Volume 5 | Issue 4 | November - December  2010 |

Conservation

Dr. K.K.N. Kurup

    The HillPalace, Thripunithura, Ernakulam, is the Royal abode of the erstwhile Cochin Maharajas. The earliest building in this campus consisting of 52 acres was constructed by 1853, in the traditional Nalukettu style by Ramavarma Maharaja. There were 49 small and big buildings in this campus. The entire complex was taken over by the Dept. of Archaeology on 28th November 1983.

    Now, this centre houses a lot of archaeological and art objects from different regions of Kerala. There is a deer park, a panoramic ornamental garden, a Hortus malabaricus garden of medicinal plants and a children’s park. Further, an academic centre named Centre for Heritage Studies, is also functioning in this campus, offering courses in Archaeology, Museology, Archival Studies and Conservation. A rare collection among the jewelleries of the museum is the Royal Crown weighing 1.75 kilograms of gold, studded with precious stones like green Emerald, red Rubby and dazzling diamonds of high brilliance. The crown was given as a gift by the King Immanuel IInd of Portuguese to The Maharaja of Cochin.
     
    The monuments of this campus were in a dilapidated state without having proper conservation after the take over of the country by govt. of India. Recently an amount of Rs. 5 crores have been spent for conservation by the dept of Archaeology sanctioned in the 12th plan of the Govt. of India. The renovated buildings were again opened to the pubic by Mr. M.A. Baby, Hon. Minister for Education and Culture, Govt. of Kerala, in a public function held on 17th July 2010 presided over by Mr. M.J. Jacob, MLA.
     
    The conservation works were undertaken by agencies like SIDCO and KITCO. As a policy decision, the Minister declared that on all Sundays, the museums will be opened for students and children, free of cost.

     

    

Dr. K.K.N. Kurup - Former Vice Chancellor, Calicut University, Director General, Centre for Heritage Studies, Cultural Affairs Department, Govt. of Kerala.
    Address: Poomalika,
    Chombala P.O.,
    . Kozhikode Dt.
    , Pin-673308
    e-mail: kknkurupchs@gmail.com
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