Nalknad Palace, which is also known as Nalkunadu, is located in the Yavakapadi village of Kodagu district in Karnataka, India. It is placed on the foothills of Tadiyandamol Hills, which is the highest peak in the whole of Madikeri. The location is between coffee plantation and lush green forest. It was built by Dodda Veerarajendra. Its construction was started in 1792 and got completed in 1794. Chikka Veerarajendra was the last king of Kodagu who lived in this palace before getting deposed by the British. The Nalknad Palace is a protected monument under the care of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums. INTACH renovated the palace. It has been proposed to make Nalknad Palace a tourist spot by converting it into a museum where crafts and weapons of the local region of Kodagu at that time would be displayed.

Architecture

Nalknad Palace is an architectural wonder with low slung tapering tiled roof, extensive wood carvings, pillared façade and crested dome. It is a two-storey building in red with old wall paintings. There is also a little white ‘mandapa’ constructed nearby to the palace. The courtyard is decorated with four sculptured bulls enhancing the beauty of this place even more. The whole palace displays ancient paintings, which make for a major tourist attraction.

Places of Interest around Nalknad Palace

There are quite a few places in and around Madikeri where the Nalknad Palace is located that count as tourist attractions. These are:

• Abbi Falls
• Dubare Elephant Camp
• Raja’s Seat

Best Time to Visit

It is best to visit the Nalknad Palace between October and June.

Timing

There is no fixed timing to visit this historical monument. A person can visit it anytime. However, it is always better to see this palace before sunset.

How to Reach

It is located at a distance of about 45 km from Madikeri. It is better to hire a private car for Madikeri or nearby towns to get to the Nalknad Palace.