On the northern end of Kerala stands Bekal, an impressive laterite fort overlooking the sparkling blue of the majestic Arabian Sea. To the south, in the nearby state of Tamil Nadu, lies the Padmanabhapuram Palace, a large wooden palace which was once the headquarters of a prominent princely state of ancient Kerala. In between, a large number of forts, palaces and other ancient monuments lie strewn on the land as silent reminders of its glorious past. Here we introduce to you some important monuments among them.

Kasaragod is a beautiful town poised at the Northern extreme of Kerala State.16 km south of the town on the National Highway, is the largest and best preserved fort in the whole of Kerala, bordered by a splendid beach. Shaped like a giant keyhole, the historic Bekal Fort offers a superb view of the Arabian Sea from its tall observation towers, which were occupied by huge cannons, couple of centuries ago.

Near the fort is an old mosque said to have been built by the valiant Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Built by the rulers of the ancient Kadampa dynasty, the fort changed hands over the years to the Kolathiri Rajas, the Vijayanagar Empire, Tipu Sultan and finally, the British East India Company. Today, the Bekal Fort and its surroundings are fast becoming an international tourist destination and a favourite shooting locale for film makers. Bekal is also one of the five centres selected by the Government of India to be developed into a 'Special Tourism Area'.

Built by the Portuguese in 1557 and presented to Raja Veera Kerala Varma of Kochi, the Palace was renovated in 1663 by the Dutch. The palace with a Bhagavathi Temple in the central courtyard is built like the typical Kerala style mansion - the Nalukettu - the home of the aristocracy, nobility and upper classes, with four separate wings opening out to a central courtyard.

The double storeyed palace building which stands by the panoramic Kochi backwaters has an exquisite collection of murals collectively covering over 300 sq ft of its walls. The themes of these murals have been borrowed from the great Indian epics - the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha, and mythology and legends about the Hindu gods especially Guruvayurappan. Some murals depict scenes from Kumarasambhavam and other works of the great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa. Also on display are royal paraphernalia like weapons, swings and furniture which offer a glimpse of the lifestyle of the royal family.

A magnificent wooden palace of the 16th century, Padmanabhapuram Palace lies at the land's end of mainland India - Kanyakumari. An enticing ediffice to any lover of art and architecture this old palace of the Rajas of the erstwhile Travancore (1550 to 1750 AD) is a fine specimen of Kerala's indigenous style of architecture. The antique interiors are replete with intricate rosewood carvings and sculptured decor. The palace also contains 17th and 18th century murals. One can see: the musical bow in mahogany, windows with coloured mica, royal chairs with Chinese carvings, 'Thaikkottaram' or the Queen Mother's palace with painted ceilings, rose wood and teak carved ceilings with 90 different floral designs.

Durbar Hall of the palace has a with a shiny black floor specially made from a combination of egg white, jaggery lime, burnt coconut, charcoal and river sand, granite tubs to cool curd and buttermilk, secret underground passages, the King's bedroom with a four poster medicinal bed, mural paintings, pictures of Lord Krishna, hanging brass lanterns lit continuously since the 18th century, open air swimming bath, granite dance hall, Saraswathi (goddess of knowledge) temple, large earthen urns, room for scribes and accountants, carved figures on columns holding oil lamps, pooja (worship) rooms with jackfruit tree columns, fish carvings on the ceilings, enormous teak beams, Belgian mirrors and an outer cyclopean stone wall fitted together without mortar.

The synagogue at Fort Kochi, constructed in 1568, is the oldest in the Commonwealth. Destroyed in a shelling during the Portuguese raid in 1662, it was rebuilt two years later by the Dutch.

Mid-18th century hand-painted, willow patterned floor tiles from Canton in China, a clock tower, Hebrew inscriptions on stone slabs, great scrolls of the Old Testament, ancient scripts on copper plates in which the grants of privilege made by the erstwhile Cochin rulers were recorded etc., are articles of interest here

The East Fort area in the Capital City of Thiruvananthapuram bears a lot of historic significance. The East Fort houses several magnificent palaces, palatial houses, and agraharams (Brahmin houses). Standing out is the Padmanabha Swamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The Fort has stood witness to many events in the annals of the erstwhile Travancore Kingdom, and also to the development of the Capital City of Thiruvananthapuram.

Today, the palace houses a Folklore Museum and a Numismatics Museum set up by the Department of Archaeology. The Folklore Museum, a treasure house of quaint musical instruments, occupational implements, household utensils, models of folk arts etc., was set up in 1992. The exhibits here draw attention to the rich cultural background of Kerala. The exhibits include rare articles like Chandravalayam (not found in any other such museum in Kerala), a small percussion instrument used as an accompaniment while reciting the ballad Ramakathappattu (the story of Lord Sree 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.

(5 km from Kollam) Thangasseri or 'Dutch Quilon' as it was called was once a British enclave. Meaning 'gold village' in local parlance, this was the hub of a flourishing trade that used gold as currency. This seaside village of historic importance shelters the ruins of an old Portuguese fort and churches built during the 18th century. The famed lighthouse of Thangasseri which is 144 ft high, constructed in 1519 by the British.

Royal collection of antiques, rock-cut lamps, sculptures etc. The Poonjar Palace is a glorious testimony to the regal opulence of a bygone era. Within the palace walls is an extraordinary royal collection of antiques and exquisite furniture including a palanquin, a droni (treatment bed) carved out of a single piece of wood for Ayurvedic massages, huge chandeliers, palm leaf engravings, jewel boxes, varieties of lamps, sculptures of Nataraja (the dancing Siva), grain measures, statues and weapons. A unique conch preserved here is taken out once a year for ritualistic purposes.

The Palace of Shakthan Thampuran located in the district of Thrissur is a landmark in the annals of the Perumpadappu Swaroopam, the former ruling dynasty of Kochi. The palace located in the heart of Thrissur town is a major attraction, especially for those with a special interest on rulers and dynasties. At the Shakthan Thampuran Palace, one can come across and understand several interesting and remarkable aspects of the erstwhile rulers of Kochi.

22 km from the land of the exotic art form of theyyam in the Northern district of Kannur is the small town of Thalassery. In this town stands an imposing historical monument - the Thalassery Fort

The East India Company which had established its settlement on the Malabar Coast in 1683 built the monument as a testimonial of their colonial imperialism in 1703. The fort was once the nucleus of Thalassery's development

Jews all over the world are a proud lot when it comes to their culture and heritage. Resulting from their diaspora in the sixth century BC, they made their presence felt in different parts of the world. They made India too their home, till majority of them returned to Israel after 1948

Kerala is one place in India, where the Jewish community made its presence felt in a strong manner. Their presence can be still felt in the port city of Kochi, where they are still involved in a variety of business activities. Among the prominent landmarks of the Jewish community in the region is their place of worship called synagogue. There were quite a good number of them in Kochi as well as in Kodungallur, an ancient port city not far away from Kochi

Also known as Tipu's Fort, Palakkad Fort was supposedly built to hasten communication between Coimbatore and the West Coast. In 1784 AD, after a siege lasting eleven days, the British Colonel, Fullerton stormed the Fort. It later fell into the hands of the Zamorin's troops but was recaptured by the British in 1790 AD. Martyr's Column, Open Air Auditorium called "Rappadi" are located in the spacious grounds of the Fort, now preserved by the Archaeological Survey Of India. There is also a Children's park on one of the sides of the Fort

The Cheraman Juma Masjid withstanding the ravages of time, stands tall at the Methala Village in Kodungalloor. This prominent heritage edifice was erected in 629 A.D and displays a magnificent conglomeration of conventional élan of the architecture of the land of coconuts and Arabic style. It is the ideal haunt for all the quiz and history buffs, for the Cheraman Juma Masjid is the first ever mosque to be built in India