A brief writeup on the sensory and historical features of Kanakakkunnu palace and grounds with attached photographs.

1. Kanakakunnu Palace and Grounds:
A golden treasure unraveled
-Grace Henry
Past the trees along the erstwhile Rajapadha, one come across the Golden hill- Kanakakkunnu and the
red gem pecked over it- the palace.
A known host to a variety of fests and fairs, the architectural story the edifice narrates is nothing less
than that of a treasure unravelling. The mount unwinds the path to the gradual revealing of the palace.
The stapatis of Viswakarma had centralised its view to the spectator whereas the rest of it partially hides
itself under the lush lawn.
Before the construction of the palace, Kanakakunnu was a lush green hillock with grass and shrubs,
named Marathakakunnu or Pattukunnu. Swathi Thirunal, then king was an enthusiast of astronomy built
an observatory was built in closer proximity to Kanakakunnu. It wasn't long then, the regal emblem
transcripted its architectural impression in Kanakakunnu in the form of a bungalow of typical Kerala
architecture.
Kanakakunnu Palace rooted its
significance as a welcoming
garland the Travancore rulers
put forward to please their
British Guest.
An era ago, the main structure
functioned as a banquet hall to
serve non vegetarian food as
well as alcoholic drinks for the
British guests whereas the
apsidal end hosted the stage for social gatherings.
Origin: Necessity to please
The structure spans itself with the outlook of a Greek portico to its foreground. The scale of the whole
building shrinks to the size of its occupant by the flight of steps provided. As a slight incongruency is duly
felt by the renovated floor tiles to the high pediment and superstructure, the columns that branch to
the nooks of the palace bridges the connectivity of today and the past days.
The lush green that surrounds account for the architectural massiveness the construct supressed
beneath itself and stages for the better perception of the red and white combination along with the
green base tone.
Also, the landscape and its elements lay subsiding to the palace as how a king addresses his subjects and
people at a durbar hall with the poise and hierarchy retained. The present day open air auditorium was
the spot for a mandapa which was a node for social events in the past.

2. The roof geometry adds to the
synthetic addition of a hill tip to
the superstructure, echoing the
power of the erstwhile
Travancore rule. It still
maintains the social stature it
ensembles by how it views and
is viewed from the busy roads
it is tangled around with.
Current day democracy might
had made it a tangible to the
public but the architecture still retains a undeliberate essence untouched.
A walk around the premises certainly provides with the visionary clarity one needs along with the
rubbed historical breath the ambience exhales into its occupants.
The band pavilion is an octagonal supplementary structure neighbouring itself next to the palace for its
similar functions of entertaining its occupants socially.
Interiors are made exquisite by the presence of enclosed galleries and it connects well with its exterior
setting through the window frames it communicate with and the transitional verandahs that ambulates
around the internal spaces.
Patterns and rhythm is an exemplary element of design visible along the Kanakakunnu palace and adds
to the variance the structure provides to its audience.
The interiors are adorned with chandeliers and the neo- classical pillars along. Furniture retains the
architecture character for which it resembles.
Planned landscaping has been a recent intrusion and maintenance with respect to time period revamps
its outlook but the palace strike its master effect, reigning above all, prominently stating its dominion
and signifying the timelessness it accounts for.