Vilianaizi at 19:26, 22 March 2026

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{{Short description|Palace in Kerala, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Kilimanoor Palace
| image = Kilimanoor palace,kilimanoor,kerala,india.jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt = 
| image_caption = Main Palace building
| coordinates = {{coord|8|45|46|N|76|51|56|E|type:landmark_region:IN-KL|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = India Kerala#India
| map_caption = Location of Kilimanoor Palace in Kerala##Location of Kilimanoor Palace in India
| location_town = [[Kilimanoor]]
| location_country = [[India]]
| architectural_style = [[Kerala architecture]]
| address =
| years_built =
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| construction_start_date =
| construction_stop_date =
| topped_out_date =
| completion_date = 1753
| opened_date =
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| relocated_date =
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| cost =
| client = [[Maharaja]] of [[Travancore]]
| height =
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}}

[[File:Archkilimanoor.jpg|thumb|right|Entrance to the Kilimanoor Palace or "Arch"]]
'''Kilimanoor Palace''' is a palace located in [[Kilimanoor]], in the Indian state of [[Kerala]]. It is the birthplace of painter [[Raja Ravi Varma]] and Raghava Varma, the father of king [[Marthanda Varma]].<ref name="Thrippadidaanam">{{cite book|last1=Mheshwari|first1=S Uma|title=Thrippadidaanam|publisher=Mathrubhumi Books|isbn=978-81-8265-947-6|pages=41–53}}</ref>

==The Palace==
The Palace complex covers more than six hectares, and comprises the traditional residential structures of Kerala, like the Nalukettu, small and medium-sized buildings, three ponds, wells and sacred groves (''kaavu'').

Raja Ravi Varma is said to have built and maintained some of the buildings from the proceeds of his paintings. Families related to the Travancore royal house continue to live here.

==History==
The royal house at Choottayil, [[Kilimanoor]] has a history stretching back more than 300 years, although the oldest buildings are from a much earlier period.

===Association with the Travancore royal house===

In 1705, the son and two daughters of Ittammar Raja of [[Beypore]] Thattarikovilakam, a [[Kolathunadu]] royal house, were adopted into the royal house of [[Venad]]. The Ittammar Raja's sister and her sons, Rama Varma and Raghava Varma, settled in Kilimanoor and married the now-adopted sisters.

The lands around the present-day palace were a part of an estate which originally belonged to a [[Pillai (Kerala title)|Pillai]] ruling chief. The estate comprised several villages and was handed over to the family of Raghava Varma.<ref>(See page 4 in Madras Presidency Records, 1915, Supt, Government Press, Madras.)</ref> [[Marthanda Varma|Maharaja Marthanda Varma]], the founder of the [[Travancore|Kingdom of Travancore]], was the son of Raghava Varma.

In 1739, after Marthanda Varma ascended the throne, an alliance led by the [[Dutch Malabar|Dutch]] Captain Hockert, was formed between [[Dutch Malabar|Kochi]], [[Thekkumkur|Thekkumkoor]], [[Kollam|Desinganadu]] and [[Purakkad]], due to their shared enmity towards Marthanda Varma. In 1740, this [[Travancore–Dutch War#Initial Dutch successes|allied force attacked Venad]] and an army from Kilimanoor resisted and subsequently defeated them in the [[Battle of Colachel]]. Although a small victory, this was the first time an Indian army had defeated a European power.

In 1753, in recognition of this feat, Marthanda Varma exempted the areas controlled by the Kilimanoor Palace, as well as most of the area under the present Kilimanoor and [[Pazhayakunnummel]] panchayats from taxes, and granted them autonomous status. Although the estate had been under his rule earlier, the present palace complex was built in 1753, together with the Ayyappa temple. The original temple was at Nerumkaithakotta, near Kozhikode for the family deity, Sastha or Ayyapan.

In the early 19th century, [[Velu Thampi Dalawa]] held meetings at Kilimanoor Palace while planning uprisings against the British. In 1809, he handed over his sword at the Palace before going into his final battle against the British. India's first President, [[Rajendra Prasad|Dr Rajendra Prasad]] received this sword from the palace and it was kept in the [[National Museum, New Delhi|National Museum]] in [[Delhi]]. Afterwards the sword was moved to the [[Napier Museum]] in Thiruvananthapuram.[[File:studiorrv.jpg|thumb|right|Birthplace of [[Raja Ravi Varma]] with his studio in the foreground]]

==Personalities==
*[[Raja Ravi Varma]], painter
*[[Kareendran thampuran|Kareendran Thampuran]], poet, composer, childhood friend of [[Swathi Thirunal]]
*[[Raja Raja Varma]], uncle of Raja Ravi Varma.
*[[C. Raja Raja Varma]] Koil Thampuran, painter, brother of [[Raja Ravi Varma]]
*Shri. Madhavan Vaidyan, Kilimanoor Royal Physician

==See also==
* ''[[Marthandavarma (novel)|Marthandavarma]]'' (novel)

==References==
{{commons category|Kilimanoor Palace}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=November 2012}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110110224042/http://www.swathithirunal.in/rel_kilimanoorpalace.htm Website on Swathi Thirunal]
*[http://www.keralatourism.org/index.php?zone=4&menu=19&issue=154&cat=8&news=2132065960 Kerala tourism]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070929115043/http://www.newindpress.com/sunday/colItems.asp?ID=SEH20060420071548 Column in The Sunday Express by Shreekumar Varma]
* Sivasankaran Nair K, ''VeNAadinTe pariNamam'' (വെണാടിന്റെ പരിണാമം), in Malayalam, Current Books, 2005.
* From the Tourist brochure by '' Kilimanoor Kottara Charithra Sangraham'', Kilimanoor Palace.
*S.A.V.SMARAKA VAIDHYA SALA, TAZHAVA, KOLLAM[DIST]

==Footnotes==
<references />

{{Tourism in Kerala}}

[[Category:Kingdom of Travancore]]
[[Category:Palaces in Thiruvananthapuram]]
[[Category:Royal residences in India]]

Kilimanoor Palace - Revision history

Vilianaizi at 19:26, 22 March 2026