Field Trip

An educational field trip can be an integral part of the instructional programme. Good field trips provide participants with first hand experience related to the topic or concept being discussed in the program. They  unique opportunities for learning that are not available within the four walls of a classroom. As part of the B.Ed curriculum, we, the first year student teachers of GCTE went on a field trip on 20 January, 2023. This field trip was included in the community based practical programme of the first semester syllabus.  The purpose of the trip is usually for observation for education, non-experimental research or to provide students with experiences outside their everyday activities.

General objectives of the field trip include the following: 

1.  To develop a knowledge about rich heritage and history.

2.  To develop self confidence in students.

3. To provide unique opportunities for learning.

4. To devlop co-operation among students.

5. To provide a platform for team work.

PLACES VISITED:

Kuthiramalika , Chitralaya Palace Museum  and Palm-leaf manuscript museum of the Archives Department at Central Archives Fort in Thiruvananthapuram.

Kuthiramalika

The capital of Kerala is steeped in history. Vivid memories of the past linger around at every corner — be it temples or vintage architectural buildings. One such historical spot is Kuthiramalika Palace (also known as Puthenmalika), a palace built during the reign of Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma in the 1840s at the south-eastern side of Padmanabhaswamy temple. The palace is now open to the public as a museum. It is believed that the beautiful structure was constructed by a total of 5,000 workers from Vishwakarma community in four years. The two-storeyed palace is a rich architectural beauty, constructed using teakwood, rosewood, marble and granite. According to historians in the city, the palace flooring is made of egg white, charcoal, and limestone. This assures a cold environment and smooth surface inside the palace rooms even in hot weather.

The concert venue built in the palace premises has used traditional sound reflectors comprising fifty clay pots hung upside down from the ceiling. There is an interesting reason for the name of the palace, says a historian. The palace named Puthenmalika later came to be known as Kuthiramalika due to the 122 smiling horses carved into the wooden wall brackets that support the southern roof of the palace. It also boasts a prominent cultural contribution in the form of a coveted music festival known as Swathi Sangeethotsavam. It is also known as Kuthiramalika Festival, a yearly music festival commemorating the legacy of Swathi Thirunal.

The interior of Kuthira Malika features European mirrors and chandeliers, weapons, crystal items, Kathakali idols, elephant howdahs and other memorabilia. The palace was constructed with teak, rosewood, granite and marble. Elaborate carvings within the palace include two thrones- one is made entirely from elephant tusks and the other from Bohemian crystal. The palace houses the Maharaja’s music room where visitors have a good view of the temple, which was a source inspiration for the ruler. Other rooms include the other music halls, reading rooms, and a library. Noted for the Kerala architecture, the palace took 5,000 workers over 4 years to complete. Although 80 rooms are there in the palace, only 20 are open for the visitors.

On the first floor are rooms that once served as the audience chamber, the library and an alcove that Maharaja Swathi Thirunal used for meditating and for conceiving many of his musical compositions. This place offers a direct view of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple gopuram. The small wooden stair there contains carvings of peacock, elephant and parrot. One of the rooms displays an illusion portrait of Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, painted by Svetoslav Roerich. The palace has been visualized in many Malayalam films and is one among the attractive places to visit in Thiruvanathapuram.

A portion of Kuthira malika has been converted to a palace museum that houses some of the assests owned by the Travancore royal family. The palace collectors include 14 life size , kathakali manequins, Belgian and Italian mirrors, Crystal chanddines, paintings , a giant Belgian harpoon, armaments, musical instruments, traditional furniture s, Greek statue, a musical tree which produce 8 sounds on tappings and other artifacts. On the right side of the mannequins are the every cardles of various sizes. The palace has on display two royal thrones, one made from 24 elephant tasks (Dantasim hasana) and the other of Bahemian crystal with the Travancore emblem 'conch' adoring the top of the backrest. The small wooden stair there contains carvings of peacock, elephant and dragon. Cealing of the roof contain painting of parrot, peacock and elephant. It was an most interesting and informative visit. After that we had our lunch and returned to home. The palace has a large collection of idols and sculptures made from white marble.

Kuthira malika is the venue for Swathi Sangeetholsavam ,a yearly music festival commemorating the legacy of swathy thirunal. The music festival is conducted from 6-12 january every year.

Chitralayam Palace Museum 

The H.H. Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma Chithralayam, also known as Chitralayam Palace Museum, is an art gallery which exhibits the history and genealogy of the Maharajas of Travancore. The development of Travancore as a state is portrayed through the pictures which are exhibited in the museum. The two-storeyed building, which was once a part of the Royal Residence, has now been converted into an art gallery. It has a collection of paintings and pictures donated by the royal family; these pictures illustrate the lives of the rulers from their childhood days to the days of their coronation, marriage, and rule. Photographs of visits from British officials during the British rule and the rulers' meetings with them have also been added to the museum.

Special emphasis has been given to the last ruling monarch of Travancore, Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, whose life has been recorded through photographs. Almost an entire section of the upper level has been turned around to display his life and times; while the lower level has multiple picture galleries portraying the state under the British Rule, the important palaces of the royal family, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, and the family temple of the royal family. There is also a section dedicated to anamorphic paintings, which were added in 2017 and soon became the highlight of the museum. This section contains most of the major rulers of Travancore along with people like Raja Ravi Varma, who was also a part of the royal family.

Palm Leaf Manuscript Museum

It is  the world's first-ever Palm Leaf Manuscripts Museum. Head to the new museum, which has been created on the ground floor of the 300-year-old complex, where the Central Archives is situated. The 187 manuscripts which are housed here are on cured and treated palm leaves and are from the Travancore regime, which ruled over the region. The texts on the leaves comprise financial, administrative, and cultural information, including well-known tales and those thought to have been lost to time. The Travancore kingdom lasted well into the 19th century and has vastly been recognised as a top name in the trading business. During the process of collection of the palm leaf manuscripts, was found proof of the kingdom's dealings with the territories under the kings of Kochi and Malabar. There are also records of battels mounted and won and lost, especially those against the European colonisers.

The 1741 battle against the Dutch was significant, as it ended their dreams of expansion in India. Additionally, the manuscripts also shine a light on the birth and progress of the Malayalam script of the region, which evolved from earlier ones. The team responsible for this mammoth heritage conservation project of collection, sorting, preservation, and documentation of the palm leaves sifted through approximately 1.5 crore palm-leaf records from across record rooms of the state. Most of the manuscripts were in dismal conditions and had to be painstakingly restored. 

One can see eight galleries in the museum - History of Writing, Land and people, Administration, War and Peace, Education and Health, Economy, Art and Culture, and Mathilakam Records - and take advantage of information channels such as videos, along with QR code-based digital systems of information dissemination. Also in the making are plans to move the palm leaf manuscripts to a modern facility, which will have storage methods designed to protect the palm leaves from further deterioration.  

Overall, the field trip was informative and refreshing yet it contributed little to language learning.