Nalknad Palace

Nalknad Palace or Nalnad Aramane is a palace built by king Dodda Veerarajendra in the year 1792. It is located in the Yevakapadi village near Kakkabe at a distance of 35kms from Madikeri and 25kms from Virajpet in the foothills of Thadiyandamol. It is a famous tourist attraction in Kodagu.

Architecture

With intricate wooden carvings, low slung conical roof, crested dome and pillared facade, the palace is an architectural wonder. The courtyard of the palace is decorated with statues of four bulls. The entire palace is decorated with ancient paintings which make a major tourist attraction.

The Nalknad Palace is a protected monument under the guidance of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums of Karnataka. It was renovated by INTACH.

History

Dodda Veerarajendra, son of King Lingaraja I, who was in the custody of Tipu Sultan escaped from his clutches in 1786 and returned to Kodagu. He was welcomed and proclaimed as the king of Kodagu by the residents. But the capital of his kingdom, Madikeri was in Tipu’s control, now to operate against him, he decided to build a palace in the thickly forested area of Nalknad. A two storeyed structure with architecture typical in that region was built in 1792 and he started waging war against Tipu with Nalknad palace as his base.

He then, in 1793 became a steadfast ally of the British and defeated Tipu and took control of his kingdom. He died in 1809 and then his brother Linga Rajendra II became the King of Kodagu. He was succeded by his son Chikka Veerarajendra, who took refuge in Nalknad palace before surrendering to British. British then established their control over the Kodagu.