KOCHI (North Paravur, Mar 3): People of Kerala will hereafter get a chance to learn the rich bygone
era of a “lost city” which played a crucial role in moulding the socio-politico
culture of the state, with the government on Sunday opening four museums under
the Muziris Heritage Project.
The museums available for visitors are the Kerala History Museum,
housed in the Paliam Kovilakam, Kerala Lifestyle Museum in Paliam Nalukettu,
Kerala Jews Historical Museum housed in Paravur Synagogue and Kerala Jews
Lifestyle Museum in Chendamangalam Synagogue. All museums are equipped with
video screens, touch screens and information panels to help the visitors
understand the rich history of the region.
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| Paliam Trust manager Krishnabalan Paliath explaining the details of the antiques displayed at Kerala History Museum, opened for public on Sunday, to Toursim director S Harikishore. |
Kerala Tourism Director Shri S Harikishore, who visited and opened the
museums for public on Sunday, said that the mega heritage project would be
inaugurated after the completion of visitors centre, activity centre,
convention and research centre and hop on-hop off boat service. “We decided to
open the museums for public because we completed the conservation projects on
time and deployed staff and guides in the museums. In addition to the four
museums, the people can also visit heritage sites like Pattanam, Paravur
Market, Kottappuram Fort, Kottapuram Market, Cheraman Juma Masjid, Gothuruthu
Performance Centre and Pallipuram Fort,” he said.
Shri Harikishore said that the museums would remain open from 10 am to
5 pm on all days except Monday.
“The Muziris Heritage Project is one of the biggest conservation
projects in the modern history of India. It is because of this magnitude that
both the Central and state governments have come together to conserve and
showcase a culture of more than three millennia,” Hon’ble Minister for Tourism
Shri A P Anil Kumar said.
He said “the project gives the people an opportunity to walk the same
road once travelled by explorers and traders in ancient Muziris.”
Paliam Kovilakam was the residence of Paliath Achans, who were prime
ministers to the erstwhile maharajas of Kochi in the 16th century. An
architectural wonder, with its carved stairways and balustrades, the Paliam
Kovilakam is situated in Chendamangalam. The 18th century Paliam Nalukettu was where
the female members and minor boys of the Paliam family lived.
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| Paliam Trust manager Krishnabalan Paliath explaining the details of the antiques displayed at Kerala History Museum, opened for public on Sunday at North Paravur, to Toursim director S Harikishore. |
The project site is spread across North Paravur municipality in
Ernakulam district and Kodungallur municipality in Thrissur district with 12
panchayats--Chendamangalam, Chittatukara, Vadakkekara, Pallipuram, Eriyad, Mala,
Mathilakam, Poyya, Puthenvelikkara, Sree Narayana Puram, Vellangalore and Edavilangu.
“The Muziris Heritage Project
focuses on sustainability and involvement of local communities. The project
follows international guidelines such as the UNESCO Charters on heritage
conservation,” said Kerala Tourism Secretary Shri Suman Billa.
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| Paliam Trust manager Krishnabalan Paliath explaining the details of the antiques displayed at Kerala History Museum, opened for public on Sunday at North Paravur, to Toursim director S Harikishore. |
The museums will provide the people an insight into multi-layered
history of the ancient port city, which mysteriously disappeared sometime after
the 1st century A.D.
The state government’s decision to revive the Muziris Heritage Project
has been widely praised by countries across the world, including China, South
Korea, Japan, Singapore, Russia and Bangladesh. The UNESCO and the United
Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) have also backed the state
government’s conservation efforts.
