PALIAM COMPLEX

Paliam Nalukettu

Built more than four hundred years ago, it was in this Nalukettu that the Paliam family settled after shifting from Vanneri to Chendamangalam. This Nalukettu is a self contained double storeyed building with eight bedrooms in the south and kitchen and the well in the northeast corner. It houses the Ara, the strong room, for the safekeeping of the family heirlooms. Interestingly, below the Ara is the concealed nether room with a secret exit. It is built in the Kerala style. The beautifully laid out entrance foyer, purathu thalam , is still a great attraction, not only to the family members, but also the tourists who come here. There is a wide courtyard all around the Nalukettu. The benign presence of Paliam tharavad Bhagavathy is just nearby.

Paliam Kovilakam

During the worst days of Portuguese atrocities in the 16th century, even the Raja of Cochin was not safe. The then, Paliath Valiachan, the Prime Minister of Cochin, ensured the safety of the Raja by escorting him to Chendamangalam. The Raja is believed to have stayed incognito in a place near Kalari and hence the name Kovilakam or Palace.Later the building was renovated by the Dutch. The Dutch influence in the design and architecture of the building is quite evident.

PALIAM PREMISES FROM MEMORY