Brush with royalty
The Hill Palace in Tripunithura, the administrative seat of the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin, which became a museum in 1984, was never short on material artifacts the tangible records that help us connect to our past but only a few of them had a direct connection with the Perumpadappu Swaroopam. Most of these objects were till recently showcased based on classifications like inscriptions, weapons, and jewellery in separate rooms.
When tasked with curating a thematic narrative of the origin, life, and contributions of the Cochin royal family, Prasanna K Varma, faced a unique dilemma. She herself was a member of the family born and brought up in Tripunithura and was familiar with its stories because of her involvement with the work of Cochin Royal Family History and Heritage Society (CRFHHS).