Revisiting A Royal Past

Located in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, the Nalknad Palace was built in the late 18th century during the reign of King Vira Rajendra, perhaps as a place of refuge for him as he was then fighting Tipu Sultan. The two-storeyed structure is replete with pavilions, intricately carved wooden pillars, and a host of paintings across several rooms. While it is not yet known how long ago the paintings were made, they depict scenes from the court and images of royalty.

- Anuradha Shankar

The Tandiandamol Range looms in the distance, as the road winds its way along picturesque coffee plantations. Standing at a slight elevation on the foothills and facing the massive peak is the Nalknad Palace, constructed between 1792 and 1794. [1]

The Nalknad Palace is located about 40 kilometres from Madikeri or Mercara, the capital of Coorg during the 17th century, and was built during the reign of King Vira Rajendra. It was probably constructed as a safe haven for the king, who was then fighting Tipu Sultan. The Palace gets its name from four villages or naal-nad, in the local language, and is often referred to as the last refuge of the kings of Coorg. The four villages are small, and barely visible from the road, which ends abruptly at what appears to be a school, with no indication of a palace nearby. A closer look reveals that the school is built along a wall, which appears to be much older. A path alongside leads beyond the school, to an arched gateway which announces the presence of the Nalknad Palace. The arched gateway leads to a garden, with a small pavilion on one side. The pavilion is built of brick and stucco and resembles a shrine, with arched entrances on all four sides, a spire, and cows on the four corners of the roof, as is seen in local temples. The side walls have niches, with images of deities, of which only a few can be identified. One such image appears to be that of Krishna, while another depicts the Sun and the Moon.