At a glance it’s just a derelict brick structure lost in the thickets. But a closer look will reveal distinct architectural features of the once-majestic edifice.
Located near Kollam railway station where weeds vie for more territory, the 117-year-old Cheena Kottaram has remained in a dilapidated state for decades. Built in 1904 by Sri Mulam Tirunal Rama Varma, the ruler of erstwhile Travancore, the building was also called Railway Palace as the royal family used to stay there during transit.
At that time, Quilon-Sengottai was the only rail route connecting Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the king used to board the train from Kollam. Over the years the line was extended to Thiruvananthapuram ending the royal visits and the relevance of the building. Later, the railway authorities used it as an office and storage space, ruining the heritage structure bit by bit in the process.
According to experts, the property is an important piece in the history of Railways in Kerala as it was one among the first buildings that came along the commissioning of the metre gauge line. The building has a unique Indo-Saracenic architectural character with coloured window glasses and terracotta tiles. Though a single-storey structure, its double-height adds elegance and creates the illusion of a huge double-storied building.
“The style is Gothic with slopping roofs and exposed brick work. The original roof was in pagoda style and the residents started calling it Cheena Kottaran (Chinese Palace) due to that,” says Manoj Kumar Kini, urban designer and Principal of the Kerala State Institute of Design (KSID).
He adds that the building is not beyond redemption but Railways, which own the property and nearby buildings, seem least interested in restoring the structure. While most tiered towers are missing today, the leaking roof tiles were replaced with metal sheets with utmost disregard to its heritage value.
Though the Kollam Corporation tried to intervene and initiated talks with the railway authorities, the matter was not pursued. Cheena Kottaram is yet to be declared as a monument by the State or the Centre and Kollam MP N.K. Premachandran says despite repeated appeals, officials are not keen on conserving the property.
“We have submitted a proposal to convert the structure into a heritage museum and the authorities said they will look into it. If they approve it, the building can be conserved as a museum showcasing the history of Railways and Kollam,” he says.
