Mattancherry Palace
Popularly known as the Dutch Palace, the Mattancherry Palace is a Portuguese palace in Mattancherry, Kochi, in the state of Kerala. Mattancherry Palace is now a museum displaying paraphernalia belonging to the rajas of Kochi. Visit this destination to learn about the fascinating history of Kerala through the medium of irreplaceable artefacts and embellishments.
The grandeur of Mattancherry Palace lies in its simplicity and it is built in the typical Kerala-style mansions reserved for the nobility. The four separate wings of the Mattancherry Palace surround a central courtyard that has a temple as well. It features murals depicting portraits and exhibits of the Rajas of Kochi.
They have been painted in warm colours using the tempera technique and consist of a portrait gallery of the Cochin Rajas and beautiful mythological murals.
History of Mattancherry Palace
When Vasco Da Gama landed at Kappad in 1498, he was welcomed by the Kochi rulers who were given the exclusive rights to construct factories. The Portuguese despised the repeated attacks of Zamorians, and thereby the Cochin Rajas had become vassals of the Portuguese.
The Mattancherry Palace was originally built by the Portuguese who later gifted it to the King of Cochin in 1555. The Portuguese influence was further supplanted by the Dutch, who took over Mattancherry in 1663. The Dutch then carried out some extensions and renovations in 1663, and since then the palace has been popularly known as the Dutch Palace.
Architecture of Mattancherry Palace
The palace is a two-storeyed structure, a built-in traditional Kerala naalukettu (quadrangular) model with four separate wings opening into a central courtyard. While the central courtyard houses a temple of the royal deity Pazhayannur Bhagavathi, the two other temples situated on either side of the palace are dedicated to Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva.
Outside, the palace looks simple but elegant with the white walls on the front and the sloping roof. Long and spacious halls, arches, etc are other characteristics of the palace. The ground floor harbors the ladies' room with a staircase to the Kanithalam room. The square-shaped Coronation Hall, royal bed-chamber, dining hall, assembly hall, and staircase room are situated upstairs.
The ceilings of various halls are decorated with wood-carved floral designs including the design of an inverted lotus. Even brass cups are used to embellish the ceiling of the dining hall.
Murals in Mattancherry Palace
The Mattancherry palace has a large number of murals illustrating the Ramayana, a few scenes from Krishnan Lila, and various gods and goddesses in different positions. Some of the notable murals include Lakshmi seated on the lotus, the coronation of Rama, sleeping Vishnu, Shiva and Parvati seated with Ardhanariswara and other goddesses, and Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana.
The paintings are attributed to the artistic bends of mind of Veera Kerala Verma. The murals are executed in the best traditions of Hindu temple art, which are religious and decorative.
Other murals depict scenes from Kumarasambhavam and other works of the Sanskrit poet Kalidasa. Everyday items such as weapons, swings, Dutch maps of old Kochi, royal palanquins with floral designs, silver sequined gowns, royal umbrellas made of silk and brass, the ceremonial royal sword, and furniture belonging to the royal family are also on display here.
