It is no ordinary morning in Tripunithura. There is an unmistakable festive spirit in the air, the stretch between Statue Junction and Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple is busier than usual; vendors have set up makeshift shops, and pedestrians have a hard time manoeuvring for space. As vehicles screech past, a motley group of heritage enthusiasts, big enough to pique the interests of passers-by and earn curious glances, struggles to find space in front of the unassuming statue of Maharaja Rama Varma. “Try not to get run over!” shouts Balagopal CK as he calls for the group’s attention. Leading the walk It is the first day of the annual Vrischikolsavam at the temple, and Balagopal, founder of the Tripunithura Royal Heritage Walks, is leading a heritage walk inside the fort area of the town organised by Sahapedia, an online resource for Indian heritage and culture. Over the past one year, Sahapedia has been organising free heritage walks across the country to “help people understand the heritage of cities and towns”. In Tripunithura, the capital of the erstwhile Cochin State, vestiges of a royal past lay scattered, often ignored. Conservation efforts have not been the most earnest. A number of palaces were pulled down to make way for multi-storied buildings. Of the structures that remain, many are dilapidated, crumbling, almost resigned to the imminent fate that awaits them. “Our aim is to build a conversation around the heritage of the town,” says Balagopal as we begin the walk. “I grew up here, so much has changed. Everything is commercialised now,” says architect Vidya Varma, as we walk past shops selling electrical appliances and mobile phones, which have replaced the traditional ones that once lined the street leading up to the temple. But a few have remained, stubbornly refusing to fade into memory, even if it means having to sport flashy name boards made of flex. The entrance to the Sree Poornathrayeesa temple has been decked with plastic lights whose fluorescent colours will illuminate the evening. The temple is the heart of Tripunithura, says Balagopal. It is the centre around which the town has grown. With a number of locals taking part in the heritage walk, anecdotes and legends keep pouring in. Balagopal talks of the time when the then Maharaja sold 14 golden caparisons of the temple’s elephants to fund the Shornur-Kochi rail line. The Clock Tower or the Mani Malika in front of the temple inspires another story–of Tripunithura having had its own time zone, which was several minutes ahead of Indian Standard Time. Wedding invites back then specifically mentioned that the function would take place as per ‘Tripunithura time’, says Sreekanth Menon, a participant. Here, history seems to have a way of seeping into everyday conversations, becoming a part of the region’s collective memory. The locals still remember ‘Kaalan’ Thampuran who is believed to have cooked a special variety of kaalan that lured crocodiles from the river to the bank. Through main sites Musicians carrying chenda walk past us, and into the temple. The Vrishchikolsavam that heralds the festival season in the region is about to formally begin. At the Kalikota Palace, we find more musicians getting ready. The Palace from where the King got dressed for the Athachamayam procession heralding Onam festivities is now being used as lodging for the visiting artistes. It also doubles up as a performance space and hosts wedding ceremonies. The Edoop Palace nearby is one of the few buildings that continues to be used for residential purposes. The joint family system here has managed to survive the ravages of time. The naalukettu and the moss-covered pond on the premises have not been as lucky. The Thekke Kovilakam, where the final rites of members of the royal family are held, paints a picture of utter neglect. Our conversations keep coming back to the loss of heritage and the inadequacy of efforts to preserve the precious little left. At a plot nearby, piling goes on in full swing and a huge banner in front announces yet another apartment complex. On the western side of the temple lies the Poorna river, from which the royal town is believed to have earned its name. Running across the river is the historic Irumbu Paalam (Iron Bridge), built by the British in 1890. On the banks of the Poorna, the reflections continue to flow – of palaces that disappeared without a trace, of walls with beautiful murals painted over with lime, of the town’s contribution to the game of cricket, of the importance given to the education of women. The ootupura (dining hall) attached to the temple, the elephant stable, and the lone kotta vaathil (fort gate), all have their own stories to narrate – of a perfect past, survival and an uncertain future. As we wind up our tour, we hear the beats of chenda gradually rise from the temple. The pancharimelam, part of the morning festival rituals, have begun. Passing through five stages, the drum beats will reach a crescendo, setting the stage for a week of festivities in the historic town. We say our goodbyes, and walk our separate ways, but the reverberations remain. (Tripunithura Heritage Walks will be held on November 25 and 26. For details contact: 7338445803)

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