rjisacjournal.com

HISTORICAL MONUMENTS IN KANYAKUMARI DISTRICT

Dr. D. Lekha
Associate Professor, Department of History, Sree Ayyappa College for Women, Chunkankadai, Kanyakumari District.

Kanyakumari District, the southernmost tip of the Indian Sub-Continent, gets its name from the township Kanyakumari, a pilgrim centre associated with the temple of Goddess Kanyakumari.  It stretches an area of  1684 sq km.  The district was a part of Travancore Princely State during the pre-independence period, and after the independence it remained as part of Travancore-Cochin State until the realignment on linguistic basis was achieved.  After the pronouncement of the States Reorganization Act, 1956, the newly formed district Kanyakumari comprising Agestheeswaram, Thovalai, Kalkulam and Vilavancode the four southern taluks of Thiruvananthapuram merged with the Tamil speaking Madras State (Tamil Nadu) on 1st November, 1956.

Many kingdoms like Ayi, Cheran, Pandyan, Cholan and Venad, ruled Kanyakumari District.  Many of the forts, palaces and historical monuments were constructed  under the sands of time.  But a few still stand to tell the old stories.  This paper mentions  some of the historical monuments in Kanyakumari District.

Padmanabhapuram Fort and Palace
The Padmanabhapuram Palace is one of the most historical places in Travancore.  It was the seat of power of Venad Kings who ruled Travancore.  This town is surrounded by a fort with an area of 187 acres.  The ancient capital of Travancore was established before 1601 by the Venad Kings.  The fort which was made of mud was dismantled and reconstructed with granites.  Before 1744  the fort was known as ‘Kalkulam Kottaram’.   After the dedication of  the palace in 1744 to Sree Padmanabha, by the king Marthanda Varma, the fort was named as Padmanabhapuram Palace.1

The palace has beautiful sculptures, rare coins, mural paintings and weapons of war.  It is under the Archaeological Department of Kerala State.  The art and architecture of the palace are of Kerala origin and atmosphere.  Padmanabhapuram was the capital of Venad rulers, till the closing years of the reign of Karthikai Thirunal Ramavarma2.  The entrance hall has a clock-tower created in 1832.  It is one of the oldest in India.

The first floor has a Council Chamber or Mantrasala, dancing hall and  uttupura (dining hall).  About 2000 people were fed every day in the days of kings.  In the first floor there is a cot made of 64 medicinal plants on which Maharaja used to sleep3.  The cot was presented to Maharaja Marthanda Varma by the Dutch East India Company in 1750 as a gesture of good will.  The top most floor has mural of high artistic excellence.  Navarathiri Mandapam is a spacious hall.  Hall of historical painting is called Chitralaya.  Several paintings are seen here.  In Namaskara Mandapam many figures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses are found.

The palace is considered as one of the store houses of the richest specimens of Indian art and architecture, in stone and wood extolling our glorious past exhibited to the public.  It is closed for visitors on Mondays.

Eraniel Palace
Eraniel town is about 15km from Nagercoil on the Nagercoil-Monday Market road and 5 km to the South of Thuckalay.  In the past, it was the seat of the royal family of Travancore before Padmanabhapuram became their chief town in South Travancore4.  The portion of the palace known by the name Vasanthamandapa had a stone couch resting place of great interest.  One of the ruling Princess, it is said while sleeping on this couch suddenly disappeared and never returned thereafter.  To commemorate this, a lamp is still kept burning by the side of the couch.  Today it is a ruined site to see its walls collapsed, doors and beams decayed, roofs destroyed in a dilapidated condition due to the sheer negligence of the authorities, including the Government, Archaeological Officials, Devaswam Board and also its real owners.5

Udayagiri Fort
It is located near the Padmanabhapuram Fort on the Thiruvananthapuram – Nagercoil high-way.  It was the most important military garrison in the time of Marthandavarma Raja.  Preliminary notification has been issued to declare it a national monument6.  It is built of massive granite blocks around an isolated hillock, 260 feet high enclosing an area of almost 90 acres.  It was renovated about the year A.D 1600.  This fort was said to have been destroyed by Raja Raja Chola7 and  was rebuilt by De-Lennoy during  the rule of Marthandavarma in 1741-1744.  Foundry for the manufacture of guns, mortars and cannon balls were also established within the fort under the supervision of the General8.

In the early days, the fort was of strategic importance.  Prisoners captured in the campaign  against Tippu were confined in this fort for sometime.  In 1810, the East India Company’s army under Colonel St. Leger marched into the Travancore State through the Aramboly Pass to quell a rebellion under the leadership of Velu Thambi Dalavai.  The fort was captured  by Col Welsh, who in his “Military Reminiscences” has recorded that there was 100 guns in the fort, besides 50,000 stand of arms.  It is further said that  a brass gun 16 ft long bored  as a 22 pounder, found in the fort could not be  removed even for  a few yards by a large number of people, even with the help   16 elephants.  The Company’s troops were stationed there, till about the middle of the 19th Century.  Today there is no trace of any old buildings.  The cemetery of De-Lennoy is found here.  The fort requires immediate attention as its massive wooden gate was burned to assure safe passage for the cows to graze inside the fort.  The walls of the fort is a protected monument by the Archeological Survey of India9.

Tomb of De Lennoy
General De-Lennoy (1715-1777) was a French General who served as Missionary in the Dutch East India Company and later joined Marthandavarma, serving him loyally for 37 years and became the commander in chief of Travancore army.  He modernized his army and extended his kingdom from Kanyakumari to north of Cochin including some parts of Kalakadu.  Mortal remains of De-Lennoy, Margaret De-Lennoy and his son were buried inside a chapel without a roof in Udayagiri Fort.  De-Lennoy’s tombs are protected monuments and have an inscription both in Tamil and Latin.  At present this monument is decaying without any protection10.

Vattakottai
Vattakottai, a granite fort six kilometers north east of  Kanyakumari, forms the terminal of a line of ramparts known as the South Travancore lines built by Marthandavarma to serve as defence for Nanjil Nadu11.  It is rectangular in shape and covers an area of about three and a half acres.  The fort is enclosed by walls 25 to 26 feet high, eluding the parapet 29 feet thick at the front, 18 feet at the corners and 6 feet at the rear. The portion running into  a  sea  is  the  most strongly built under the orders of De-Lannoy during the reign of Marthandavarma12.

Literary or epigraphical evidences are not in store to know much about Vattakotai.  However, from the evidences left by the fort itself it may be presumed that this fort was the military base to protect the Kumari Port which was a rich pearl harbour.  Since the emblem of the Pandya Kings was ‘Fish’ and as we find this emblem in some of the places of the fort, it can be safely concluded that the Pandya Kings have control over this fort for some time13.

Clock Tower, Nagercoil
It was built in 1893 by the Maharaja Sree Moolam Thirunal.  The image of the clock-tower is found in the emblem of Nagercoil Muncipality.  When Maharaja Sree Moolam Thirunal visited  Nagercoil, the citizens of Nagercoil wanted a tower in the central place to commemorate his visit.  Hence, at the request of the Maharaja, Rev. Duthie presented the clock to be installed  in the tower with a condition that the clock should face the Home Church.  It is surprising that the clock of 109 years works in good condition14.

Victory Pillar, Colachel
This sea-coast town is situated about 22 km west of Nagercoil and 7 km south west of Eraniel.  It was a port of call for European merchants frequented here during this period.  The Dutch and the English had their trading settlements here15.  The momentus, combined and naval battle of Colachel between Marthandavarma, the king of Travancore and the Dutch took place in August 1741 in which Marthandavarma inflicted a crushing defect on the Dutch and once for all put an end to the ambition of the Dutch, to set up their colony in that country16.  In the battle, many soldiers were held captives, among them was the eminent soldier De-Lennoy.  He entered service of Marthandavarma whom he helped in reorganizing his army and in constructing forts at the capital and on the borders.  It was this army that won many battles for Marthandavarma.  This victory is commemorated by a pillar created at the site in front of the Port Office17.

Vivekananda Rock Memorial
Once a Jain Pilgrimage Centre, South-East of Kumari temple is Vivekananda Rock Memorial where Swamy Vivekananda attained his cherished   highest experience of spiritual realization.  During December 1882 Swami Vivekananda came to Kanyakumari and swam to the rock to meditate.  The rock is regarded as sacred place.  The rock memorial consists of two main structures ‘Vivekananda Mandapam’ and ‘Sripada Mandapam’.  Thousands of people visit the Rock Memorial every day18.

Gandhi Mandapam
Mahatma Gandhi visited Kanyakumari in 1925 and 1937.  In 1948 his ashes were brought to Kanyakumari to be immersed in the sea.  To commemorate this event a beautiful monument with gopurams was constructed.  The monument is built in a way that the golden rays of the sun at mid-day on 2nd October would fall on the ‘Peedam’ through a hole in the roof.  Thousands of tourists visit the monument daily19.

Conclusion
Kanyakumari District has a rich culture, pleasing weather, religious centres and scenic attractions.  The district has a fragrance of architecture, culture and customs of neighbouring Kerala mixed with deep tradition, culture and architecture of Tamil Nadu.  This district is also rich in ancient monuments.  As some of the monuments are in deteriorating condition, it is our duty to recommending the Government to improve these places.  Then only the places will stand for ever.

References

  1. N.G. Unnithan, A Short Guide to Padmanabhapuram Palace, 1978.
  2. S. Padmanabhan, In and Around Kanyakumari, 1981, p. 1.
  3. Vision 2020, Kanyakumari, Kanyakumari Resource and Research Centre, Feb. 2007, p. 202.
  4. Report of Dr. S. Padmanabhan, in Indian Express, dated 20 August 1988.
  5. M. Immanuel, Kanyakumari – Aspects and Architects, 2007, pp. 80- 81.
  6. Report from the Director of Archaeology dated 7 December 1988.
  7. M. Gopala Krishnan (Ed), Gazetteers of India, Tamil Nadu State, Kanniyakumari District, 1995 p. 1222.
  8. Ibid.
  9. Report from the Collector of Kanyakumari District.
  10. S. Padmanabhan, Kumari Mavatta Kovilgal (Tamil), pp.179-183.
  11. Vision 2020, Op.cit., p. 203.
  12. Census of India; 1981, Kanyakumari District, Part XIII and A&B, p. 15.
  13. S. Padmanabhan, Kumari Mavatta Kottaigal (Tamil), p.1-8.
  14. Ibid.
  15. District Census Handbook, Kanyakumari Dist, 1981 part XIII – A&B, p. 15.
  16. Ibid.
  17. V. Nagam Aiya, The Travancore State Manual, Trivandrum,Vol. III, 1906, p. 584.
  18. Report from the General Secretary, Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari District, acted 24 November 1988.
  19. Vision 2020, Kanyakumari, Op.cit., p. 205.