Travancore House offers a peep into life in Kerala

The newly-renovated Travancore House in Gandhi House at the Kasturba Gandhi Marg, which was declared open to the public on August 5 with a 25-minute light sound and light show, and cultural events, will also feature play and movie screenings among other cultural presentations at its amphitheatre. 

Built by Maharaja Sri Chithira Tirunal in 1937, the palace is considered a heritage structure and has been put to various uses after independence. It served as a bank till around a decade ago. 

It has since been shut and left neglected until the Kerala state government decided to convert it into a centre to promote the state’s history, culture, art, heritage and cuisine.  

The conference hall in Travancore House has a capacity of 200 people. There is also a seminar hall with a digital board library besides a video wall, an outdoor exhibition area and a man-made fountain. 

In addition to that, art works – paintings, sculptures and murals – occupy place of pride inside the five art galleries built inside the house. 

The palace compound is currently hosting exhibitions in the galleries showcasing teak-wood work and paintings. Multiple exhibitions will be hosted throughout the year.  

The house also has a cafe where visitors can get to taste the traditional Kerala cuisine. 

Other features

State-of-the-art features have been included in the structure with a 35 KW solar panel, and a sewage treatment plant being prominent among them. 

The complex, spread over 6.8 acres, also includes over 300 trees, various species of flowers, birds and a number of peacocks for a diverse flora and fauna. 

Not surprisingly, the experience thrilled the 80-100 visitors on a weekday. 

Even though certain works are still in progress, visitors can book their tickets for the light-and-sound show through the website of the Kerala House without any charge. The show starts at 8 pm.