Every time they crossed the centuries-old iron bridge you see them peering out of the bus windows curiously. It was not surprising for the tourists were all of a sudden being led into a region where the ambiance, the architecture were different from that they had seen along the way.
These tourists were entering Tripunithura, the erstwhile capital of the Cochin State. This historic town, located on the fringes of Kochi, is rarely visited by tourists, except perhaps to watch the elephants, or listen to the pulsating percussion ensemble or a late night Kathakali performance during the temple festival there.
The town still retains vestiges of royalty through a lot of it have disappeared for lack of a proper heritage conservation plan. There has been indiscriminate pulling down of ancient structures despite the Regional Town and Country Planning office listing heritage sites in this area, along with the others in the district. The town, especially the area within the Fort and those lying immediately outside it, was once where most of the palaces stood. Today, high-rises dominate the skyline and many of the heritage structures have been lost forever.
In a bid to savour what remains The Cochin Royal Heritage Trail, a half day experience takes travellers to Tripunithura and explores the fascinating stories of the Cochin Royal Family, their legacy, history and see some of the existing historic structures.
“We launched this half-day tour in 2014. I did a recce of Tripunithura starting from the majestic Hill Palace. I spoke to the curator here, visited the archives in Ernakulam, fished out information on the town, a bit of history, spoke to members of the royal family, and found that Tripunithura fitted my idea of a perfect ‘slow travel’ destination,” says Rajith B. Nair, co-founder, The Traveling Gecko that has launched this trail.
Born and brought up in Mumbai, Rajith looked forward to the summer vacations when he travelled with his family to his ancestral home at Edappally. “The huge house in a vast compound full of trees, the pond, the mysterious sacred grove, was so stimulating. All that is lost now but the memories will remain forever.”
Chucking his job as an advertisement professional Rajith drove down with his wife to Kochi. “That drive was an eye-opener. For the first time I saw some beautiful places in Kerala, which were beyond the usual tourist circuit, which I thought it had to be explored further and had tremendous tourism potential. It inspired me to venture into tourism.
Rajith decided to promote slow travel, which has a lot to do with the mindset of the traveller. “Rather than attempting to squeeze many sights or cities into a trip, the slow traveller takes time to explore each destination thoroughly and also to experience the local culture. To be able to do that was critical to develop unique local experiences so, for the Tripunithura itinerary, I had to find places and people who would give the traveller a wholesome experience of the place.”
The trip starts at the Hill Palace, which is today a museum. “The 150-year-old grand structure built on nearly 52 acres of land, is a perfect place to start the trip. We take the travellers through the museum, the artefacts, antiques and portraits belonging to the royal family. We give them a brief account of the history of the Cochin State preparing them to enjoy the rest of the trip.”
From the Hill Palace the trail moves to the residential palaces in Tripunithura. “Many families are still quartered here. And we take a walk around this area taking them to the Kalikota Palace, showing them the clock tower, explaining to them the features of the architecture that dates back to the Dutch and Portuguese times. We also narrate some interesting stories and anecdotes like how a maharaja sold his treasures to construct a railway line. We then go to one of the palaces where the travellers get a chance to meet members of the royal family, interact with them. The trip ends with high tea with the royal hosts.”
Most of the tourists on this trip have found a visit to the private residences and interaction with the members of the royal family to be one of the most fascinating aspects. “Groups from different countries have came to our place on three occasions. We served them traditional snacks like unniappam, ada, banana chips, tea and coffee. They took a look at our house, photo albums, asked us a lot of questions about the family. There was one woman in one of those groups who knew Indian classical music. When she came to know that my mother (Subhadra Thampuran) was a known Carnatic vocalist the conversation veered towards music. That session went on for nearly two hours,” says Unni Kerala Varma.
Most of the so-called ‘palaces’ are modest, traditional Kerala homes, very different from the royal houses seen elsewhere in India. One of the palaces that still retains all its features such as the nallukettu, padipura, kulapura, kitchen, storehouse, quarters for guests and servants, is another place that the tourists love. “The informal conversation is usually on the history of the Cochin Royalty, the changes in lifestyle after the end of the Raj and all that. We take them around the place, serve them tea and snacks. Even today many of the families are very conservative and have not opened up to the idea of tourism in their place. There are many families in need of money and opening up their homes, I feel, can help,” says Nandakumar Varma. The tour ends outside the Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple.
Buildings and sites of heritage value is a reminder of our history. They provide a springboard for regeneration. Much has been lost in the name of development in and around Kochi. “This tourist trail is special for us. We do not consider this simply as a means of income. We want to help conserve and protect what is left of this heritage town, which I know is facing the pressure of burgeoning population and constant demand for space. Like in Chennai where the Madras Week is celebrated every year, we can have something similar for Kochi. This cane be contests, performances, talks, heritage walks, exhibitions and tours in Kochi that will, we feel, go a long way to keep this rich heritage alive,” informs Rajith.
