It resembles the Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal of Madurai, but for its size and height. But the palace at Udayarpalayam in Ariyalur district is probably one of the finest and most beautiful constructions in Tamil Nadu. It was built centuries ago when the zamindars reigned over Udayarpalayam and its surrounding areas. It still retains its beauty, despite many decades of neglect. It may survive a few more years and disappear if there is no effort to conserve it. “The palace of the Udayarpalayam zamindars is an interesting example of South Indian secular architecture of perhaps the eighteenth century. The carving in one of the halls is rich and effective, though perhaps somewhat too profuse,” writes British Civil Service officer F.R. Hemingway, the author of the Trichinopoly Gazetteer.
A pale shadow
The five-acre palace on the sprawling premises of 32 acres is just a pale shadow of the former structure. Today. Lakshmi Vilasam, a court hall, Krishna Vilasam, where dance and music concerts were held, and the hall where the family marriages took place alone have some shape. Others have fallen into disrepair. The roofs are gone long ago and the buildings have become a refuge for pigeons and bats. The strong foundation, made of granite boulders, and granite pillars supporting the structures seem to have given the buildings some stability. A notice in front of Lakshmi Vilasam advises visitors against entering into it because it is in poor condition.
The descendants of the zamindars continue to live on the premises. K.C.C. Rajkumar Shanmugam, one of the scions of the family, says government assistance is required to restore the remaining area. The stucco images adorning the halls of the palace and the ornamental arches are stunning. There are innumerable images of dancers and other images. The stucco creations have followed a unique method. “The skeleton of every image is made of wood, covered with cloth, so that the paste would attach to the wood. Finishing touches would be given with lime and sand paste,” says architect and heritage enthusiast Mathusudhanan Kalaiselvan. One can see the exposed wooden skeletons of the images as the lime paste has come off.
The names of the rulers of Udayarpalayam start with the title Kachi, indicating that they had migrated from Kancheepuram. Tamil scholar U.V. Swaminatha Iyer, whose ancestor Ganam Krishna Iyer and father Venkata Subba Iyer served as the court musicians of Udayarpalayam, confirms this in an article. The first ruler was Kachi Yuvarangappa Kalakka Tola Udayar. Both Swaminatha Iyer and Hemingway have written extensively about the rulers of Udayarpalayam.
Advice of Lord Nataraja
Yuvarangappa Kalakka Tola Udayar lived and died at Arasangudi near Chidambaram and his elder son was killed by another poligar. Hemingway says his brother Kachi Chinna Nallappa Kalakka Tola Udayar, acting on the advice, given in a dream, of Lord Nataraja of Chidambaram, founded the Udayarpalayam zamin. This version is also given by Swaminatha Iyer. “This is said to have been in 1495, which date is however too early to fit in with the rest of the story. The next eight poligars lived undisturbed in their possessions and increased their power. They even started a mint and coined their own money,” writes Hemingway. “The coins were called Udayarpalayam puthupanam [new money]. Still you can find those coins in Udayarpalayam,” writes Swaminatha Iyer.
A view of the Udayarpalayam palace in Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu | Photo Credit: M. Srinath
When Kancheepuram was attacked by Mughal rulers, the idols of the Kancheepuram Varadharajar temple and the Ekambareswarar and Kamakshi temple were brought to Udayarpalayam and returned only after the threat died down. This incident established a close link with the Sankara Mutt in Kancheepuram. Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Mahaswamigal, the 68th Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, visited Udayarpalayam many times. The palace has the picture of his being taken out in procession. He also regularly used a boat to visit the neerali mandapam in the midst of the Payaraneeswarar temple to perform Chandramouleeswarar puja.
The rulers of Udayarpalayam were efficient administrators, strategists, and warriors. According to Hemingway, “the downfall of the Vijayanagar kingdom and the disturbances caused by Sivaji did not affect the poligars, who dwelt secure in their impregnable stronghold of Udaiyarpalaiyam.” Kaebi Nallappa Kalakka Tola Udayar, the twelfth in line of descent, offered asylum to the persecuted brother of Chokkanatha Nayakkan of Trichinopoly and Madura (1662-82). His successor submitted to the Mughals when they took Gingee and his Peshkash (tribute) was fixed at 40,000 rupees. He, however, defeated Rani Mangammal, Queen-Regent of Trichinopoly (1689-1704), and after fighting gallantly for six days drove her out of Udayarpalayam.
Antipathy towards the French
During the power struggle between the British and the French, the rulers of Udayarpalayam never made secret of their antipathy towards the French. But their fortunes waned. At the settlement of 1187, the Zamindar was granted 65 villages “on the nominal Peshkash of rupees 642-15-4”. His estate was declared impartible by Madras Act II of 1904. Mr. Rajkumar Shanmugam, the grandson of Kachi Chinna Nallappa Kalakka Udayar and son of Chinna Kulandai Raja, says that by 1946, the zamin was left with just 64 villages. “My grandfather had a good relationship with the British. He regularly visited Madras to meet the British officials,” he recalls.
Even in the 1900s, the palace had the best Arabian horses and employed veterinarians to take care of them. Two photographs show horses with veterinarians, who castrated them. There is also a decorated platform in front of Lakshmi Vilasam where drums would be beaten every hour to announce the time. The platform, overrun by trees, particularly the invasive velikathan trees, tells the story of a great period.
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