Century-old building of Travancore kingdom collapses

Heavy rain has ruined another historical building at Peerumade in Idukki. A single-room construction, used as Thottapura (explosives store) by the erstwhile Travancore kingdom, is the latest Raj-era buildings to fall into disrepair in the district.

The building is believed to have been constructed during the period of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, who ruled Travancore as regent. The primary purpose of the construction was to store the explosives required for the construction of temples and the Kottayam-Kumily (KK) Road. The building is believed to have been constructed around 100 years ago using stone and ‘surkhi.’ A magnet was fixed on the building’s roof to protect it from lightning.

The building, covered by the roots of a banyan tree, has been in a dilapidated condition over the years. Recently, the roots started to wither, resulting in sudden damage to the building. On Tuesday, it collapsed. Residents have demanded measures to safeguard the historical structure.

The Thottapura, covered by roots of a banyan tree, a year ago.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A few Raj-era buildings still remain in the Peerumade hills. The 130-year-old Kuttikkanam Palace, also known as Ammachi Kottaram, is one such.

According to Tourism department sources, if the ownership of such historical buildings is given to the department, it can include the sites in heritage tourism projects and ensure the protection and historical worth of such buildings. Buildings such as the Thottappura would help educate the younger generation about our past, said a Toursim department official.