Near the sacred temple town of Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu stands a little-known yet historically significant Maratha structure at Thiruvidaimaruthur, locally remembered as the Maratha Aranmanai. This building, now in ruins, once served as the residence of Amar Singh (Ramaswami Amarasimha Bhonsle) of the Thanjavur Maratha kingdom. Located close to the Mahadana Street and the road leading to Veppathur village, the palace lies within walking distance of the famed Mahalingeswarar Temple, a major Shaivite centre.
The palace was built around 1787 during the reign of Raja Tulajaji II of the Thanjavur Maratha Bhonsle dynasty. Amar Singh, the king’s brother, initially served as regent between 1787 and 1793. However, after seizing the throne from the minor king Serfoji II, Amar Singh ruled briefly from 1793 to 1797. British intervention, supported by the German missionary Rev. Frederick Schwartz, restored Serfoji II to the throne, and Amar Singh was exiled to Thiruvidaimaruthur with a pension. It was during this period of exile that he occupied this palace and ran a small court of his own.
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| Thiruvidaimaruthur,TN Maratha building in ruinsThinathanthi.com8 |
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| Maratha Amar Singh's home, Thiruvidaimaruthur. sriramv.com |
Above images: Close to the Mahadana street and the road leading to Veppathur village, this Maratha building in Thiruvidaimaruthur was fairly in good shape. On a few occasions I went past this vintage structure in the late 1950s and early 1960s when I accompanied my uncle (from Veppathur) to attend temple festivals in the Mahalingeswarar temple. People used to call it Maratha Aranmanai.........
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| Jharokha,with damage Jali screen Amara Singh's palace, Thiruvidaimarudur,TN sriramv.com |
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| Maratha Amar Singh's home, Thiruvidaimaruthur. in.facebook.com |
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| Amar Singh of Tanjore Maratha kingdom. en.wikipedia.com |
Despite political defeat, Amar Singh remained culturally active. A patron of Carnatic music, he encouraged musicians and transformed his residence into a venue for musical performances. Many well-known artistes of the period are said to have visited the palace, making it an important cultural space in the region.
Architecturally, the palace reflects Maratha residential design blended with local Tamil building traditions. Constructed using brick and lime mortar, the structure has thick load-bearing walls that have enabled it to survive despite decades of neglect. The most striking features are the Rajasthani-style jharokha balconies on the façade, fitted originally with jali (lattice) screens. These projecting balconies allowed women of the household to observe street activities while ensuring privacy, ventilation, and indoor cooling. The building once included an arcaded hall, courtyard, rooms, kitchen, and a Naqqar Khana, with balustered parapet walls on the terrace—features common in Maratha palaces of Thanjavur.
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| Naqqar Khana, Amar Singh's palace,Thiruvidaimarudur sriramv.com |
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| Tanjore maratha kingdom, TN history.blogspot.com |
Today, the palace is in an advanced state of decay. Both the ground and first floors are damaged, vegetation has taken root on walls and balconies, parapet balusters are broken, and the structure remains unbarricaded, making it vulnerable to vandalism. Although privately owned, heritage enthusiasts and historians have repeatedly called for its urgent restoration. As of now, no formal conservation project has been undertaken, and unless timely intervention occurs, this once-vibrant Maratha landmark risks irreversible loss. The ASI must interfere and save the dying structure.Photo Credit: sriramv.com
