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Mattancherry Palace,
Kerala
Mattancherry
palace or the 'Dutch Palace'(resulted from substantial renovations
by the Dutch after 1663), built by Portugese in 1557, and
was presented to the Raja of Cochin, Veera Kerala Varma (1537-61),
as agesture of goodwill.
How
to reach there: The
KSTRC bus stand is by the railway line in Ernakulam, between
the railway stations, because the town is in the middle of
Kerala. Trains run regularly along the coast from Thiruvanthapuram
via Kollam and Kottayam to Eranakulam.
Accomodations:
- Taj
Malabar Hotel.
-
Casino Hotel.
-
Taj Residency.
-
Grand Hotel.
What
to see:
- The
two-storey, quadrangular building surrounds a courtyard
containing a Hindu temple.
- The
central hall on the 1st floor was the Coronation Hall of
the rajas. Their dresses, turbans and palanquins are now
on display.
- The
most important feature, however, is the astonishing murals,
depicting scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and
Puranic legends connected with Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Kumara
and Durga. These beautiful and extensive murals rarely seem
to be mentioned, although they are one of the wonders of
India
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