Kilimanoor Palace Kerala, India.
Meet Prince Rama Varma and Princess Sujata Sankranti from Travencore
In 2014, I experienced the great privilege of visiting Kilimanoor Palace in Kerala and was given a personal tour by Prince Rama Varma and Princess Sujata Sankranti from the royal family of Travencore.
I met other members of the family and was treated to afternoon tea. My thanks to the family for their kindness and generosity and especially to Sujata and Rama. It was such a treat and an unforgettable experience.
The Travancore royal family was the ruling house of the Kingdom of Travancore. They had to give up their ruling rights in 1949 when Travancore merged with India. The family is descended from the Ay/Venad family and the Chera dynasty.
If you are in Kerala and near Kilimanoor in Kerala, do visit this ancestral palace, it is well worth it.
Kilimanoor Palace is home to the Raja Ravi Varma Museum which displays his art and is a tribute to his life and work. Please enjoy the Art Talk in the following video and learn about his famous works.
Sharon Rundle inside Raja Ravi Varma Museum at Kilimanoor Palace, Kerala.
The path-breaking art – and riveting story – of legendary painter, Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906). Ravi Varma expert, Rupika Chawla, gives fascinating insights into some of the artist’s most important works. Ravi Varma was the first Indian artist to paint Hindu deities in a ‘realistic’ manner using oil paints. His paintings of Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Saraswati and scenes from the scriptures have captured the visual imagination of India for decades. He is also famous for his paintings of royalty and the rich with fine detailing of clothing, jewellery and expressions. Rupika Chawla is on Art Talk with Jujhar Singh (NewsX channel). Art Talk is the leading arts show on Indian news television. The show carries interview – demonstrations with the top musicians, dancers, artists and photographers of the country – and the best emerging talent as well. The aim of the show is to demystify the arts, particularly the classical and fine arts, and show how beautiful, exciting and spiritual they are.
Rama Varma Thampuran of Kilimanoor commends the 150 year celebration of Raja Ravi Varma’s career on youtube
Prince Rama Varma at Kilimanoor Palace