..unwinding myself after few whirlwind weeks…and completely lost in these brilliant shots of Kowdiar Palace, the personal residence of the Royal Family of erstwhile Travancore, India…captured by our guest photographer, Zam.
Over 150 rooms filled with ornately carved wooden pillars and rare furnitures, paintings by eminent artist Raja Ravi Varma, large Venetian chandeliers, fine Persian carpets and priceless antiques sourced from almost every country in the world…the Palace is every bit as elegant inside as it is dramatically stunning on the outside.
Built in 1915 by Maharaja Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma for his niece Maharani Sethu Parvathi Bayi, this palace is an architectural wonder…an unusual blend of Anglo-Saxon and Travancore styles…
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simple, elegant reception area laid with a deep toned Persian carpet and skilfuly carved oriental furnitures…a grand portrait of Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, the last ruler of Travancore, adorns the wall…
an antique Bracket Clock,1870′s…a virtual mechanical marvel from Britain…beautifully engraved with acanthus scrolls, birds and lovely cherubs..still keeps good time…
“This lounge has welcomed Viceroys and people of eminence – including Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Lord Mountbatten and Jacqueline Kennedy and post independence it has played host to several eminent political and religious personalities” – Marthanda Varma [Pooruruttathi Thirunal]
Care has been taken to retain the old-world charm and understated elegance..
..have fallen for this incredible French Sèvres porcelain vase, exquisitley hand painted with florals and portrait of three adorable cherubs…
Take the majestic rosewood staircase, with ornate carvings, flanked by lamps and paintings, to reach various floors…
a display of weapons, used by the Travancore Kings - considered among the oldest royalties, descended from the historic Chera dynasty of South India.
…a glorious Belgian chandelier with red and emerald green stain glass (detail)
..the Bechstein piano used by Maharani Sethu Parvathy Bayi who was proficient in playing this instrument…though uncommon to the southern region in those days, the British popularised it..
walls lined with European potraits..
One among the European paintings, 1900s, that the Munich painters had made popular…
With natural sunlight streaming into the interiors, creating a warm atmosphere, this Dining Hall or “Uttupura” has the unparalleled distinction of witnessing some of the most famous personages, who were guests of the Maharaja…they still follow the traditional way of eating by squatting on the floor, where mats are used for seating…The real glory of this room however lies in its wall murals, depicting stories from the Hindu epics of Ramayana, truly, a sight to behold.
Kathakali figurines in wood sculpted by Elvangadan Asari of Mavelikkara, during the reign of Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma…
charmingly rustic…
an interesting bronze sculpture of Gautham Buddha riding an elephant…
Potrait of Princess Gouri Parvathy Bayi and Princess Gouri Lakshmi Bayi…
View from the inner courtyard..high roofs and extra thick walls are some of the structural specialities of this palace.
colonial-style arched windows…
a marble sculpture from Italy…
floors paved with finely smoothened Italian marbles and Belgian tiles..
regency-style ornamental, blue-printed earthenware…from Spode…
Adore this one-of-a-kind handcrafted work, depicting ‘Bridge of Sigh’, Tiffany.
..when you walk through the sepia toned corridors, stirred by the artistry and splendor around, you actually walk through the glorious Travancore history…if these old walls could speak..
[images by Zam, edited specifically for this site; please do not use images without written permission or linking back to reflections of an artoholic. All rights reserved]
