Relaunch for Trivandrum Hotel

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When Trivandrum Hotel, located close to the Government Secretariat, will have its official opening on Friday, many out there would be going back in time.

When it had an enviable position in the hospitality sector of Ananthapuri, by way of being a second home for many a literary, political, social and religious figure, alongside playing host to umpteen cultural and political meetings and get-togethers. Above all, it used to be one place where they used to get the finest vegetarian food.

Perhaps, the mango tree right in front of the building has seen it all. How in 1893, Jane Miranda of Indo-French descent got the building from her mother as a wedding gift. She had married Dr Joseph Raymond Dais, an Anglo Indian of Portuguese origin, who later became Chief Medical Officer of Travancore. It was later leased out to the British as the Imperial Post Office till 1934, when B S Sankaran Nair converted it to the Trivandrum Brahmin’s Hotel.

In 1936, his friend and confidant K C Pillai took over the reins. When the lease period was over in 1955, Pillai bought it, put his heart and soul into it along with his close associate K R B Pisharody, an advocate, thus making it the most sought-after lodging-cum-dining spot in the city. It had 23 rooms and a fine restaurant till it closed down in 1985.

“Then, the monthly rent was Rs 250, a meal cost Rs 5 and you had to pay an additional 50 paisa for curd. The cooks and service hands were all Brahmins,” says Sharma, who has also written a book on K C Pillai.

According to Sharma, many political, literary and social stalwarts have either stayed here or were regulars at the restaurant. And he remembers names like G Sankarakurup and family, C Achutha Menon​, Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon​, Swami Nityachaitanya Yati, Kerala Varma Raja, M N Govindan Nair, Guptan Nair​, G Kumara Pillai etc.

Those who frequented also included K Karunakaran, Dr G Ramachandran, A P Udayabhanu, M P Manmadhan, D Damodaran Potti, Kuroor Neelakantan Nampoodiri, P Kunjuraman Nair, Uroob, Thakazhy, Kesava Dev​, Kunjunni Mash, Sukumar Azhikode​, artists like the Kainikkara brothers, N Krishna Pillai, T N Gopinathan Nair and T R Sukumaran Nair and spiritual leaders like Swamy Brahmavrathan.

“There was absolutely a non-political atmosphere here. Besides, the employees of the Secretariat and AG’s Office were regulars. Also, when the Tagore Centenary, Vallathol Centenary and Asan Centenary were held in Thiruvananthapuram, the hotel was the nerve centre of all activities,” Sharma adds.