<P> The palace is a quadrangular structure built in Nālukettu style, the traditional Kerala style of architecture, with a courtyard in the middle . In the courtyard there stands a small temple dedicated to' Pazhayannur Bhagavati', the protective goddess of the Kochi royal family . There are two more temples on either side of the Palace, one dedicated to Lord Krishna and the other to Lord Siva . Certain elements of architecture, as for example the nature of its arches and the proportion of its chambers are indicative of European influence in basic Nālukettu style . </P> <P> The Dining Hall has carved wooden ornate ceiling decorated with a series of brass cups . The palace also contains rare examples of traditional Kerala flooring, which looks like polished black marble but is actually a mixture of burned coconut shells, charcoal, lime, plant juices and egg whites . </P> <P> The glory of the palace rests on the large number of murals, executed in the best traditions of Hindu temple art, which are religious, decorative and stylised . The murals have been painted in rich warm colours in tempera technique . </P> <P> The king's bedchamber or Palliyara, to the left of the entrance and occupying the southwest corner of the Palace, is noteworthy with its low wooden ceiling and 300 sq ft (28 m) of wall surface covered with about 48 paintings . These illustrate the Ramayana, from the beginning of the sacrifice of Dasaratha to Sita's return from captivity in Lanka . The paintings in this section are the earliest in the palace, dating back to the 16th century . The last five scenes are from the' Krishna Lila' where in a cheerful God Krishna using his six hands and two feet to engage in foreplay with eight happy milkmaids . The paintings are attributed to the artistic bent of mind of Veera Kerala Verma . </P>

Art and architectural features of mattancherry synagogue cochin