Arakkal Museum, located in proximity to the city of Kannur, was the palace and official residence of the only Muslim Royal Family in Kerala, Arakkal Ali Rajas. The palace was built in a varied style often seen among the Muslim kings with separate units, numerous hallways, passages, durbar halls, wooden floors, colored glass windows, etc. The ancient Durbar hall, where the Muslim kings conducted official gatherings with other rulers and European powers, was transformed into a museum by the Kerala Government in 2005, filled with old artifacts, relics, and possessions of the ancient royal family.
Even though the renovation was done by the government, the whole palace complex is still under the control of the Arakkal Royal Trust of Muslim families, who decide and collect entry fees from the visitors. The museum has a wide collection of royal heirlooms, family seals, old pathayam (grain-storing wooden boxes), the Holy Quran, sacred religious texts, old telephones, swords, bronze and silver vessels, daggers, furniture, and a telescope.
The palace is an excellent structure carved out of wood and laterite stones and has a dual effect of the traditional Kerala and English style of architecture. The Muslim kings had such a strong connection with the European powers which is quite evident through some of the ancient exhibits. A visit to the Arakkal Museum would be a trip back to the Sultani era of Kerala.
Contact Details
Arakkal Museum
Ayikkara Government Hospital Road,
Ayikkara, near District Hospital,
Kannur, Kerala 670013
