The Koyikkal Palace is located at Nedumangad, about
18 km from Thiruvananthapuram. Main attractions at the Palace are the
folklore museum and numismatics museum. The Koyikkal Palace was actually
built for Umayamma Rani of the Venad royal family. The palace is a
double storied traditional nalukettu with slanting gabled roofs and an
inner courtyard. At present, the palace houses a Folklore Museum and a
Numismatics Museum, set up by the Department of Archaeology.
The Folklore Museum, a treasure house of charming musical instruments,
household utensils, occupational implements and models of folk arts was
set up in 1992. The exhibits at the folklore museum draw attention to
the rich cultural heritage of Kerala. The exhibits include rare articles
like, a small percussion instrument used as an accompaniment while
reciting the ballad Ramakathappattu (the story of Lord Rama) and
Nanthuni, a sweet sounding musical instrument made of wood and string
used while singing the Onappattu and Nanthunippattu during Onam the
harvest festival of Kerala. It also has a wide range of household
utensils including brass/copperware and wooden kitchenware.
The Numismatics Museum is the only one of its kind in the State.
Occupying the ground floor of the Koyikkal Palace, the coins here belong
to different parts of the world as well as to different periods of
history. This rare and historically valuable collection is a mark of the
trade relation of the State in the past. Among the exhibits are
Ottaputhen, Erattaputhen and Panam (some of the oldest coins of Kerala).
A Venetian coin named Amaida is also a property of this museum (it is
believed that this coin was presented to Jesus Christ). 'Karsha' is the
most valuable among the Indian coins found here. Rasi, the world's
smallest coin is also on display here at the museum. Besides the
above-mentioned coins, there are numerous Roman gold coins at display in
the numismatic museum. The museum also has coins belonging to the
Gwalior royal family, the Nizam of Hyderabad, Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan
etc.



