612972019 Coimbatore | Step inside this 800-year-ld palace for a date with royalty HOME > ARCHITECTURE& DESIGN > ARCHITECTURE Step inside this 800-year-old palace in Coimbatore for a date with royalty Uthukuli Aranmanai Palace was built by the Kalingarayars even before the Mughals set up their kingdom in the Indian peninsula 2.7K | Supriya Aggarwal PUBLISHED: JUL 18, 2018 | 06:00:58 IST After the restoration of he 800-yea old Uthukuli Aranmanai Palace in Coimbatore, has been opened to visitors for a two-hour walk led by Siddharth AMR Kalingaraya featured here with his father, Arun Kumar Kalingarayar hitpshwww-architecturaldigestnlcontenticoimbatore-uhukul-palace-800-yeare-ldile-cust a0snsnore Ceimbotr | Step nie tis 80-year palo ora dat wi yay = / ADE palace in the district. The Zamin Uthukuli has been housing a 2.0" that not many historians would be able to recollect today, unless prodded WUUT LAVIN PalALe UL UNL RAMLBALAY ALS, VOR UVR UOLULE HL uvRLaLS OE up their kingdom in the Indian peninsula. I meet Siddharth AMR Kalingarayar, a member of the 37th generation of the Kalingarayar family, whose father, Arun Kumar Kalingarayar, now resides at the restored Uthukuli Aranmanai Palace. Siddharth, a businessman and an active member of INTACH (Indian National Trust for ‘Art and Cultural Heritage), welcomes me inside the palace and narrates the history of the royal seat of Kalingarayars. 1/4 <> hitpshwww-architecturaldigestnlcontenticoimbatore-uhukul-palace-800-yeare-ldile-cust 2n0612972019 Coimbatore | Step inside this 800-year-ld palace for a date with royalty = AD AD: longest ruling dynasties of ancient southern India). They have fought wars alf of the Wodeyars of Mysore and the Nayaks of Madurai, and legend has it, have never lost a battle, “My ancestors ruled the Vellode on bel part of the Kongu country and around 1282, they dedicated a canal to the people of western Tamil Nadu by creating a union between the rivers Amaravathi, Bhavani, and Noyyal - tributaries of Cauvery River. The canal is known as the Kalingarayar canal. The ruler of Vijayanagar bestowed the title ‘Rayar’ on us for eternity in recognition of our services. After that the family moved to Uthukuli (in Coimbatore) and converted a forest area into a farmland, Ours was the first family to come and settle in this region,” states Siddharth, who took up the mammoth task of restoring the palace in 2011. After the abolition of the Zamindari system, the family stopped using their official titles but continued to use the ‘Rayar’ epithet. During the restoration, Siddharth made sure that the palace, currently inhabited by his father Arun Kumar Kalingarayar, does not lose its originality. Only the power connection, plumbing, repair work, woodwork, and lighting were updated. 1/2 < > hitpsswww arcitecturaligostirvcontentvcoimba sthukul-palace-800-yoars-oltits-custd a0612972019 Coimbatore | Step inside this 800-year-ld palace for a date with royalty Uthukuli Aranmanai Palace, Coimbatore | Tryst with Royalty The main living room floods the vision with a multitude of images. From animal trophies to sepia-toned photos, weaponry, sheaths with handles made of deer horn, bone, wood and metal, and more. The palace was built in an era where hunting was a royal sport. The family has preserved all the artefacts and the palace is nothing less than a treasure trove of an era gone by. From the hand-chiselled traditional stone weights to the elephant tusk table, vintage candlelight lamps, old coins, peacock statues with inlay work in four colours, 300 types of rare corals/shells and antique furniture made with rose and teak wood. The family also has two high velvet seats used only during wedding ceremonies. All of these are curated in a way that it gives spectators an insight into the life of the Kalingarayar family in Coimbatore. 1/4 <> hitpshwww-architecturaldigestnlcontenticoimbatore-uhukul-palace-800-yeare-ldile-cust ano612972019 Coimbatore | Step inside this 800-year-ld palace for a date with royalty = AD ADE ae hitpshwww-architecturaldigestnlcontenticoimbatore-uhukul-palace-800-yeare-ldile-cust612972019 Coimbatore | Step inside this 800-year-ld palace for a date with royalty = AD AD: Uthukuli Aranmanai Palace, Coimbatore | Four Architectural Styles The palace was constructed in four phases in four different eras and each phase follows a distinct form of architecture. The portion built in the first phase is influenced by the Kerala style of architecture, given the affinity of Urhukuli with north Kerala. Since the region receives five months of rainfall, the roofs are low and slanted. This part of the palace houses a large granary used to store paddy in those times. In the second phase of construction, nearly 350 years ago, the Mughal style of architecture was adopted with decorated arches, round pillars and thin bricks. The Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture is also prevalent in parts of the Uthukuli Aranmanai Palace in Coimbatore with smooth cemented flooring, Mangalore tiles, Roman arches, crown finishing, and oxide flooring, A yellow stone staircase leads to a large area that opens up to a wide terrace. The sort of gallery contains a daybed, which at the moment is the resting place for an ornate royal turban, which graced the heads of past rulers. The last phase of construction was done nearly eight decades ago and drew heavily from the Imperial style of architecture. Also known as the ‘bungalow style’, this part of the palace has clay and mosaic tiles with attached bathrooms and power connection. ‘The palace has been built using the free-flowing curved line architecture; there are no straight lines here. 1/5 <> hitpsswww arcitecturaligostirvcontentvcoimba sthukul-palace-800-yoars-oltits-custd 610612972019 Coimbatore | Step inside this 800-year-ld palace for a date with royalty AD. Ca Uthukuli Aranmanai Palace, Coimbatore | Legacy of Conservation Rajesh Govindraj, a Coimbatore-based historian, says, “Kalingarayars have a rich history and are still revered by the people of Uthukuli. The palace is a marvellous example of a perfect marriage between different architectural styles. With the recent restoration, the family has preserved a rich legacy for perpetuity. Apart from the palace, they are also instrumental in the conservation and upkeep of nearly a dozen ancient temples of Uthukuli.” One can spend hours in admiration of the craftsmanship of the yesteryear and the efforts done to protect a slice of the heritage. After the restoration, the palace has been opened to visitors for a two-hour walk led by Siddharth AMR Kalingarayar. sthukul-palace-800-yoars-oltits-custd m0 hitpsswww arcitecturaligostirvcontentvcoimba612972019 Coimbatore | Step inside this 800-year-ld palace for a date with royalty Uthukuli Aranmanai Palace is located roughly 56 km from Coimbatore International Airport and is open to the public for visits ALSO READ: ‘Take a Tour of India’s Largest Private Residence: The Lukshmi Vilas Palace Inside Maharaja Padmanabh Singh's Falatial Bachelor Pad in Jaipur This Varanasi Hotel Serves Luxury Inside a 200-Year-Old Palace In This Story: ART, ARTEFACTS, GALLERY, HOME, INDIA, KERALA, LIGHTING , LIVING ROOM, RESTORATION, ROSE, TABLE, TAMIL NADU, WEDDING Now Playing: Inside the Manali home of Kangana Ranaut hitpshwww-architecturaligestinlcontenticoimbatore-whukul-palace-800-yeare-ldie-cust0 ano612972019 tps: arcitecturaligestnfcontentvooimbatos Coimbatore | Step inside this 800-year-ld palace for a date with royalty thukul-palace-800-yoars-ldits-cust AD: eno612972019 tps: arcitecturaligestnfcontentvooimbatos Coimbatore | Step inside this 800-year-ld palace for a date with royalty thukul-palace-800-yoars-ldits-cust AD: so10