Information on Shakthan Thampuran Palace (Thrissur, Kerala) - History & Architecture

Shakthan Thampuran Palace is a particular monument in Kerela that is specifically located in the Thrissur region. The palace was renamed as 'Vadakkekara Palace' after it was refurbished in Kerala-Dutch architectural design. The credit of constructing the palace is provided Ramavarma Thampuran of Cochin. The palace is preserved and maintained by the Archaeological Department of India i.e. ASI. The year 2005 witnessed the palace being converted into a museum by the state government of Kerala.

Shakthan Thampuran Palace Architecture

The palace was built following the Kerala-Dutch style architectural style. The monument basically represents a two storey structure with heavy constructional influence of Naalukettu. The roofs inside the palace are extra high with broad walls. An attractive feature about the interior of the palace is its spacious rooms with floors that were made with marbles. Owing to the uniqueness in its constructional strategy, the palace ensures as pleasing environment holding little resemblance with the weather conditions of the surrounding area. There is also a 'serpent grove' within the palace titled as Sarpakavu which is sacred as per the Hindu belief. After its redevelopment as a museum under the 'State Archaeology Department', artefacts belonging from 9th, 12th, 17th and 18th were presented within the area. The museums which is divided into various sections has ancient remains such as utensils made of bronze and copper, portraits of king and other important people and coins of the ancient days to name a few. One section of the museum called Megalithic gallery present artefacts belonging from the Stone Age. Thus from the architectural point of view, the palace has distinctive feature and presents structural beauty that once lived and became the part of the era and even today, depicting the same in the modern day.

Shakthan Thampuran Palace History

The Palace i.e. Sakthan Thampuran was once owned by the ruler of the Kochi Dynasty i.e. Perumpadappu Swaroopam. This particular period is often seen as the golden period in the history of Cochin. The palace also served as a centre of power of King 'Rama Varma Sakthan Thampuran' in between the period of 1790 and 1805 A.D. The monument is positioned near to the Vadakkumnathan Temple of Thrissur. During his reign, King Rama Varma initiated the Pooram festival which was held every year in the month of May. One interesting feature of this particular festival is the competitions that take place between the members of the 'Parmekavu Bhagavathy temple' and 'Tiruvambadi Krishna temple'. The attraction of the festival is the use of elephants, fireworks and drums. Over the years, the monument has witnessed a number of renovations which can also be sensed in its present day picture. From the remnants present within the monument, certain events such as the stay of Tipu Sultan in the palace can also be ascertained. The very last member of the royal family that resided on this particular palace was 'Rama Varma Bharathan Thampuran'.

Shakthan Thampuran Palace Tourism Importance

As Kerala being a major attraction for the tourism sector, the palace gets benefitted from the same as it receives a large number of visitors each day. The palace has been well preserved over the years owing to which its heritage has been least affected. The well manicured lawns inside the palace are a unique visual experience for the visitors. The paintings and artefacts inside the palace belonging from the ancient period of 17th - 18th century describe the historical importance of the palace. Altogether, it will be a good experience for the tourists to visit the palace during their leisure time.