As one may surmise from the name, the Dutch were not
the original builders of the Mattancherry Palace. It was built by the
Portuguese in 1557 as a gift to the Raja of Cochin, Veera Kerala Varma,
partly as a compensation for a temple they'd destroyed and partly as a
bribe to gain favors from the ruler. It was only in 1663, when the Dutch
won over from the Portuguese, that they renovated the palace and thus,
it is known as the 'Dutch palace' too.
The exteriors of the Mattancherry Palace are barren with stark white
walls and sloping brown roofs. A two-storied quadrangular building with
a small temple dedicated to the deity Palayannur Bhagwati in the central
courtyard, the interiors of the Palace are in sharp contrast with their
beautiful ceilings and painted walls. The Central Hall on the upper
storey, once used for the coronation ceremony of Cochin's Rajas, has a
beautifully carved wooden ceiling. The Dining Hall's ceiling is
ornamented with a series of brass cups but the ceiling of the Assembly
Hall is perhaps the best of all. A series of beautifully executed and
well-preserved murals decorate the walls of the rooms depicting scenes
from Hindu mythology such as those from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata,
and the Puranic legends. The murals are extensive and among the best in
India. They cover approximately 300 sq ft of wall. Among the more erotic
paintings is a mural in the Ladies' Bedchamber that depicts Krishna
making love to all of eight gopis simultaneously! The museum housed in
the Palace exhibits a rich collection of regal memorabilia including
costumes, palanquins, turbans and weaponry from the days of the Cochin
rajas.
