3 lesser-known south Indian palaces that you may not have heard before

 

1. Jaganmohan Palace, Karnataka:

 

Once the home of the Wodeyars, the Jaganmohan Palace served as the second home in Mysuru.  It has three floors.  The interiors of the palace are decorated with murals done in the ancient style of the Mysore school of paintings. Now, this palace is best known for being an art gallery.  It houses the famous paintings of Kerala-based artist Raja Ravi Varma. It also is home to paintings from the Mughal era, as well as from Shantiniketan. Other exhibits like sculptures and coins among others are also here.

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2. Thirumalai Nayak Mahal, Tamil Nadu: This palace was built in 1636 with a help of an Italian architect, after the King in Madurai. It’s architecture is a mix of Rajput and Dravidian styles. In its heyday, it was a mark of grandeur and opulence. But, his grandson Chokkanatha Nayak destroyed it.  Today, the palace is under the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department wings. It is often used for film shoots.

 

 

 

 

3. Hill Palace, Kerala:

 

Today, this palace is the large archaeological museum in Kochi. However, it was once the house of the Kochi King. Spread over 55 acres, the palace had 49 buildings. This palace turned museum is home to a number of artefacts from the Stone Age, wooden replicas and plaster of Paris works from the Harappa and Mohenjadaro civilisation.