Valsalyam Tharwad :Valsalyam Tharwad Heritage Home amidst Organic Herbal Garden


Contents :Contents Nallu Kettu - Heritage Home. a. Exterior views. i. Eastern entrance. ii. North-east view. iii. South view. iv. Pond. v. Garage. b. Interior views. i. Poomugam. ii. Nallu Kettu and living room. iii. Bedrooms. iv. Ayurveda chikitsha room. c. Outhouse - guest room. Estate - Organic Ayurvedic Herbal Garden. Write ups. a. Vana Shastra perspective. b. Birth Star trees. c. Vriksha Dhanam nursery - a clarion call to donate.


Vishal view of the Poomugham. :Vishal view of the Poomugham. Ante-room where the guests are received and entertained.


View from the eastern gate. :View from the eastern gate. The Tharwad faces east. Framed by coconut trees adorned with pepper vines. Green hedges and orange lilies on either side of the pathway.


Exteriors (Ext) 1 - View from North East. :Exteriors (Ext) 1 - View from North East.


Ext. 2 - View from South East. :Ext. 2 - View from South East.


Ext. 3 - View from South West. :Ext. 3 - View from South West.


Pond. :Pond. Kulam. Unique in that it is shaped like a fan – arc. Filled with pure rain harvested water.


Well. :Well. Ancient. Built of laterite stones and granite slabs. Gooseberry planks are used at the bottom, fishes and water plants purify the water.


Garage. :Garage. Closed car park for two SUVs and a lean to for a small truck.


East Gate. :East Gate. During yesteryears when there were no tar topped roads, approach to the “Tharwad” was thorough fields and village paths. View from the Poomugam.


Poomugam 1. :Poomugam 1. Swing above the clean red oxide floor. The tiles bear the year “1865” on them.


Poomugam 2. :Poomugam 2. The long wooden plank serve as a seating as well !


Poomugam 3. :Poomugam 3. Veeran - the guardian on horseback, hand carved wood adorning the wooden pillar.


Poomugam 4. :Poomugam 4. Elephant orchestra - playing a welcome tune, set amidst white marble pieces.


Poomugam 5. :Poomugam 5. Kathakali character with dancing damsels. Paper mache dolls gently sway in the breeze and put up an enchanting dance program.


Poomugam 6. :Poomugam 6. Traditional hanging lamps. These ornamental gun metal lamps are hung on either side and lit on special occasions.


Poomugam 7. :Poomugam 7. Rose wood rocking chair .


Poomugam 8. :Poomugam 8. Kindi with water. Welcome guest, wash your feet and enter the Poomugam.


Poomugam 9. :Poomugam 9. Northern flank of Poomugam.


Living room ( L R) 1. :Living room ( L R) 1.


L R - 2. :L R - 2.


L R - 3. :L R - 3.


L R - 4. :L R - 4.


L R - 5. :L R - 5.


L R - 6. :L R - 6. Staircase leading to the first floor. The south door shown in the picture is normally kept closed. This exit is used only for the final journey of the body on its way to the cremation ground which is normally located in the south western part of the estate.


L R - 7. :L R - 7. Wooden ceiling supported by solid wooden pillars.


L R - 7. :L R - 7. Entrance to the “Mach” - prayer room. The Nadu mittam, center of the living room, open to the skies, is in the foreground with a brown marble fountain.


Bedroom (B R) - 1a. :Bedroom (B R) - 1a. South west bedroom of the Host on the ground floor.


B R 1 b. :B R 1 b.


B R - 2a. :B R - 2a. South east bedroom on the first floor.


B R - 2 b. :B R - 2 b.


B R - 3a. :B R - 3a. Entrance to the bedroom. South west bedroom on the first floor


B R 3 b. :B R 3 b.


B R - 3c. :B R - 3c.


B R - 4. :B R - 4. Entrance to the north west bedroom.


Ayurveda Chikitsa Room ( ACR ) - 1 :Ayurveda Chikitsa Room ( ACR ) - 1 Complete equipment to carry out rejuvenation.


A C R - 2. :A C R - 2.


Landing first floor. :Landing first floor.


Passage. :Passage. Running north south, view on climbing up the ladder to the first floor.


Passage. :Passage. Running east west on the first floor.


Tete-a-tete corner. :Tete-a-tete corner. Located on the first floor in the north east corner. Steps leading to the attic.


Artistic Reflections in Tharwad ( ART ) 1. :Artistic Reflections in Tharwad ( ART ) 1. Panchaloha Simha Vahana - Icon made of five metals, the temple lion on which Goddess Durga rode.


ART 2. Thol Kapiyam - Leather puppetry. :ART 2. Thol Kapiyam - Leather puppetry. Ramayana Characters depicted. These leather puppets mounted on sticks (behind a white sheet) with a light in the background were used to enact the Epic by the story tellers.


ART - 3. Netti Pattam - Ornament for elephant. :ART - 3. Netti Pattam - Ornament for elephant. Elephants are a part and parcel of every temple festival. They were decorated with such golden panels on their foreheads.


A R T - 4. Tanjore dancing dolls. :A R T - 4. Tanjore dancing dolls. Paper Mache dolls which sway and dance in the breeze.


A R T - 5. Mare and foal. :A R T - 5. Mare and foal. Hand carved wooden creation from a single block of wood.


A R T - 6. Elephant Orchestra. :A R T - 6. Elephant Orchestra. Terracotta elephants with seven classical south Indian instruments. Bronze pots with nine types of food grains (Nava Dhanaya) and the auspicious coconut.


A R T - 7. Dasavatharam. :A R T - 7. Dasavatharam. Ten Incarnations of Lord Vishnu - hand carved wood work on a single plank.


Guest House - GH 1. :Guest House - GH 1. Bedroom with attached bath.


GH - 2. :GH - 2.


G H 3. :G H 3.


Estate - Herbal Organic Garden (HOG). :Estate - Herbal Organic Garden (HOG). Swaying coconut trees, greenery as far as your eyes can see.


HOG - 2. :HOG - 2.


HOG - 3. :HOG - 3. Rocky slopes.


HOG - 4. :HOG - 4. Meditation rock.


HOG - 5. :HOG - 5. Rock steps for safety on the slopes.


HOG - 6. :HOG - 6. Steps.


HOG - 7. :HOG - 7. Joggers path.


HOG - 8. :HOG - 8. Walkers paradise.


HOG - 9. Compound wall - around the complete Estate. :HOG - 9. Compound wall - around the complete Estate.


HOG - 10. :HOG - 10. Path leading from the garage to the Tharwad.


A R T - 8. Elephant merry-go-around. :A R T - 8. Elephant merry-go-around. Silk elephants displayed in the room which was in olden days used as the delivery room. This room is right next to the prayer room and is very attractively decorated.


A R T - 9 a. White Elephants. :A R T - 9 a. White Elephants. Beads, sequence and stone work from Myanmar.


A R T - 9 b. Dragon. :A R T - 9 b. Dragon.


A R T - 9. Paper Shades. :A R T - 9. Paper Shades.


A R T - 10. Painting on reeds. :A R T - 10. Painting on reeds. Nair Lady traditionally dressed (in Mundu & Neriyathu) returning from a visit to the temple. Jasmine flowers adorn her hair which is tied in circular bun stylishly tilted to a side.


A R T - 11a. Hand painted silks – Lord Indra . :A R T - 11a. Hand painted silks – Lord Indra . Lord Indra astride the famous three headed elephant called “Airavata”.


A R T - 11b. Musical Nymphs. :A R T - 11b. Musical Nymphs. Characters from the folk lore who sing and dance - Thailand.


A R T - 11c. Court Musicians. :A R T - 11c. Court Musicians.


A R T - 11c. Passing on knowledge. :A R T - 11c. Passing on knowledge.


A R T - 11d. Dragon Boat. :A R T - 11d. Dragon Boat. Processions are taken out in this elaborately decorated boat during Temple festivals - in Indo-china region.


A R T 12a. Oil paintings. Floating market scene. :A R T 12a. Oil paintings. Floating market scene. Markets based on boats – popular among the villages abutting river banks and lakes.


A R T - 12b. Oils. Colours of Autumn. :A R T - 12b. Oils. Colours of Autumn.


A R T - 12c. Oils. Flaming sunset. :A R T - 12c. Oils. Flaming sunset.


A R T - 12d. Oils. Glorious spring. :A R T - 12d. Oils. Glorious spring.


A R T - 12e. Oils. River view. :A R T - 12e. Oils. River view.


A R T - 13a. Messenger of Love. :A R T - 13a. Messenger of Love. Rajasthan miniature protraits made with crushed precious and semi- previous stones - desert art with vibrant colours.


A R T - 13b. Singer. :A R T - 13b. Singer.


A R T - 13c. Pretty Belles. :A R T - 13c. Pretty Belles.


A R T 15. Apsaras. :A R T 15. Apsaras. Harbingers of good luck - wooden puppets decked in shining dresses with colourful beads, glasswork and stones. Oriental angels.


A R T - 13d. Meera. :A R T - 13d. Meera.


A R T - 13e. Flowers for worship. :A R T - 13e. Flowers for worship.


A R T - 14. Namaste. :A R T - 14. Namaste. Bharath natyam dancer with the classical pose of Namaste, wall hanging made of rose wood and brass.


A R T - 15. Monoliths. :A R T - 15. Monoliths. Ramba the apsara - beauty expressed in a single rock craving.


A R T - 16. :A R T - 16. Menaka.


A R T - 17. :A R T - 17. Urvashi.