Central Kerala Museums

Sampaloor

Sampaloor, by the side of the Chalakudy River is known as the Goa of Kerala. Rightfully called so, this place, like Goa witnessed the arrival of a series of clergy. This comprised St. Francis Xavier, St. John Britto, Fr. Joseph Constantine Buski (Veeramamunivar) and Arnos Pathiri. Among them, the first to arrive at Sampaloor was St. Francis Xavier, who came via Marankuzhi, a place located in Kodungalloor (former Muziris). His visits, as per records, were in 1542, 1544, and 1548. At that time the Muziris harbour (present day Kodungalloor) connected India to foreign countries via the sea. Sampaloor was an important center of Jesuits during the time of the Portuguese. Some of the structures still stand testimony to the works of the Jesuits in Sampaloor. They include the St. Paul's Seminary, the St. Paul's Monastery and the St. Paul's Press and a church dedicated to St. Francis Xavier. Gradually San-paul-ur became Sampaloor. Half way though the 17th century St. John Britto, an Italian missionary, came to Sampaloor and lived there for nearly one year. He studied Tamil and Sanskrit and adopted an Indian name - Swamy Arulananda. The altar of St. Francis Xavier's church at which St. John Britto used to celebrate the holy mass is now a protected historical monument. Another member of the clergy, who made his presence felt at Sampaloor after St. John Britto was Arnos Pathiri, who studied at the St. Paul's Seminary and later got ordained there. He made remarkable contributions to the Malayalam literature through his book 'Puthen Pana.' Next to follow was Fr. Joseph Constantine Buski (Veeramamunivar). He came to Sampaloor, while serving in Madurai Mission and later lived there. Fr. Buski's final resting place is also at Sampaloor. The first printing in Malayalam was done at the St. Paul's Press in Sampaloor, which was set up by Jesuit Priests in 1663. The dictionary of 'Prinsa Pathiri,' Tamil grammar of Dacosta Pathiri, and the books of Dinobili were printed in this press. Sampaloor thus became a great centre for language-nurturing in south India. The arrival of the clergymen to Sampaloor in the mid 16th century and the developments that took place all later became part of the ecclesiastical history of Kerala. Sampaloor also went through an unfortunate phase in the course of its history, when it was devastated in an attack by Tippu Sultan, who was fighting the British during the middle periods of the 18th century. Later, the church got reconstructed during the time of Bernadian Bechinelly, who was the vicar apostolate of Varapuzha in 1862. The present church was blessed in 1979. Historical museum of Sampaloor When samaploor was the centre of Jesuit Missionthere wereSt. Paul's seminary, St, Paul's Press, St. Paul's Monastery, And St. Francis Xavier's Church which were destroyed by Tippu the invader. the Cannon balls used during the time of Tippu, holy vestments of the priests of the Monastery, Tablets that describe the old liturgical order, instruments used to make the hosts, Tabernacle of theold church, statues ofsaints made of wood and metals, Lamps used for adoration, lamp-sticks, the Cross made of metal belongs to 15Th century and ''Vazhuthayodukal" of the same century are some of the attractions of this Museum. Anglo-Indian Cultural museum A sight of Anglo-Indian wedding ceremony, Anglo-Indian Traditional dress for women and men such as Kabaya, Madirasi thuny, a collection of coat, Suit, tie, bohatt, their traditional ornaments like Cothigna, Arulikka mala, Pinnu mala, Wedding ring, and their traditional foods are some of the sights inside this museum. Address St. Francis Xavier Church Sampaloor Palayamparambu P.O. Pin 680 741 Ph. 0480 2719079 Maritime Museum India is reckoned as one of the top ten naval powers in the world and owes its credit to the dedication and selfless services rendered by the brave men of India's formidable naval force. It is of significance for civilians to understand the value of existence of such a force, which plays a crucial role in safeguarding territorial waters of India. The Maritime Museum, located at INS Dronacharya in Kochi throws light on the genesis, history, evolution and landmarks of the Indian Navy. Step into the Maritime Museum to have a feel of the great maritime heritage of Indian Navy, which dates back to Indus Valley civilizations; Kerala's trade links with Arabs, its famous maritime hero Kunjali Marakkar; Influence of India's maritime power in South East Asia; Colonization of Indian sub-continent by European powers. At the museum, the visitors are enlightened on the evolution of the navy since 1612, when the Indian Marine was established in Surat. A section of the museum presents interesting aspects of shipbuilding activities in India. It unravels India's prowess in shipbuilding, which took its culture to the shores of Java, Sumatra and Bali between 3rd century BC and 12th century AD. The museum also has a section, which highlights Indian Navy's share of glory, when it took on its aggressors and eventually emerged victorious in the end. These include details of Junaghad operation, the Goa liberation, Indo-Pak conflicts of 1965 and 1971, Operation Cactus, Operation Pawan and the strategic maneuvers during Kargil. Visiting time: 9:30 am to 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm Getting there: The Museum is located on the beach road about 1 km South of St.Francis Church in Fort Kochi. Nearest railway station: Ernakulam, about 15 km. Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 20 km from Ernakulam City. Hill Palace Museum, Thripunithura Location: 10 km from Ernakulam town, Central Kerala. Visiting hours: 9.00 to 12.30 hrs and 14.00 to 16.30 hrs on all days except Mondays. Highlights: Kerala's first heritage museum noted for royal collections of the erstwhile Maharaja of Kochi. The Hill Palace, the official residence of the Kochi royal family, is today the largest archaeological museum in Kerala. Built in 1865, the palace complex consists of 49 buildings in the trational architectural style of Kerala, sprawled over 52 acres of beautifully landscaped terraced land which houses a deer park and facilities for horse riding. Numerous species of flora including rare medicinal plants grow here. On display in the full-fledged Ethno-archaeological museum are oil-paintings, murals, sculptures in stone and manuscripts, inscriptions, coins, belongings of the Kochi royal family and royal furniture including the simhasana (throne). Also exhibited are over 200 antique pieces of pottery and ceramic vases from Japan and China, Kudakkallu (tomb stone), Thoppikkallu (hood stone), menhirs, granite, laterite memorials, rock-cut weapons from the Stone Age, wooden temple models, plaster cast models of objects from Mohenjodaro and Harappa of the Indus Valley Civilisation. The museum also houses a gallery of contemporary art. Getting there: Nearest railway station: Ernakulam, about 10 km. Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 30 km. Madhavan Nayar Foundation Location : Just 8 km from Ernakulam town at Edappally, Ernakulam district, central Kerala. Timings: 10:00 - 17:00 hours on all days except Mondays. Attractions : Showcases the historic events and arts of Kerala. Located a little distance from the crowded urban centre of Ernakulam is a quiet ethnic building hidden in the shades of huge trees. A statue of Parasurama, the sage who is said to have created Kerala, greets the visitor. This is a monument to the history of Kerala and homage to its makers. The Madhavan Nayar Foundation also called the Museum of Kerala History and its makers showcases historic episodes from the neolithic to the modern era through life size figures. Light n sound shows are regularly organised with commentaries in English and Malayalam. There is also a gallery for paintings and sculptures, displaying over 200 original works by contemporary Indian artists. The Centre for Visual Arts here has a collection of the authentic reproduction of select world masters and larger than life mural reproductions of Indian art. Getting there: Nearest railway station : Ernakulam, about 8 km from Edappaly. Nearest airport : Cochin International Airport, about 20 km from Ernakulam city. Archaeological Museum Location: Near the Thrissur Zoo, 2 km from Thrissur town, Central Kerala. Visiting hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on all days except Mondays and national holidays. The Archaeological Museum was until recently accommodated in the Thrissur Town Hall building. Now it has been shifted to the Kollengode Palace, an architectural delight. The majestic building houses a gallery of murals from all over Kerala and preserves a rare treasure of Veerakallu, temple models, olagrandhangal (manuscripts on dry palm leaves), megaliths etc. Veerakallu or herostones are stone engravings and sculptures of figures and weapons belonging to the heroes of days gone by. Most of these were recovered from the forests of Wayanad and Thrissur. The megalith collection includes earthen pots, urns etc. The temple models cast in plaster of Paris are excellent representations of the ancient temples in the State. Getting there: Nearest railway station: Thrissur. Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 58 km to the South. One picture can say what a thousand words cannot! That being the case, without further ado, we recommend that you pay a visit to The Museum of Kerala History in Edapally, Kochi. And once you are on the lush grounds of the museum, head straight to the MNF Gallery of Paintings and Sculptures and the Centre for Visual Arts. The unassuming gallery houses immortal creations that will give you glimpses of the glorious history and rich cultural legacy of this land. Some of the masters whose works are on display include mural maestro Mammiyoor Krishhan Kutty Nair, Raja Ravi Varma, M. F. Hussain, folk painter Jamini Roy, abstract painter Manu Parekh and so on. Open from 10 am to 5 pm on all days except Mondays and public holidays. Getting there: By road: At Edapally, 10 km North of Ernakulam city on NH 47. Indo-Portuguese Museum The Indo-Portuguese Museum situated in Fort Kochi throws light on the strong Portuguese influence in both the art and the architecture of the region. The museum today is an important center for understanding the Indo-Portuguese Christian Art heritage, which is still surviving. The museum is the outcome of the untiring efforts of the late Dr. Joseph Kureethra, Bishop of Kochi. Driven by sheer commitment to protect the rich heritage of his Diocese, the bishop established the Indo-Portuguese Museum to preserve some of the invaluable collections for posterity. The museum is divided into five main sections, according to the nature of items displayed. They are - Altar, Treasure, Procession, Civil Life and Cathedral. The museum currently houses some outstanding collections and is well known for its artistic and architectural marvels, which bear the mark of strong Portuguese influence. Some of these include a piece of the altar made in teak wood (16th century) from the Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen, a chasuble (19th century) from Bishop's House, Fort Kochi, Processional cross, which is a combination of silver and wood (17th century) from Santa Cruz Cathedral, Fort Kochi, Indo-Portuguese Monstrance (18-19th century), from The Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen. Among the displayed items, the Coat of Arms of the Franciscans needs special mention The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has also contributed to the rich collection at the Indo-Portuguese Museum and these include sculptures, precious metal objects and vestments, among others from the Cathedral of Santa Cruz and other churches of the Kochi diocese. The Indo-Portuguese Museum in Kochi is indeed one of those symbols in the annals of Kochi, bearing the rich heritage of Indo-Portuguese culture and artistic influence. Address: Bishop's House Fort Kochi Kerala- 682001 Tel: +91-484-215400 / 215401 Working Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays and all Public Holidays. Entry is free on 1st Thursday of every month. Teak Museum, Nilambur If you are a nature enthusiast who is desperately pouring your head over volumes to get your much-needed information on Teak, the wonder tree, then the world famous Teak Museum at Nilambur is just the perfect place for you to be in. Here, you can satisfy yourself with loads of information on this magical bounty of nature. The well-known Teak Museum is located at Nilambur in the Malappuram district of Kerala. Regarded as the first of its kind in the world and the only one in India; it is a house to the treasures of historical, aesthetic and scientific aspects of Teak. The museum was established on the campus of the sub-centre of Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) in 1995. The museum was established here owing to the historical significance of the region. The world's first Teak (Tectona grandis) plantation was raised in Nilambur way back in the 1840s in order to ensure a steady supply of Teak timber to the British. The fascinating abundance of information on this wonder tree attracts an entire horde of tourists to visit this museum throughout the year. The extensive root system of a 55-year-old teak tree exhibited in the portico for welcoming the tourists is itself metaphorical of the past, present and future of the museum. The ground floor of the double-storied museum exhibits a translite of Kannimara Teak, the oldest naturally growing teak tree located at the Parambikulam wild-life sanctuary and the life-size replica of the trunk of the largest known teak tree growing in the Malayattoor forest division. Another translite of a giant tree present in the oldest teak plantation in the Conolly's Plot at Nilambur offers the visitors a glimpse into the teak plantation activities undertaken 160 years ago. Some of the other other attractions here are the traditional granary and a miniature model of sailing vessel called Uru made of teak wood. Teak poles of varying sizes and qualities obtained during the process of 'Thinning' of teak plantations are also displayed along with the necessary details of standard classification of teak poles. The depiction of foliage, flowers, fruits and bark of the tree gives us a deeper insight in to the other characteristics of the teak. Here, one can also find the large stump of a 480-year-old teak tree brought from Nagarampara forest range in Kottayam division. Detailed description on the flower, fruit and natural regeneration of teak as well as the prominent characteristics of these species of trees are exhibited in the first floor of the museum. In addition to this, the various methods of seed-grading, presowing treatment, preparation of teak stumps, vegetative propagation of teak and the different stages in the complete rotation cycle of teak from seed to mature tree are also on display. Apart from teak, the mueusm also has a collection of over 300 butterflies, moths and insects found in teak plantations. Another exclusive section in the museum deals with the various physical disorders of teak, disease-causing insects and pests, plantation and other nursery diseases. Some of the special attractions of the Teak Museum at Nilambur are a series of interesting paintings portraying tree felling operations, a collection of photographs on the phonological events of teak at different seasons, exhibits on traditional harvesting tools and wood samples of different ages from various parts of the world. The portraits of great figures who had carved out milestones in the successful establishment of teak plantations as well as of those who had laid the foundations to the plantation forestry in India like H.V.Conolly, Chathu Menon and T.F.Bourdillion offer a strong perspective of a glorious era spanning a period of 150 years. This museum also has a world-class library on teak and a mini auditorium for audio-visual presentations. The 800-metre long bio-resources nature trail on the museum campus is indeed, an interesting one. This nature trail passes through a heavy growth of shrubs, trees and bamboos. One can also find the different species of birds and reptiles here. There are 50 naturally grown tree species and 136 endangered and near-extinct tree species of the Western Ghats planted in this nature trail. About 58 species of birds, both resident and migratory, has been recorded in this area. A medicinal plant garden consisting of 150 species is also another attraction worth seeing. Getting there: Nearest railway station: Nilambur, about 3 km from the Teak Museum. Nearest airport: Karipur International Airport, about 36 km from Malappuram. Tea Museum Munnar is perhaps the choicest of places to preserve and showcase some of the exquisite and interesting aspects on the genesis and growth of tea plantations in Kerala's high ranges. With special emphasis to Munnar, and to the delight of tea lovers and tourists, Tata Tea recently opened a Tea Museum which houses curious, photographs and machineries, each depicting a turning point that contributed to a flourishing tea industry, as seen today in the region. The museum set up at the Nallathanni Estate of Tata Tea in Munnar is a fitting tribute to the toils and rigours of its pioneers, who showed utmost determination and were resolute in their efforts to transform Munnar into a major plantation centre of Kerala. The Tata Tea Museum diligently portrays the growth of Munnar tea estates, veritably conveyed through some of the displays like the rudimentary tea roller to the modern fully automated tea factory. Visitors to the museum can satiate their curiosity on various stages of tea processing, and also learn a thing or two about the production of black tea. A sundial, placed on a granite block, which was made in 1913 by the Art Industrial School at Nazareth, Tamil Nadu, greets a visitor to the Tea Museum. At the museum, if one is curious to locate an item with some antiquity, then the burial urn from the second century BC, which was found near Periakanal estate tops the list. Some of the attention grabbing items on display at the Tea museum include the original tea roller, the 'Rotorvane,' dating back to 1905, used for CTC type tea processing; the 'Pelton Wheel' used in the power generation plant that existed in the Kanniamallay estate in the 1920s; a rail engine wheel of the Kundale Valley Light Railway that shuttled men and material between Munnar and Top Station during the first half of the last century. A section of the Tea museum also houses classic bungalow furniture, typewriters, wooden bathtub, magneto phone, iron oven, manual calculators and EPABX of the1909 telephone system. A demonstration room for tea tasting is another attraction where one would come across different varieties of tea. Those eager to understand the nuances of tea processing can do so at the CTC and orthodox tea-manufacturing unit at the museum. The museum authorities are also contemplating on the idea of allowing tourists to pluck tea leaves themselves and have them processed in their presence. The Tea Museum by Tata Tea would soon become yet another reason for travelers to visit the enchanting hills of Munnar, which has already become one of the prime tourist destinations in Kerala. Timings: 10:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m. (open 7 days a week) Entry Fee: Adults: Rs.50 Children below 12 years: Rs.10 Address: Tata Tea Museum Nalluthanni Estate Munnar, Idukki district.