The India Zone

Palaces in South India
Just as the North India, South India also boasts of several exquisite palaces. The palaces of South India are as grand in architecture, as lavish in ornamentation and as graceful to look at as the palaces of North India. The only difference between the palaces of North India and the South India is that the palaces of South India are of the later period. The kings of the local kingdoms or the British patronized most of the palaces of South India. The palaces of South India are in a well-preserved state and are treat for the eyes to explore. Some of the important palaces of South India are:

Bangalore Palace, Bangalore
Kempe Gowda built the Bangalore Fort and Tipu Sultan expanded it while a Wodeyar king built the Bangalore Palace in 1887 AD. The palace was built as a summer retreat and is built largely of wood. The carvings and paintings of the palace have earned acclamation by the visitors. The Windsor Castle is the major source of inspiration for the Bangalore Palace and was built in Tudor style with Gothic windows. The ramparts, turrets and foiled windows are similar to that of the Daria Daulat Palace in Srirangapatnam.

Palace of Tipu Sultan, Mysore
Started by Haider Ali and completed by Tipu Sultan, the Palace of Tipu Sultan is a reflection of the Mughal architecture. A two-storeyed building, the entire palace is built of teak wood with pillars, arches and balconies. The gardens on both the sides lead to the palace. The beauty of the palace is enhanced by the floral motifs on the walls and the ceilings. After the death of Tipu, the palace was acquired by the British who used it as the Secretariat till 1867 AD.

Mysore Palace, Mysore
Designed by the British architect, Henry Irwin, Mysore Palace was the residence of the former Wodeyar kings. The palace was an amalgamation of various styles of architecture and looks attractive with columns, domes, marble floors, mahogany ceilings, arches, stained windows and doors. The palace houses a museum, which is a treasure-trove of paintings, sculptures, weapons, costumes, golden throne and a howdah fitted with red and green light to instruct the mahout to stop or go. The palace is illuminated with almost 50,000 bulbs on Sundays, government holidays and festivals.

Lalitha Mahal, Mysore
Lalitha Palace came into existence when Sri Krishna Raja Wodeyar, Maharaja of Mysore, took the services of E.W. Fritchley to design a special palace in 1920, where he could accommodate his royal guests, particularly the viceroy of India. The palace took almost a decade to complete. The palace was built like the Italianate palazzo with double columns and domes. The palace remained the official guesthouse of the state of Mysore till 1960. After that, Indian Tourism Development Corporation - Ashok Group Hotel took over the palace and converted it into a heritage hotel in 1974. The hotel was extended in 1980 when 32 more rooms in the annex were added to the main structure.

Bolghatty Palace, Cochin
In 1774 AD, Dutch merchants built a villa on the Island Ponnikkara on the Arabian Sea near Ernakulam in Kerala. Subsequently, the villa was extended and verdant green gardens were landscaped around it. The villa housed the Governor and came to be identified with the island itself and became famous as the Bolghatty Palace. The place was an important picnic resort for the Dutch. During the British reign, the pleasure palace was converted into Residency. After the Independence, the palace became the property of the state of Kerala and was converted into a hotel by Kerala Tourism Development Corporation.

Mattancherry Palace, Cochin
Mattancherry palace is locally known as the Dutch Palace. But it was constructed by the Portuguese as a gift to the Raja of Cochin. The murals adorn some of the rooms of the two-storeyed building. These murals are among the finest examples of Kerala's School of Painting. The wall painting illustrates the stories from the epic Ramayana.

Fern Hill Palace, Ootacamund
Somewhere around 1840 AD, the British built the Fern Hill Palace at Ootacamund. Maharaja Chamma Rajendra Wodeyar X of Mysore later purchased it from its owners. The Fern Hill was transformed from a captivating colonial bungalow into a colossal country palace by 1884 AD. In 1894 AD, the Fern Hill Palace became the starting point of the famous Ootacamund Hunt, which was presided over by the Maharaja of Mysore as official host of the annual event. Srikanta Datta Narasimha Raja Wodeyar, the young son of the Maharaja of Mysore converted Fern Hill Palace into a heritage hotel in 1974.