Heritage Watch: A Pleasure Pavilion in a Pitiful State

To those who may not be aware, Kalyan Mahal is an architectural treasure. Located on the banks of the Cauvery at Thiruvaiyyaru, this was one of the pleasure pavilions of the Maratha rulers of Thanjavur. The series of mansions that dot the riverbank are mentioned in a composition by Tyagaraja as well.

Kalyan Mahal has enormous rooms that overlookthe river and there is a domed pavilion which has plaster horses rearing from it, making the entire structure seem like a chariot in motion. Converted in more modern times into a music college and later a girls’ hostel, the place has been denied even basic maintenance and is in a pitiable condition. While it is commendable that the Government is now contemplating restoration, the neglect of decades is a matter of regret and has caused incalculable harm to the structure. When will the Government realise that maintenance is far cheaper and easier than restoration after neglect?

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