A serene retreat tucked away in enchanting Kerala — Tharavad (meaning ancestral home in Malayalam) dates back to the 1880s and has been restored with care to retain its original splendour and heritage. Tharavad is located in Ottapalam, Palaghat district.
Built with the finest of wood, the building is a standing testimony to architectural excellence. The three-storeyed tiled home treasures twelve comfortable rooms, a nadu muttam (an interior courtyard), abundant open space, a dining area and three natural ponds. The traditional red-oxide flooring and intricate carving on the pillars around the house are reminiscent of Kerala architecture of the late 19th century.
Tharavad is an amazing place to meet, to engage in team-building exercises, work on strategies, conduct retreats, relax and bond together in a heritage home in God’s own country.
There are a range of activities you can do in the sprawling eight acres that do leave no carbon foot-print. You can laze in a lounge chair in the verandah flanked by pillars, walk around the orchards and pools, plant saplings, tend to the cow, feed ducks, fish, splash in the traditional pools and more.
Take a train or bus to Ottapalam or Shoranur and drive for 20 minutes to reach Tharavad.
From Shornur (10 kms) or Ottapalam (6 kms) drive to Vaniamkulam situated on Palakkad – Ponnani road.
At the State Bank of India ATM, turn into the Vaniamkulam – Vallapuzha road. Tharavad will be on your right, 2.3 km down the road.
Kochi or Coimbatore international airports are a 2.5 hours drive from Tharavad.