Kowdiar Palace – Royal Heritage

Introduction

This is one of the most significant heritage structures to be seen in Thiruvananthapuram. It is seen in a serene and beautiful campus within the city center. This palace was built by the ruler of erstwhile Travancore Kingdom on the occasion of his only sister. Currently, the royal heritage structure is with descendants of Sethu Parvathi Bayi. This was the official residence of the Travancore ruling family till 1947. The Maharajah used to rule the erstwhile princely state from this royal palace.

History of Kowdiar Palace

This building represents the past splendor of the erstwhile Travancore dynasty. This beautiful building was built by Maharajah Sree Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma at the time of his only sister Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi’s marriage with Lt. Col. G.V. Raja in 1934. This was gifted to Sethu Parvathi Bayi. Subsequent to Kingdom’s accession to the Indian Union, the building became the personal property of the dynasty.  After the Indian Constitutional Amendment in 1971, the properties and estates of the royal family were distributed equally to two lineages – Queen Sethu Lakshmi Bayi and Queen Sethu Parvathi Bayi. At present, the property is with latter due to the fact that it was built by her son former Maharajah Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.

Palace Architecture and Facilities

The palace is known for its splendid architecture. The building has over 150 rooms. It displays hybrid architecture which is a fusion of Kerala and Dravidian styles. Being a private property, the entry into this structure is restricted. Currently, it is occupied by the members of Travancore royal family settled in Thiruvananthapuram. It has an in-house museum and a dispensary.  The entry to this palace premises would take the people back to its history. This is what people who know about the royal family say at least. The palace also runs a dispensary for the benefit of common man. The ordinary people even today visit this primary healthcare to avail the treatment facilities free of cost. Some portion of the palace is open to the public from 10:00 AM-4:00 PM on all days of the week. The museum is part of the section open to the public.