One
of the oldest buildings built by the Portuguese in India, adopting
mostly the indigenous style, is the well-preserved Mattanchery Palace
in Kochi. It has an excellent location with the Panorama of the backwaters
on the east and the tall Jewish Synagogue on the south. The palace was constructed in about 1555 A.D., by the Portuguese to appease the then ruler of Cochin, Vira Kerala Varma, who became indignant with some of their officers for plundering aIl temples near the palace. A century later, the original fort and the Palace were extensively renovated by the Dutch and hence it came to be called as the 'Dutch Palace'. It is a double storeyed quadrangular building with long and spacious halls and finely worked ceilings. It follows mainly the plan of 'Nettukettu' (four buildings) with a courtyard in the centre, a plancomInon in the domestic architecture of Kerala. Abode of the royal family for two centuries, the palace was associated with many of the vicissitudes in Kerala history .Extension towards the east and south sides and wooden ceilings of the Coronation Hall in the upper storey were constructed by the Dutch a century later . Enshrined in the central courtyard of the palace is the tutelary deity of the royal family, Pazhayanur Bhagavathi. Within the compound are two other shrines dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva. The rooms in the lower storey were intended for the ladies of the royal house. There is a separate area for the harem.
The most important feature of this hall is the breath-taking mural paintings which depict the social life of those days. The style of the painter is such that it imitates that of the murals found in the Padmanabhapuram Palace. Unfortunately, they suffered by repeated white washing. Among the major attractions in the Palace are the mural paintings, especially the scenes from the Ramayana depicted in the long room known as the Palliyara (bed chamber). These 'Cochin Murals', bear (according to Dr. Cousins) "traces of the influence of Buddhist painting that link the art of Kerala with that of Ajanta and Bagh". They are attributed to the 17th century. Among the mural paintings found in other chambers, a large one of Vishnu as Vaikuntanatha, a faithful replica of the beautiful image enshrined in the Tripunithura temple. Another outlines the story of Uma and Shiva described in the 'Kumara Sambhava' of Kalidasa. These paintings are assigned to a period much later than the Ramayana scenes referred to earlier, some of them to the beginning of the 18th and .19th centuries. Worthy of mention is the pictorial representation of the three popular cults of the ancient Hindu religion, the Devi cult, the Vishnu cult and the Shiva cult. The Dutch Palace and the museum are kept open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Fridays and National Holidays. Although it is termed as a Palace, it is in fact, ancient group of shrines which were worshipped by the royal family of Cochin. Visitors of Kochi should not miss to see this famous monument which has the museum and the shrines in one place. |
