three temples
- the Manikka Vinayaka temple at the foot of the hill, the Uchhi Pillayar
Koyil at the top of the hill and the Taayumaanava Koyil (Shivastalam) on the
hill. This Shivastalam is a rock cut temple on a hill in the most prominent
landmark in Tiruchirappalli (Trichy); reached by a flight of steps on the
way to the famous Ucchi Pillaya temple.
History :
Tiruchirappalli itself has a long history, going back to the centuries
before the Christian era, when it was a Chola citadel. The Pandyas and
Pallavas held sway over the region for short periods. In the 12th century,
Cholas were subverted by the Vijayanagar kings of Hampi, who proudly
withstood the invading Muslims. Less than fifty years later, the Nayaks of
Madurai came to power, constructed the Rock Fort, and firmly established
Tiruchirappalli as the trading city.
About The Temple :
This shrine houses Kangaala Moorthy, one of the 64 manifestations of Shiva.
The approach to the temple is through a flight of covered stairs. Towards
the end of the climb, the Tayumanavar temple is towards the west and the
Uchipillayar temple towards the east.
There is a rock cut Pallava temple - Lalitankura Pallaveswaram in this hill
temple complex, with several inscriptions here attributed to Mahendravarma
Pallavan. In addition the Cholas, the Vijayanagar rulers and the Nayaks of
Madurai have made extensive contributions here. The two storeyed
Taayumaanava temple, built on (in!) a hill is a masterpiece of construction.
The Chittira Mandapam (also spelt as Mandapa) houses a granite chain with
nine loops.
Festivals :
Six worship services are offered each day here. This well endowed temple
celebrates the annual Brahmotsavam in Chithirai. Aadi Pooram and the float
festival in Panguni are also of significance here.
How to get there ?
Air - Trichy has an airport, 7-km away from the city and
is connected by regular flights with Chennai, Madurai, and Bangalore.
Rail - Trichy is an important junction on the Southern
Railway. It connects Chennai, Thanjavur, Madurai, Tuticorin, Tirupati and
Rameswaram on the metre gauge, and Bangalore, Coimbatore, Cochin and
Mangalore on the broad gauge.
Road - Trichy is connected by road to Chennai (320-km),
Madurai (124-km) and to all major towns in South India by regular bus
services.
Vellore Fort
Vellore
Fort, a perfect specimen of military architecture is located in Vellore,
130-km away from Chennai and 10-km from Katpadi. Sinna Bomma Reddi a vessel
chieftain under the Vijayanagar kings, Sada Sriranga Maharaja, built this
historical fort in the 16th century. This fortress is the mute witness of
many historic sieges and battles.
History Of The Fort :
After Vijayanagar dynasty, it became the fortress of Mortaza Ali, the
brother-in-law of Chanda Sahib who claimed the Arcot throne, and was taken
by the Adli Shahi Sultans of Bijapur. The fort was under the control of
Arkat King and next to Adil Shahis of Bijapur.
In 1676 Marathas also captured it. In 1760 Dayud Khan coming from Delhi won
the fort. The British occupied the fort in 1760,following the fall of
Srirangapatnam and the death of Tipu Sultan. The sons and daughters of Tipu
were put in this fort in confinement. This fort is surrounded by a deep
ditch and secured by a double wall.
The Fort :
The fort is situated on the Palor riverbank. The outer length of the fort
is about 2,500 feet and 1,500 feet in breadth. The height of the outer wall
is about 30 feet and the breadth is about 25 feet. The approximate
circumstance of the fort is 2,600 meters.
It was constructed with the granite blocks and is surrounded by a moat,
which is supplied by a subterranean drain fed from a tank. The walls are
constructed with hewn Kangaroo stones of rectangular shape.
Constructions Of The Fort :
The fortification of the fort consists of a main rampart broken at
irregular intervals by round towers and rectangular projections. The walls
of the fortress are connected so that the outer wall that is lower than the
other, which is extended to the inner wall, from a curtain of enormous
thickness, which cannot be affected by gun, spears and arrows.
The narrow wall running round the fort can be reached by a flight of steps
at the entrance of the fort. On the southern side there is a raised bastion
on which the flagstaff stands and there are two small round towers raised on
the main works at the southeast and northeast angles.
The Vellore fort is perhaps the most beautiful specimen of military
architecture in South India and it is still in a good state of preservation.
Other Buildings In The Fort :
Jalakanteshwara temple is situated inside the fort, which has some
beautiful sculptures on the ceiling and some richly, carved pillars and
monoliths. The carving of roofs and pillars are wonderful examples of
Vijayanagar type of sculptural architecture. The Gopuram of the temple,
which is 30 m, high and seven storied is superb.
To the right of the fort, there are 3 churches, cemetery of dead British
Soldiers in Sepoy Mutiny and a museum containing sculptures and hero stones
dating back to the Pallava and Chola times.
How to get there ?
Air - The nearest airport is at Chennai.
Rail - Katpadi, 10-km from Vellore is the nearest broad
gauge railway station. Katpadi is on the Chennai Bangalore line. There are
daily services between Katpudi- Chennai and Katpudi- Bangalore.
Road - Vellore is well connected with Chennai,
Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Tiruvannamalai, Bangalore, Tirupati, Thanjavur,
Ooty, Kanchipuram and other important towns.
