Mud Palace - A unique building in Karnataka
Q. A unique building called ‘Mud Palace’ is in- Published on 26 Sep 16a. Chhatisgarh
b. Karnataka
c. Kerala
d. Madhya Pradesh
ANSWER: Karnataka
- The restoration work of a part of a 500 years old unique ‘Mud Palace’ is about to get completed
- The palace is located in Sural village, close to Udupi in Karnataka.
- The palace, which belongs to the House of Tulu Jain Tholahars, the Jain chieftains, who ruled parts of Udupi district, is said to be have been built in 1511.
- The Tholahars were prominent till 1691 as per a copper plate inscription of Queen Madanadevi Tholaharti. They ruled from Sural for 400 years and co-operated with the Alupa and Vijayanagara dynasties
- One unique feature of the palace is that it has no foundation. Hopea-wood, jack-wood and wild jack-wood were used in its construction.
- Wooden pillars support the roof, using the inter-locking method. Not a single nail was used.
- The palace has ‘angalas’ (courtyards) and a ‘Pattada Chavadi’ (royal durbar room), and a small shrine of Padmavati Amma.
- The restoration work is taken up by Nirmiti Kendra at a cost of Rs. 1.6 crore, funded by the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, under Ministry of Kannada and Culture.
- The 5,000 sq. ft Chavady has a ground floor and a first floor. Its walls are being built using laterite stones cemented together using a mixture of slaked lime, sugarcane molasses and extract from leaves of Slow Match Tree (Careya arborea) as was done in the original construction. These materials bring down the room temperature.
- The restoration would increase awareness among people of the rich heritage of coastal Karnataka.
