Kizhakke Valiya Thampuran Kovilakam

Kizhakke Valiya Thampuran Kovilakam is/was a palace complex located inside the Fort at Tripunithura, which served as the seat of the Cochin royal family.

Kizhakke Valiya Thampuran Kovilakam of 1910s - AI modified photo

It is situated to the southeast of the centrally located Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple within the Fort, and to the south of the historic Manimalika and the Kalanjam Palace (now the KSEB Office).

Original photo


What makes this Kovilakam special?

The Perumpadappu Swaroopam (the Cochin royal house) originally had five branches (thavazhis):

  1. Mootha Thavazhi (branch)
  2. Ilaya Thavazhi (branch)
  3. Chazhoor Thavazhi
  4. Muringoor (Madathingal) Thavazhi
  5. Palluruthy Thavazhi

Of these, the Ilaya and Muringoor branches became extinct. From 1663 onward, the Mootha Thavazhi ruled the kingdom, adopting successors from Chazhoor when necessary.

In the early 1800s, four new branches emerged from four sisters of the Mootha Thavazhi:

  1. Manku Thampuran (Padinjare Kovilakam branch)
  2. Kunjippilla Thampuran (Thekke Kovilakam branch)
  3. Kunjikkavu Thampuran (Kizhakke Valiya Thampuran Kovilakam branch)
  4. Manku Thampuran (Thekke Valiya Thampuran Kovilakam branch)

The Kizhakke Valiya Thampuran Kovilakam was the residence of members of the third branch mentioned above. This palace was constructed during the youth of the abdicated Highness of Cochin, around the 1870s–80s, during the major building phase of Tripunithura.

Notable Personalities from this Kovilakam

Several individuals from this Kovilakam earned distinguished places in Kerala’s history. Some of them include:

  1. Rajarshi Rama Varma – Maharaja of Cochin from 1895 to 1914 (d. 1932). Known as the “Father of Modern Cochin” and a renowned Sanskrit scholar.
  2. Kairalee Vidheyan Bhootharayar Appan Thampuran – Founder of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, writer, and a multi-faceted personality.
  3. Vishavaidyan Kochunni Thampuran – Author of Prayoga Samuchayam, a treatise on toxicology that remains an important reference in poison treatment.
  4. Prof. Maru Thampuran – Wrote the first commentary on Yuktibhasha, the 16th-century text explaining the basics of calculus.
  5. Warden Appan Thampuran – Retired as Kerala’s Director of Education and played a key role in launching the Kerala Youth Festival.
  6. Dr. Kerala Varma Kochunni Thampuran – Chosen by Sri Varghese Kurien to oversee the establishment of the National Dairy Research Institute, owing to the strong belief in his integrity and incorruptibility.

There are other notable personalities from this Thavazhi, but have limited to the above. Please feel free to mention others.

Although the entire Kovilakam was not demolished, most of it has since been taken down and replaced with apartment buildings.

Note: The above is written with best of my knowledge, if I have made any mistakes or missed any detail, please do point out so that it can be corrected.