#751 Padmanabhapuram Palace, (Kerala), Tamil Nadu, India

Far from the hippie beaches of Kovalam and actually technically into Tamil Nadu, but still part of Kerala lies the unpronounceable (like many Kerala names) Padmanabhapuram Palace.

Named as the finest surviving example of Keralan architecture due to its history as the seat of the rulers of the princely state of Travancore, it is a magnificent structure of carved teak and granite partially dating from 1550. Rosewood ceilings in floral designs, windows with jewel-colored mica, floors polished with a shell, coconut, egg-white, plant-juice compound, intricately Chinese-designed screens and pickle-jars, and beautiful people enjoying the coolness and peace.

Built in spurts with significant construction in 1601 and 1750, it was dedicated to King Marthaanda Varma's family deity Lord Padmanabha, a form of Lord Vishnu,so Padmanabhapuram translates to City of Lord Padmanabha. It lost importance when the capital was moved to Trhiruvananthapuram in 1795. Interesting parts of the palace include the King's Council Chamber (Mantrasala) which has beautiful windows decorated with mica, the Mother's Palace (Thai Kottaram) which is the oldest part of the palace and has an inner courtyard with downward-sloping roofs and the Nataksala performance hall. Most impressive, however is the four storey Upirrika Maliga with the king's bedrooms, the royal treasury, and in-wall storage for weapons as well as a worship chamber.

 

Amazing facts:

• The clock in the clock tower is 300 years old but still keeps time.
• The big hall can accommodate 1000 guests
• The palace has a secret passage through which the king could escape to a safe place not far away
• The Chinese jars (which fill an entire room) are said to be gifts from Chinese merchants that stayed

The courtyards and buildings are all unique in size, shape, purpose and decoration. The palace is beautiful and easy to wander about, with each corner yielding some other special surprise.

 

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padmanabhapuram_Palace

Lonely Planet India 11th Edition 2005

#968 Kerala, India

Kerala is a vibrant state in southern India.With the highest HDI in India, and a prosperous economy and culture, it's a pretty cool place. They are majority Malayali people speaking the Malayalam language, and have a mix of Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. How can a place with an unpronounceable capital city such as Thiruvananthapuram not be exciting, and other cities like Kochi and Kozhikode? Spices, elephants, street parades (see the fantastic costumes in the film below), beaches, unique fishing nets, and a lovely climate too!

One of the most unique things about Kerala is its canal house boats. Beautiful ratan constructions with pretty arched windows, they offer all the services of a house or hotel, but moving gently down the rivers and backwaters. Beautiful waterways and birdlife, while the people on the shores wash their clothes or swim in the rivers and wave hello!

One other thing that it is common to see are the traditional martial arts and theatre performances. The energy of the martial arts is impressive and was used for training warriors. The Kathakali theatre tells ancient Hindu tales -- have a look at these videos and see the expressiveness! And yes, in the film below the man is cutting off the woman's breasts.  

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerala