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| Cheena Kottaram Kollam Kerala newindianexpress.com |
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| Cheena Kottaram Kollam thehnidu.com |
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| Cheena Kottaram manoramaonline.com |
Above image The Cheena Kottaram constructed in 1904 in the prime area of Kollam by the Travancore royal family severed as as a guest house for royals and their guests during journeys along the Kollam-Shenkottai railway route, perhaps to reach Madras, the capital of Madras Presidency under the Colonial rule. This more than 120 year old legacy of royal grandeur became a dumping place for garbage surrounded by overgrowth of plants and creepers and wild bushes, causing severe damage to the structure, particularly during the heavy SW Monsoon rains. Built in Indo-Saracenic style of design, the palace has a look of a two story structure. Actually, it has just one ground floor with seven ornate spacious rooms and Gothic-style arches. Red ochre bricks were used for the construction, in the style of traditional Chinese houses. But it has no links with China. This relic is dying due to official neglect, questions over jurisdiction, red tapism and lack of interest on the part of the railways.................
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| Cheena Kottaram palace, Kollam mathrubhumi.com |
Nestled near the Chinnakada end of the historic Kollam Junction railway station stands Cheena Kottaram—literally translated as "China Palace"—one of the most curious architectural relics of Travancore’s royal era. Built in 1904 under the patronage of Maharajah Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma (who ruled the Princely State of Travancore from 1885 to 1924), this red-brick structure was commissioned as a dedicated royal rest house. Designed specifically to support royal transit during the expansion of the railways, Cheena Kottaram—frequently referred to as the "Rail Palace"—represents a fascinating intersection of colonial engineering, royal luxury, and cross-cultural architecture.
Architectural Blends
Despite its popular moniker, Cheena Kottaram has no direct historical or political ties to China. The name was coined by local residents due to its visual aesthetic. The rest house features gently slanting, tiered rooflines mounted on intricate wooden framing, strongly echoing the silhouette of East Asian pagodas. Combined with its red-ochre brick facade, the building reminded locals of classical Chinese architecture—a association made even more natural by Kollam’s ancient history as a flourishing seaport with centuries of maritime trade with China.
Architecturally, the building is a masterclass in eclectic fusion, blending Indo-Saracenic design (Made famous by British architect i India Robert Chisholm) with Moorish influences, Gothic features, and traditional Kerala craftsmanship:
Optical Illusion of Scale: From the outside, the high elevated roofline gives the impression of a grand two-storey mansion, though it is fundamentally a spacious single-storey structure with double-height ceilings.
Spatial Layout: The palace consists of seven main rooms bordered by wide front and rear verandahs designed for maximum ventilation in Kerala's tropical climate.
Intricate Interior Details: The central hall is anchored by fine Gothic arches, stained glass windows, and translucent skylights that originally allowed soft, colorful light to illuminate the space. The floors were laid with imported Venetian tiles, and the walls were adorned with the granite Sankhu (conch)—the official emblem of the Travancore State.
A Purpose-Built Transit Hub for Royalty
The construction of Cheena Kottaram was directly tied to a major infrastructure milestone: the commissioning of the Kollam–Sengottai (Quilon–Madras) metre-gauge railway line in 1904. Before rail connectivity reached Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam served as the vital commercial gateway of the kingdom. To travel to Madras (then the capital of the Madras Presidency), the Maharajah and his entourage traveled by road to Kollam. From here the ruler would use his Private Saloon Coach that would be attached to Madras bound train or elsewhere on the railway line.
To ensure comfort and privacy during these journeys, Cheena Kottaram was constructed adjacent to the railway platform. On the northern side of the building, a direct exit led to a private siding track where the Maharajah’s custom-made saloon coach was parked. This royal bogie—equipped with luxurious sleeping quarters, dining amenities, and accommodations for attendants—was prepared by royal staff while the King rested in the palace. Once ready, the saloon coach was coupled directly to the outbound Madras train.
Post-Independence Decay and Conservation Challenges
Following the integration of princely states into independent India, royal train travel ceased, and Cheena Kottaram fell out of regular use. The structure was subsequently handed over to the Indian Railways, serving for years as an administrative office for the Madurai Division before eventually being repurposed as a storage facility.
Decades of official apathy and unscientific repairs severely compromised its heritage value:
Unsympathetic Alterations: Modern contractors replaced the original roofing tiles with ordinary ceramic and corrugated tiles, altering the roof's authentic weight and aesthetic.
Loss of Ambient Light: Wooden false ceilings were installed in the central hall, blocking the skyward stained-glass panels and extinguishing the natural lighting effect that once defined the interior.
Storage Misuse: Intricately carved wooden verandahs and lattice windows were enclosed or damaged through use as basic storage rooms.
The Path Toward Preservation
Today, Cheena Kottaram stands at a crucial historical crossroad. While the Southern Railway has recognized it among its list of heritage structures, comprehensive restoration has been slow. Proposals by local bodies, including the Kollam Municipal Corporation, have sought to allocate funds (such as ₹40 lakh) to restore the structure and landscape its surrounding grounds into a heritage landmark or railway museum.
Declaring Cheena Kottaram a Protected National Heritage Monument remains a pressing goal for architectural historians and local conservationists. Restoring this century-old "Rail Palace" would not only preserve a rare surviving piece of India's royal transit history, but also create a captivating cultural destination for visitors to Kollam.
https://pazhayathu.blogspot.com/2010/11/his-highness-maharajah-of-travancore.html
http://profkurakar.blogspot.com/2014/10/cheena-kottaram-kollam.html
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sanandk_2009/26385454703
http://keralaspotshere.blogspot.com
K. N. Jayaraman (Author: navrangindia.blogspot.com )
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