Hearitage

  The city of Thrissur was designed in the form it is today by one of the most important Kings of the Cochin dynasty whose love for the city and its people gave him the title of Shakthan Thampuran. The city has many iconic sites named after him but one which celebrates his life is the beautiful Shakthan Thampuran Palace that one finds in the city center near the iconic Vadakumnathan temple. Built for the sole purpose to be the residence of royalty the palace is a beautiful structure with a varied history over the centuries.  The Kochi rulers were called Perumpadappu Swaroopam & they ruled provinces from their magnificent palace at Tripunithura. The earlier name of this palace was Vadakkekara Kovilakam & the earlier Cochin Rajas used the residence only as a summer palace on their visit to Thrissur. The palace was a simple structure then made in traditional Kerala architecture with rooms & quarters with a large area around. When Rama Varma Thampuram took the throne of Kochi

  Kerala is a land of many ancient temples and one such revered temple stands majestically in Kottayam. The Ettumanoor Sree Mahadeva temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is a temple which has many legends attached to it & stories that have been passed down over the ages. The name Ettumanoor itself has many stories attached to it & all are related to the deity. At the temple Lord Shiva is worshipped in three forms, as the elegant combination of Ardhanareeswara in the morning, in the afternoon as the avatar of Kirathamoorthy who gave Arjuna the divine weapon Pashupatastra & in the evening as the all destructing Samhara Mudra . The temple is also one among the most important Shaivate temples in Kerala having high dignity among other temples dedicated to Lord Shiva around the world.  There are many legends associated with the consecration of the temple, the most known story is about the demon Kharasura who was also a learned sage. As per myths his disciple by the name Pingala asked f

  The tropical forests of Kerala is a land of rich flora and one such important tree is the Teak which for centuries has been an integral part of people's life in many ways. The Teak which is also called King of Timbers finds a sanctuary for it in Kerala at Nilambur & today is a museum called the Teak Museum. The preservation of Teak was a handy work of one of the most celebrated Collector of the old Madras Presidency Henry Cannoli,. Today the Teak museum is a must visit for all who love nature & is an enthusiast of flora conservation.  For centuries Malabar was considered to be a place which pioneered ship building making some of the largest ships used for trade. Arabs, Europeans, and Chinese came to the shores to purchase these large vessels. The most integral part of the structure was the strength of the teakwood used in it & the ship builders were blessed with abundant supply of the wood from the forests of Wayanad & Kottayam. It was only in the 19th century tha

  The land of Kerala has been the entry point for all major religions around the world & this place has been a fertile ground of all who came to preach the word of God. The way of life preached by the Christian missionaries came to the shores in the 1st century & spread the religion wide and far. In the 6th century one such revered missionary by the name Mar Abo came to the small hamlet of Kadamattom from Nineveh in Iraq. The Kadamattom church is part of history as it makes one remember another revered messenger of God, Kadamattathu Kathanar. The origins of the church & the legends behind the life of the Kathanaar are one to know. When Fr Mar Abo came to the shores of Kerala he was not welcomed as there prevailed a very harsh caste system which believed in oppression of the people rather than openness to spirituality. He moved from towns to villages on his journey till he reached the small village of Kadamattom, tired and hungry. The only hut which looked welcome was of a w

  The beautiful Edathua church has a story that is a subject of dispute but what is true is the grandeur of this church & the divinity of St George. The church has been a place of solace for both devotees & others who come to attain mental harmony. The church which stands along the backwaters of Alleppey is a great sight for all who stand at the banks or who wade across the waters. The church is named after the place and the history of its naming is based on a story of the way of life in these parts. Just like how it is now, trade usually happened along the waters with merchants moving around the land in their boats. This place was used by traders as a stop to rest on their journey as it was along the banks of the water & people were welcoming here. The place also was used by soldiers to rest on their way to other places. The small village thus became known as Edathavalam or shelter stop. The name of the village over the years became known as Edathua. The church was origina

  The small town Kumbla in Kasargod has an ancient temple which has the sanctity of over three yugas as per Hindu beliefs ranging from the Treta, Dwapara to Kaliyugam & so its origin is not clear. The temple is dedicated to one of the unique idols of Lord Krishna said to be the oldest of its kind & worshipped by Lord Krishna's foster mother, Yashoda in Gokul village. The Gopalakrishna temple is a simple but beautiful structure with many items which have lasted for centuries. It is believed that in Treta Yuga after Lord Krishna left for Mathura, his foster mother wept inconsolably which made the Lord appear before her in the form of the small naughty child he was with butter balls in his hands. This form turned into a black granite stone idol called Krishnashila which made Yashoda feel his divinity while he took the journey to Mathura. The idol was worshipped by Yashoda and the people of Gokul for years. This is the same idol considered to be consecrated at this temple by Ka

  The Travancore Rulers of Kerala are responsible to a large extent for the cultural, social & political betterment of the state. The rulers of the erstwhile kingdom gave great importance to not just becoming a powerful kingdom but also were keen at providing its people a better way of life. They were also exemplary in building beautiful mansions, palaces & temples. One such structure that still stands with all its grandeur & is the epitome of beautiful Kerala Architecture is the Kowdiar Palace which is now the official residence of the Travancore family. The palace is out of bounds for common citizens as it is a protected monument & entry is restricted due to the presence of the family who use it as their residence. The palace was constructed in the year 1934 by Maharaja Chithira Thirunal as a gift to his sister Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi on her wedding with Col GV Raja. The importance of Chithira Thirunal is not just with the construction of the palace, he is reve

  In the middle of the Mattancherry island of Cochin stands a simple majestic palace which is now the most visited museum in Cochin. The beautiful Mattancherry Palace or Dutch Palace as it is commonly known has stood along the shores for over 5 centuries. The palace today is a museum which showcases history of the Cochin rulers & houses some of the most beautiful mural works of Kerala.  The area of Mattanchery had been a center of trade for a long time & many merchants came to its shores in search of fortunes or asylum. The Jews settled in these areas & trade flourished for centuries. The arrival of Vasco Da Gama to the end of 15th century opened Kerala to the west and this made Portuguese traders come in large numbers. The Portuguese were not welcome in the Malabar region due to soured relations with the Zamorins & Arabs who had the monopoly of trade. The Portuguese needed better haven to expand their trade & the shores of Cochin became their choice. The Cochin Raj

  Kerala is a place where one can find beautiful palaces built by different rulers who ruled this land over centuries. One such palace which is a rare specimen of Kerala style architecture is the grand Krishnapuram Palace in Kayamkulam. Apart from the beautiful architecture of the palace, one striking feature is the presence of a massive mural painting depicting “ Gajendra Moksham ” at the entrance of the palace. The palace is today a museum which is under the supervision of the Archeological Department & is certified as a protected monument.  The age of the palace is unknown as the earlier palace was the residence of the Kayamkulam rulers which was demolished & rebuilt by the Travancore king Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma. The older residence belonged to Odanad rulers & they had to annex their kingdom to Travancore post their defeat in the war of 1746. The earliest structure made by the Travancore Diwan was a one storeyed palace with an ettukettu & a large pond. It w

The world is one for all and every person is free to practice his religion to attain spiritual betterment. This vision is something not found commonly around the world but in a small ashram at Kanhangad all human beings are welcome to seek peace, spirituality & finally salvation. The beautiful Anandashram founded by Swami Ramdas has followed this vision for close to a century. The ashram believes in the involvement of the local community & works for universal love & service.    Swami Ramdas was lovingly called Papa by his followers and was a saint & pilgrim who gave his all to the love of Lord Ram & chanted Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram which one can find idolised at the entrance of the ashram too. He took the name of Ramdas to preach love of Lord Ram among all. After finishing his first retreat in a cave at Arunachala he left the cave claiming that “ All is Ram, nothing but Ram ”. He continued living as a pilgrim & finally decided to start an ashram in the plac