The Kandath Tharavadu at Thenkurissi, near the picturesque Kannady village in Palakkad, is known for its exquisite and traditional architectural style. This traditional ettukettu with two interior courtyards gained widespread fame after it became the venue of actor Prithviraj’s wedding to Palakkad native Supriya.
“Film star Prithviraj got married here in the presence of almost 100 invited guests, which included 35 camera crew,” says Bhagavaldas, the owner of the traditional mansion. After the wedding function, Prithvira wrote on the visitor’s book, “This will always remain a special place to me and my wife. Will definitely be back!”
The 200-year-old tharavadu, traditional ancestral home, has now turned into a homestay. It is in fact the first household to be turned into a homestay in Palakkad district. It was Bhagavaldas, a visionary who made his ancestral home Kandath a ‘household’ name overseas. He says that most of the guests who stay at his property are from France, Germany and many other European countries. There are 15 rooms in this two-storied building. Three rooms have been turned into homestay to host the guests.
It has not been long since the spacious courtyards of the household became a wedding venue. Almost 700 guests can easily be accommodated in its spacious interiors and courtyards. It is almost like an exclusive open-air auditorium. The traditional household with its suave interiors was the perfect venue to hold the celebrity wedding which was an intimate affair.
The majestic interiors of Kandath remind one of a palace. The exquisite wall paintings and traditional carvings enhance the old-world charm of this house. The rooms here are cooler even during the blazing summers. Meticulous planning has ensured spacious interiors with ample ventilation. The walls and roof lock in coolness even during the harsh summers of Palakkad.
The tharavadu was built according to the traditional ‘vastu sashtra’ (science of architecture). Kitchen is in the north-east part of the house, and the bedrooms and the pooja room are in the southeast. The two inner courtyards are a significant feature of the mansion, which is designed in the traditional ettukettu style.
This elegant building was built by the ancestors of Kandath Kuppavelan in 1796. It stands on a one-acre plot surrounded by lush green paddy fields.
One can reach Kandath Tharavadu by taking a left to Pathikkal Kannadi at the Kannadi junction on the Thrissur– Palakkad highway. The path which lies in the middle of green paddy fields leads to Kandath. Mango trees and coconut palms are abundant in the one-acre plot in which this traditional house hold stands.
