Process to demolish Pazhayannur palace halted

KOCHI:  The State Archaeology Department has issued an order preventing the Cochin Devaswom Board (CDB) from demolishing the Pazhayannur palace, the ancestral home of the Kochi royal family. While CDB was planning to tender the demolition work on Thursday, the archaeology department intervened after the Cochin Royal Family Foundation and the Hindu Aikya Vedi highlighted the issue.On Tuesday, members of the royal family had approached Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran seeking his intervention to stop the demolition and to convert the ancestral building -- located on the Vadakkanchery-Thiruvilvamala route in Thrissur district -- into a museum.

“The archaeology director has issued a stop memo on the demolition work. A team of archaeologists will conduct an inspection to assess the possibility of preserving the structure,” said archeologist K V Sreenath.
CDB, meanwhile, said the decision to demolish the building was taken as the structure was in a dilapidated state. “The previous board had decided to demolish the building. The building is in a dilapidated state and it has not been used for the past 50 years. The premises was used as the parking area for devotees visiting the Pazhayannur temple,” said CDB President A B Mohanan.

The Pazhayannur Devi was the family deity of the Kochi royal family and heirs used to seek the blessings of the deity before coronation. The family members would visit the place every year to offer prayers at the temple and stay at the palace.Though the Pazhayannur ancestry of Kochi rulers dates back to 1500 AD, the current building was constructed only around 200 years ago, said Cochin Royal Family Foundation Secretary P K Satish Varma.

“Kochi rulers trace their origin to Vanneri Chitrakoodam in Malappuram. Due to constant aggression from the Zamorins, the rulers shifted their capital to Pazhayannur. Later they shifted to Thiruvanchiyur and Vellarappilly before making Kochi the capital of the kingdom. Even now, the family has special rights to perform poojas at the Pazhayannur temple,” he said.The temple was handed over to CDB after the integration of the state. “The structure weakened as it was abandoned,” Varma said.

“Architects from Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage had opined that it can be repaired and preserved. We have urged converting it into a museum showcasing the heritage of the Kochi kingdom, the heritage of Pazhayannur and tradition of temple arts.” Nila Vichara Vedi general secretary Vipin Koottiyedath said they had announced a protest after CDB decided to raze the building.

Last-minute stoppage

The Cochin Devaswom Board was planning to tender the demolition work on Thursday when the archaeology department intervened forcing suspension of the move

  Rich history
● Pazhayannur ancestry of Cochin royals dates back to AD 1500 
 ● However, the current building was constructed only around 200 years ago