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Monuments » Koyikkal Palace
Koyikkal Palace
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.
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