The Thekkady Lake has receded in the scorching summer, exposing the pole installed to measure the water level in wetter months.
Basheer revved up the boat, romantically titled ‘Jalasundari’, and we proceeded to the Lake Palace. The boat ride would take us about half an hour and this is the only access to the erstwhile royal sanctuary.
Deep inside Thekady, we would be social media recluses for the next two days. Mobile phones would only tell time. Facebook and WhatsApp would stop shy of the water we crossed.
It is a pleasant tradeoff though. We would be royalty inside the tourist bungalow built by the Travancore royal family.
Live like a royal
The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) operates three hotels inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, including the Lake Palace. All three were commissioned by the royal family.
Local lore has it that the king was inspired to build the Lake Palace after hearing the gunshot of a game hunter! Sree Chithira Thirunal was riding a boat in the River Periyar when he heard the blast. The British ranger’s son had just shot down a magnificent tusker. The king ordered a palace for himself in the area, then known as Idappalayam. This would be his base for hunting expeditions inside the deep forest.
Even today, animals flock around the watering hole near the Lake Palace. This is a wonderful forest lodge.
The KTDC’s second property in Thekkady is the Aranya Nivas near the boat landing point. This 30-room heritage hotel housed the senior courtiers who accompanied the king. The Periyar House completes the forest triumvirate. The royal soldiers lived here when the king came calling. The hotel has 44 rooms.
‘Jalasundari’ cruises in the lake towards the Mullapeiryar dam. The lake was formed when the dam was built in 1895. The skeletons of trees, which were submerged in the man-made flood still cry for vengeance. Any brush with these gigantic trunks could sink our boat.
The trunks offer a safe haven for nesting birds. We spot wild boars, sambar deer and even a solitary gaur on the shore. They are a constant presence near the water body, we were told.
We reach our destination. The summer has exposed a long flight of steps. A short climb awaits us. We pass the fence and moat built to keep animals away. Beyond a beautifully laid lawn and a stone-paved path, the Lake Palace lures us in.
Saji, our host, is ready to welcome us. He would be our housekeeper and guide for the next two days. Everyone from the manager to the gardener tend to the property as their own.
The menu features chicken, pork and beef as well as the vegetables grown in the adjacent garden and even offerings from the wild jackfruit trees. The 10 employees make sure that the palace garden produces whatever the kitchen needs.
The Lake Palace displays grandeur in granite. Huge L-shaped monoliths have been hewn into cornerstones. Two of the six rooms have been added later but we would not have noticed the difference had we not been told.
The highlight of the symmetrical construction is the long verandah that surrounds the Lake Palace. The living room and the dining room are situated in the middle. Both sides have three rooms, all of which opening to the verandah.
Work on the miniature palace started in 1927. The original location was an island in the lake but Vaastu advisers did not view the spot as suitable. The present location is a small peninsula, which connects to the deep jungle.
The rooms are in stark contrast to the wilderness around. All rooms have been furnished in classical style. The air-conditioner is missing. They do not need one even in peak summer. The three-layered roof keeps the interior comfortably cold. The wooden ceiling and the tiles are separated by a copper covering. Apparently, copper plates play a role in keeping the palace salubrious.
The room resembles a suite, complete with a mini fridge and a modern toilet. The palace is powered by three silent generators, which work round the clock. The palace did have electricity connection but the Forest Department severed the line 15 years ago after four elephants were electrocuted from it.
The Lake Palace is still claimed by the Forest Department. It has been given on lease to the government’s tourism enterprise. The rules are adhered to very strictly. The establishment has to take extra care not to disturb the animals in any manner. Saji still remembers the hardship they were put through after a dead Nilgiri langur was spotted on the premises.
Only the tribesmen from the nearby Mannakkudi hamlet are allowed to fish in the lake and collect honey and other forest produce. They are not allowed to hunt though.
Many of the photographs that are displayed inside halls of the palace have been shot by Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma himself. The photos also document the construction of the palace, when boulders and timbers were brought in boats and bullock carts.
The most remarkable photo, however, shows the Travancore queen, Diwan Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer, Wildlife Warden Robinson and an unnamed official trekking through the forest in khaki shorts and shirts.
The rooms also showcase precious crystals and china. The England-made water purifier, radio and clock give the palace an antiquarian ambiance. The rest of the curios have later origins, including the binoculars presented by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his visit to Thekkady.
A feast was waiting for us at lunchtime. An endless menu including pork, beef, chicken, fish, dal, sambar, avail, chapatti and rice. Saji was ready with a very appetizing description of each of the items. Foreigners are keen on indigenous dishes but visitors from north India prefer north Indian or Chinese cuisine, he adds.
The animals had started congregating around the watering hole. Herds of gaurs, sambar deer and boars were grazing along the lake. Sitting on the verandah, we were offered a glimpse of the Western Ghats fauna. A herd of elephant disturbed them after a while.
Saji has not seen a single tiger in the last seven years, except their pugmarks. He still envies a Lebanese guest who had an unexpected tryst with a tiger.
The guest was lounging in the verandah at night ruing his upset stomach when he spotted movement near the trees. He went ahead and checked and saw an animal jumping into the darkness. Never in his wildest dream did he imagine that he had just been face to face with a tiger, until the pugmarks told him the story the next morning. Forest officers confirmed the visit later.
Sambar deer take over the courtyard at night. They stomp on the vegetable garden and eat the carefully nurtured plants. The fence and the moat are hardly a deterrent. Elephants too come in search of ripened jackfruits.
Some of the visitors have spotted leopards during guided trekking and boat rides. Wild animals are never dangerous as long as you follow the directions of your guides. Never venture into the forest alone.
The Lake Palace counts two creatures as its own: a peacock and a cat. The partially blind cat ended up in the hotel from one of the tribal hamlets. The cat is daring enough to startle you at night. After all, it shares some of the genes with its bigger cousins. The peacock is always on the prowl for creepy crawlies. Together, they guard the palace of snakes and other unwanted visitors.
The palace is a suitable place to enjoy the orchestra of the wilderness. The chirping of the crickets and the tweeting of the birds mingled with the howling of jackals as we retired to the bedrooms, which once hosted kings and queens.
The first scene in the morning was a pool party by the sambar deer. A herd is swimming from an island to another. Herds of elephants and gaurs watch the act. We prepared for a jungle safari, hoping to spot more animals and birds. The forest is a treasure trove of unique flora.
The forest is spread over 1,000 square kilometers in Idduki and Pathanamthitta districts. Thankfully, it is still growing. The lake itself is over 26 square kilometers. The place is at an elevation of 1,068 meter from mean sea level. Temperature varies from 15 degrees to 35 degrees. The best season is from August to May.
This is a must-visit place. During the off-season months, The room tariff starts at Rs 1,500 at the Periyar House, Rs 3,250 at the Aranya Nivas and Rs 10,000 at the Lake Palace. You can go for forest treks and boat rides wherever you stay.
For booking: +91 94000 08588, lakepalace@ktdc.com
