"The Home of Friends"

MITRANIKETAN CITY CENTRE - TANJAVOOR AMMAVEEDU

TANJAVOOR AMMAVEEDU

Download Brochure

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mitraniketan City Centre is housed in Tanjavoor Ammaveedu which is a heritage building located at West Fort in Thiruvananthapuram city. This building is 167 years old and located in the heritage Zone of the State. The Ammaveedu is often used for traditional art, music and dance performances and also functions as the city office of Mitraniketan.

 

A plan for the renovation and conservation of the heritage building and its utilization for dance & music performances without affecting its traditional beauty is developed with the help of an experienced architect. Looks for funding its renovation.

Facilities available in Mitraniketan City Centre:

  1. Seminar Hall – Seating capacity 150 Audio Visual facility Platform with podium
  2. Mini Hall – Seating capacity 50 Audio facility
  3. Classroom /Conference Hall- Seating capacity 60 Audio Visual facility
  4. Dining Hall – seating Capacity 100
  5. Kitchen – Facility to prepare food for 200 people
  6. Dormitories (4) 15 x 4 = 60 beds
  7. Guest Rooms (2) – 7 beds
  8. Eco Centre – Outlet for Mitraniketan products
  9. Vadasseri Amma Veedu – A heritage building used for filming, T.V. serials & photo shoots and community & social/cultural functions

HISTORY

MITRANIKETAN HERITAGE CONSERVATION PROJECT

Conservation of heritage buildings is very important because it provides a sense of identity and continuity in a fast changing world for future generation. Heritage buildings basically represent the history and culture of a society. Mitraniketan heritage conservation project protects two heritage buildings at West Fort in Thiruvananthapuram, close to Padmanabhaswamy temple, which are around 200 years old and located in the heritage Zone:

 

(i) Vadasseri Padinjare Ammaveedu

Swathi Thirunal (16 April 1813 to 25 December 1846) the legendary King of Travancore built the Vadaseri Padinjare Ammaveedu for his dancer consort Sundaralakshmi, popularly known as Sugandhavalli. Sundara Lakshmi Bai, her sister Sugandha Parvathi Bai and their brother had come from Thanjavur in 1840s. After that King Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma took Sundara Lakshmi Bai as his consort and she had to be adopted by Vadasseri Amma Veedu. A special house was built for her, originally called Vadasseri Padinjare Ammaveedu.

This wooden monument was built in the traditional Kerala architectural style consisting of four courtyards (16 kettu). The building is connected with the promotion of culture, art and dance by Sri. Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma. It is considered to be the birth place of Mohiniyattom dance form. The King used this place for composing music too. This building has wide scope to promote and sustain traditional music and dance in addition to conserving the traditional architectural style of Kerala.

 

(ii) Thanjavoor Ammaveedu

Sree Moolam Tirunal Rama Varma (1885-1924) constructed a grand double storied building for his son Narayanan Thampi in front of the courtyard house Vadaseri ammaveedu and named it Thanjavur Ammaveedu. The magnificent façade of the building is perhaps the finest specimen in the city where one can appreciate the harmonious blend of various architectural styles. The graceful arch openings, louvered shutters, fluted pilasters, hefty cornice with ornate floral motifs, and the use of coloured glass lend a colonial air to the structure. The final surprise comes in the form of two ‘Tanjavur style’ bay windows in the first floor, which opens to the Arattu road below.

© Copyright 2020 Mitraniketan.