Poonjar Palace

A huge majestic palace bounded by a boundary of massive walls is Poonjar Palace situated in Meenachil Taluka. The palace is adorned with a fascinating collection of various types of furniture and antiques which includes grand chandeliers, jewelry boxes, statues, grain measurers, weapons, and palm leaf engravings.

Tourists will also see a beautiful sculpture of Nataraja, a palanquin, and a thoni for Ayurvedic massages crafted out of a single piece of wood.

History of Poonjar Palace

Poonjar palace was constructed by Poonjar Rajas, an ancient dynasty that was associated with the Travancore royal family. The palace is about 600 years old and entirely built of wood. Poonjar Palace was the seat of the ancient Poonjar kingdom. The dynasty has an origin in the Pandyan Kings of the Sangam Age.

The founder of the Poonjar dynasty was Manavikrama Kulashekhara Perumal, and his mother was a Chera princess. In 1152 AD, they shifted from Madurai after incessant civil wars in Tamil Country. The Raja carried one of the three idols of Meenakshi, their "Kula Devatha", and it was established in the Meenakshi temple on the banks of the Meenachil River.

Manavikraman Raja procured the land from the Thekkancoor Rajas, which is now part of the Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Idukki districts. Erattupetta became the commercial center of the Poonjar kingdom. The area remained as their small principality, till they were leased to the British tea companies for two centuries. In the 1950s, TATA Tea Ltd acquired the land from Finlays, and the owner came into dispute after the expiry of the lease.

These days, Poonjar Palace has an interesting museum, which exhibits a collection of antiques, rock-cut lamps, and several sculptures used during the olden times.

Architecture of Poonjar Palace

The antique pieces of furniture that are kept there had been crafted out of rosewood and sandalwood, the reason why lots of visitors are attracted here. The main attraction of the palace is the museum which preserves lots of antique pieces. The heritage has been bounded by massive and high walls.

The palace is being looked after by the archaeology department of Kerala and is regarded as a historic monument. Visiting the palace would make you feel the essence of past glory. The unique attraction of the palace that has increased its beauty has been detailed here:

• The sculpture of the dancing Shiva or the Nataraja
• The ancient weapons used by the rulers at that time
• A traditional bed that was being used for natural Ayurveda treatment known as Droni
• Valuable jewel boxes
• Lamps cut out of rocks
• Engravings from Palm leaf
• Chandeliers and palanquins
• Grain measurers
• A boat made with a single piece of wood
• A special conch is taken out once a year to perform rituals

These things in the museum are the main reasons for people want to visit the Poonjar palace. But it has been heard that visitors are not allowed all the time and they need to get the permission of the department who are looking after the property.

There is also a temple that is just a duplicate of the Meenakshi temple in Madurai. The sculptures crafted on the walls narrate the story of Puranas. There is a row of equally fascinating lamps. Another temple lies nearby called Sastha temple which is truly interesting with ancient carvings.