Kuthiramalika Museum

                   Kuthiramalika Museum Trivandrum, Kerala

                                                                           History

The Kuthiramalika Museum is popularly known as Kuthira Malika, which literally means a mansion of horses. Located in Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), Kerala, the museum was originally a grand palace constructed by Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma - the great connoisseur of art and literature. The palace is situated in the vicinity of Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The palace museum derives its name from the array of horses, which are carved from the wood placed to support its southern roof.

Kuthiramalika Museum was kept vacant for almost one hundred years, following the demise of Swathi Thirunal in 1846. Kuthiramalika Palace was built by the Travancore kings. The Palace still gives an insight into the Kerala culture and intellect that was contemporary at the time of its construction. A glance at Kuthiramalika Museum will reveal the glory and grandeur of the past of the royal families of Kerala. Kuthira Malika Museum is an abode of the exquisite collections of the Royal Family's remnants.

Kuthira Malika Museum stores a collection of artifacts which include Kathakali mannequins that represent the cultural edifice of Kerala. Belgian mirrors exhibited here represent the trade relations of India during olden times. The crystal chandeliers and paintings displayed here represent the taste in art. One can also find armaments here, which show the marks of military valor of the kings. The museum also exhibits musical instruments, traditional furniture and other artifacts of olden times.

Kuthiramalika Museum also stores artifacts which were actually used by the royal families - the beautifully crafted Ivory cradles of various shapes and sizes are to name a few. The palace museum also stores a couple of thrones - one made up of ivory and the other made up of Bohemian crystal. There is a unique quality in both the thrones, as both of these have a conch mark on the top of the backrest of the throne. The Conch used to be the royal emblem of Travancore. The palace is divided into different rooms, which were used for different purpose.

When it was a palace, Kuthiramalika Museum used to have an audience chamber. This chamber was used to conduct meetings regarding the routine to be followed in the empire. A library and an alcove where also located in the palace. These were used by Swathi Thirunal for meditating. Many of his famous compositions were also conceived here. The museum also stores a famous illusion painting of Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma which was crafted by the famous painter Svetoslav Roerich. The major thing to notice in this painting is that the face and the shoes of the king appear facing the viewer from every corner of the room.