Field Trip

As part of the B.Ed curriculum, we, the first year students went for a field trip on 20 January, 2023. This field trip was included in the community based practical programme of the first semester syllabus. The purpose of the trip is usually for observation for education, non-experimental research or to provide students with experiences outside their everyday activities

KUTHIRA MALIKA

 Kuthira Malika or Puthenmalika Palace is a two-storied palace built by Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma on the South-Eastern side of Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvanathapuram. The palace is named as Kuthira Malika or Mansion of Horses as it has 122 smiling wooden horses on its exterior walls. It is a fine instance of traditional Kerala architecture and is one of the most significant tourist attractions in Thiruvananthapuram. There were guides to lead the students into the palace and they explained everything about the palace in detail. The students ardently listened to them and noted the important details about the palace.   

                                   

        Traditional wooden works on the exterior walls of                Kuthira Malika

The interior of Kuthira Malika features European mirrors and chandeliers, weapons, crystal items, Kathakali idols, elephant howdahs and other memorabilia. The palace was constructed with teak, rosewood, granite and marble. Elaborate carvings within the palace include two thrones- one is made entirely from elephant tusks and the other from Bohemian crystal. The palace houses the Maharaja’s music room where visitors have a good view of the temple, which was a source inspiration for the ruler. Other rooms include the other music halls, reading rooms, and a library. Noted for the Kerala architecture, the palace took 5,000 workers over 4 years to complete. Although 80 rooms are there in the palace, only 20 are open for the visitors.

       On the first floor are rooms that once served as the audience chamber, the library and an alcove that Maharaja Swathi Thirunal used for meditating and for conceiving many of his musical compositions. This place offers a direct view of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple gopuram. The small wooden stair there contains carvings of peacock, elephant and parrot. One of the rooms displays an illusion portrait of Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, painted by Svetoslav Roerich. The palace has been visualized in many Malayalam films and is one among the attractive places to visit in Thiruvanathapuram.

 CHITHIRA  ART GALLERY

 

The H.H. Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma Chithralayam, also known as Chitralayam Palace Museum, is an art gallery which exhibits the history and genealogy of the Maharajas of Travancore. The development of Travancore as a state is portrayed through the pictures which are exhibited in the museum. The two-storied building, which was once a part of the Royal Residence, has now been converted into an art gallery. It has a collection of paintings and pictures donated by the royal family; these pictures illustrate the lives of the rulers from their childhood days to the days of their coronation, marriage, and rule. Photographs of visits from British officials during the British rule and the rulers' meetings with them have also been added to the museum.

Special emphasis has been given to the last ruling monarch of Travancore, Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, whose life has been recorded through photographs. Almost an entire section of the upper level has been turned around to display his life and times; while the lower level has multiple picture galleries portraying the state under the British Rule, the important palaces of the royal family, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, and the family temple of the royal family. There is also a section dedicated to anamorphic paintings, which were added in 2017 and soon became the highlight of the museum. This section contains most of the major rulers of Travancore along with people like Raja Ravi Varma, who was also a part of the royal family.

PALM LEAF MANUSCRIPT MUSEUM

The recently opened Palm Leaf Manuscript Museum in Thiruvananthapuram has added to the cultural and intellectual life of the state of Kerala. The museum, which is the world’s first of its kind, contains 187 manuscripts and other artefacts related to the former Travancore kingdom from 650 AD until the end of the 19th century. It also has documents from the regions of Kochi and Malabar.

Contents

Exhibits at the Museum

Conservation Efforts

Exhibits at the Museum

The museum’s exhibits include palm leaf manuscripts, styluses, carriers for Cadjan bundles, copper plates, and bamboo splints. 

The museum is particularly notable for its manuscripts, which are written on cured and treated palm leaves and contain primary source material on a variety of topics. One of the most famous manuscripts is the account of the Battle of Colachel, in which Travancore’s Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma defeated the Dutch East India Company in 1741. This battle put a halt to Dutch expansion in India and cemented Travancore’s place as a major power in the region.

The museum is divided into eight galleries representing different segments of Travancore history: ‘History of Writing’, ‘Land and people’, ‘Administration’, ‘War and peace’, ‘Education and Health’, ‘Economy’, ‘Art and culture’, and ‘Mathilakam Records’. These galleries also include films and QR code technologies for gathering information.

Conservation Efforts

The Palm Leaf Manuscript Museum was created as part of a larger conservation effort by the state of Kerala. The museum is located in a three-century-old building that is home to the Central Archives for the state government. The first phase of the museum’s collection was selected from 1.5 crore (15 million) palm leaf records that had been poorly preserved throughout the state.

According to Dr. V. Venu, the State Additional Chief Secretary and former Director General of the National Museum in Delhi, the manuscripts at the museum provide important information on the development of writing in the area, including the evolution of the Malayalam script from earlier systems like Vattezhuthu and Kolezhuthu. They also offer insights into the complex administrative systems, proclamations of the Travancore royals, and international negotiations and agreements that shaped the kingdom’s history.

The Palm Leaf Manuscript Museum is a valuable resource for both general visitors and specialized researchers. It offers a glimpse into the rich history of the Travancore kingdom and helps to fill in gaps in our understanding of Kerala’s past. The museum’s audio-visual technology and multimedia exhibits make it an engaging and informative experience for all who visit