Padmanabhapuram Palace, Trivandrum, Kerala, India

Technically, it falls within Tamil Nadu now in Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu. Padmanabhapuram was the capital of the erstwhile kingdom of Travancore that spanned parts of the modern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The palace was built around 1600 AD by Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal who ruled Venad between 1592 and 1609. It is believed that the Thai Kottaram was built in 1550.

In the late 18th century, precisely in 1795 the capital of Travancore was shifted from here to Thiruvananthapuram, and the place lost its former glory. However, the palace complex continues to be one of the best examples of traditional Kerala architecture, and some portions of the sprawling complex are also the hallmark of traditional Kerala style architecture. The Palace though surrounded entirely by the State of Tamil Nadu is still part of Kerala and the land and Palace belongs to the Government of Kerala. This Palace is maintained by the Govt.of Kerala Archaeology Department.

It is about 20km from Nagercoil, and about 50km from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The palace is complex inside with an old granite fortress around four kilometers long. The palace is located at the foot of the Veli Hills, which form a part of the Western Ghats. The river Valli flows nearby.

The Travancore kings were known for their extreme simplicity, generosity and support of the arts, especially music. They were very wealthy, but saved their wealth in the form of gold, rather than squandering their resources on ostentatious living.

This palace looks like anything but a palace – it is probably the most spartan palace in the world. It is just a large and rather sloppily architectured building with many extensions and rooms within rooms that were likely added on over a few generations. It is basically a brick and mortar building with a simple wood roof. The internals are look no different from an average middle class house of that era, except for extensive wood carvings used as decorative accents.

Kerala Architecture

Kerala is a state of India in the southern tip with Arabian Sea kissing its sands on the western long side. On the eastern side, hilly plantations and greenery rich with spice plantations like cardamom, coffee, tea, pepper. From the east to west from hilly green forests to seashore, several rivers flow to join lakes and finally flowing down to join with the sea. A real delight for the eyes and psyche of any tourist, Kerala is the most beautiful state of India and even one of the most beautiful places in Earth.

Kerala also has got a rich history of art, culture and naturally architecture of its own. People from all over the world used to come to Kerala mainly for spices produced by eastern hilly regions of Kerala. They brought along alien culture, languages, religions and architecture. Kerala Architecture of today is influenced by the alien culture and architecture brought by people and cultural influences brought by them to Kerala from outside the state and outside India. But original Kerala Architecture has its own unique features.

Nalukettu is the traditional houses or heritage homes of Kerala and these types of buildings are typically found in Kerala only. Nalukettu is the traditional style of architecture of Kerala, was the hallmark of the grand mansions of yore in Kerala.  In early times, such huge structures were essential to cater the needs of the huge tharavad (upper class homestead), since most of them were accommodated a large number of families under the marumakkathayam (matrilineal system).

The best examples of nalukettus are the Padmanabhapuram Palace, Dutch Palace at Mattancheri and the Krishnapuram Palace near Kayamkulam.

Nalukettu are once again entering the purview of prestigious homesteads. The structure got its name from its architectural peculiarity, which consists of four blocks joined together in a square form with an open roof central courtyard, corridors, massive pillars and wide verandahs.