Location
: Nedumangad, about 18 km from Thiruvananthapuram city on the way to the
Ponmudi hill station and the Courtalam waterfalls, Thiruvananthapuram district,
south Kerala.
Attractions : Palace, folklore museum and numismatics museum.
Visiting hours : 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on all days, except Mondays.
The Koyikkal Palace, situated far of away from the city, was actually built
for Umayamma Rani of the Venad royal family who ruled the land between 1677
and 1684. The palace is a double stroreyed traditional nalukettu with slanting
gabled roofs and an inner courtyard. Today, the palace houses a Folklore Museum
and a Numismatics Museum set up by the Department of Archaeology. The Folklore
Museum, a treasure house of quaint musical instruments, occupational implements,
household utensils, models of folk arts etc, was set up in 1992. The exhibits
here draw attention to the rich cultural background of the State. The exhibits
include rare articles like Chandravalayam (not found in any other such museum
in Kerala), a small percussion instrument used as an accompaniment while reciting
the ballad Ramakathappattu (the story of Lord Sree Rama); and Nanthuni , a
sweet sounding musical instrument made of wood and string used while singing
the Onappattu and Nanthunippattu during Onam the harvest festival of Kerala.
The Folklore Museum housed on the first floor of the palace also has a wide
range of household utensils including wooden kitchenware, brass/copperware
etc. representing the lifestyle of the Keralites during different eras. Thaliyola
(old manuscripts), Chilambu (a sort of anklet) used by Umayamma Rani and Maravuri
(dress material made of the bark of trees) etc. are well preserved here. Oorakkudukku
a device for intellectual exercise used by the Yogis as a pastime, Gajalekshmi
- a lamp representing the goddess of prosperity - Lekshmi-seated on her elephant
(this lamp is usually lighted at dusk and during the harvest season to welcome
the goddess) are other interesting exhibits. The Kettuvillakku - a ceremonial
lamp (artistically made out of coloured paper and locally available light
wood splits/rails), lit during festivals at the Bhagavathy temples of southern
Kerala; a model of the most impressive of Theyyams - the Muthappan theyyam
, a Patayani kolam model ; the headgear and dress used by Ottanthulal artistes
exhibited here give an insight into the performing as well as the ritual art
forms of Kerala. The Numismatics Museum at the Koyikkal Palace is the only
one of its kind in the State. Occupying the ground floor of the palace, the
coins here belong to different parts of the world as well as to different
eras. This rare and historically valuable collection is a vestige of the trade
relation of the State in the bygone ages. Among the exhibits are some of the
oldest coins of Kerala - Ottaputhen, Erattaputhen, Kaliyugarayan Panam etc.
A Venetian coin named Amaida, believed to have been presented to Jesus Christ,
is also a property of this museum. The most valuable among the Indian coins
found here are 'Karsha'. These are nearly 2500 years old. Rasi, the world's
smallest coins are also on display here. Sreekrishna Rasi, one of the rasis
(regional coins) issued by the local kings of Kerala around the 10th century,
Anantharayan Panam - the first modern gold coin of Travancore in circulation
in the 15th and 17th centuries, Kochi Puthen - one of the coins of the Kochi
kingdom which also had variations like Indo-Dutch Puthen (1782 AD). Lekshmi
Varaham - the silver coins minted in Travancore, Rasi Palaka (the coin board)
- a wooden board with small niches used to count small coins (counting up
to 100 to 200 at a time), coin mints etc are preserved here. Nearly 374 Roman
gold coins, each worth up to five hundred thousand rupees today, depicting
Roman gods and goddesses like Venus, Hercules, Mars, Ceres, Genius, etc and
rulers like Hardin (AD 117 - 138) are also among the collection. The museum
also has coins used by various Indian dynasties - the Gwalior royal family,
the Nizam of Hyderabad, Tipu Sultan, Hyder Ali, etc.
Interested
? Book Tour through our Members
