“To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. For what is the worth of human life, unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors by the records of history?” – Cicero.

19 August 2025, Tuesday 

A bee was buzzing near my ear as I left the 8 Point Art Cafe. “Have you seen Anthony and Kate’s Bridgerton season?” I wanted to ask. “You gave the poor guy trauma for life. Now off you go.”

Remember how two old buildings came to mind when my dad warned me about the strong winds? It was finally time to meet them.

British Residency

“The British Residency, or Residency Bungalow, is a two-storeyed palace situated at Asramam, Kollam. It is part of the Asramam Picnic Village and lies close to the Asramam Maidan.

During the British Raj, the building served as the British Residency. It was built during the Travancore era, between 1811 and 1819, by Gowri Parvati Bayi when Colonel John Munro was the British Resident. It’s an important historical landmark in Kollam. Its architecture is a blend of European, Indian, and Tuscan styles.” 

Based on my experience with forgotten historical landmarks so far, I was half-sure that the place would be closed or neglected. Still, I wanted to give it a try as I had read a lot of tiny, but exciting details about this place from various sources – like the presence of an Edward Rose Garden, the antechamber in the conference hall that has a small adjustable partition-like door, the extensive wooden flooring in the upper storey, and the antique prints in polished wooden frames adorning the walls of the palace. 

So, naturally, I felt disappointed when I found out that the building was closed. I double-checked, but there was no way to enter the building or explore it in detail. 

I know I’m just shouting to the void here. But I hope the government will restore and reopen these historical places to the public, and allocate sufficient funds for their future upkeep. I also hope that history enthusiasts in Kollam would form a club and take charge of the popularisation of such projects. If any history clubs are actively involved in this project, I would love to contribute in any way that I can.

Since I couldn’t enter the British Residency building, I walked around it and found a tranquil spot with a huge banyan tree and another area overgrown with vines with loads of wild, pink flowers. Both were just vacant spaces where people parked their big tempos or cars. But I thought both the spots looked dreamy. One gave a sacred grove vibe, while the other looked like a spot straight out of a princess’s garden. 

Stray Dogs & Supreme Court Order

As I walked back, I noticed plastic bags full of food waste and garbage dumped on both sides of the road. These dumping areas have become the feeding and breeding grounds for stray dogs.

On August 11, there was a controversial order by a Division Bench headed by Justice J.B. Pardiwala directing Delhi NCR authorities to round up or catch stray dogs from the capital’s streets and detain them in shelters within six to eight weeks, never to be let out in public spaces again. But since then, there was an outpour of protests and marches by dog lovers and animal activists in Delhi, following which the Supreme Court intervened in the matter, stayed the order, and has called for a more compassionate approach. An alternate approach where stray dogs are captured, neutered, and then released into the public is being considered. 

Feeding stray dogs on time and neutering them can reduce their aggression. But I feel we must also work on the larger factors at play. The unscientific disposal of food and garbage on the roadside needs to be stopped. Such spots aren’t just breeding grounds for dogs, but also for disease-causing pests, insects, and microbes.

Long Walk to Chinnakada

After clicking some pics of the British Residency, I decided to leave the Asramam area and go to Chinnakada, since the next spot on my list was located there. Google Maps showed me it was a 23-minute walk, approximately 1.7 kilometers. I decided to walk slowly to the Asramam Maidan road first and then figure out the rest of the path from there. The time was  3.20 pm. 

On the way, I heard a cuckoo cooing and a dog barking back at it. Sorry, but it won’t work out. You guys are incompatible. I commented mentally. It reminded me of the popular trope: “A fish and a bird may fall in love, but where would they live?”  Close to the shore, I guess.

I also saw a black dog with sharp and erect ears staring at me. It had a half-wolf, half-jackal feel. Sirius, is that you? I didn’t dare to ask.

Just as I was passing by the closed and fenced butterfly park, I met a few butterflies on the roadside. Did you sneak out of the park? I chuckled. As if fenced parks would keep butterflies in, or cages the birds. Wings always crave the sky and its freedom.

Soon, I reached the Asramam road. I could see the Maidan from there. If I took a right, I could reach the Kollam KSRTC stand or the nearby private bus stop just as I did on my Children’s Park trip day, and take a bus to Chinnakada.

But there’s another alternative route straight to Chinnakada. I opened my umbrella as it was still burning hot and ventured to walk that route.

I crossed the road and walked straight, following the Google Maps directions.

Honestly, there was a nagging thought in my mind at that point. What am I trying to achieve with this endeavor? What am I trying to change?

The sight of discarded garbage bags on the roadside had brought down my spirits. How careless and thoughtless one had to be to do that? As taxpayers, we tend to blame the government for everything. But are we really doing our part?

I reached near the turning where the Asramam Sreemuneeshwara Swami Kshethra Trust was located. I asked a passerby if there were straight buses to Chinakkada from there. He told me there are no buses on that route. I wondered why. 

So I kept walking, one slow step after another, one long sigh after another.  It’s not really the physical strain that weighs us down on journeys like this; it’s the weight of our negative thoughts, like – what’s really the point?

Soon, I reached Shankar Nagar. I could see the nameboard of Pulimootil Silks at a distance. I smiled in delight. I knew I would reach the roundabout at Chinnakada in a minute or two. 

Soon, I saw the Shankar statue. It portrays R Shankar, the third chief minister of Kerala, who was born in Kollam. I have seen another statue of him near the SN College, Kollam.

Chinnakada Clocktower

Kollam Chinnakada roundabout and the nearby Clocktower are key landmarks in Kollam. As a local, I’ve seen this one too many times. Based on the occasion, the sight of this place brings different emotions to my mind.

When I return to Kollam after a long while, say from my work location or after a trip, seeing Chinnakada roundabout and the nearby shops gives me a sense of home and warmth. But when I have been stuck in Kollam for too long, this sight gives me a foreboding, irrational fear that I’m doomed to spend the rest of my life in this town, living the exact same life for years, almost like getting caught in a time loop. That fear has been beneficial for me because often it gives me that much-needed ‘Escape Velocity’ to leave my comfort zone and take some new risks and go on new adventures.

I walked through the pavement at the side. In the middle of the Chinnakada roundabout, you can see the V Samabasivan square with a lot of beautiful paintings on the nearby walls depicting social awareness messages like ‘Say no to drugs.’ The square is named after the famous Kathaprasangam(Storytelling) artist from Thekkumbagam.

Search for Cheenakottaram 

Since Google Maps showed that the next spot on my itinerary, Cheenakottaram, was situated somewhere near the Chinnakada clock tower and the left turn towards the premises of Kollam Railway station, I walked to and fro through that same path, but I couldn’t figure out the location.

In the end, I surrendered and asked for directions to an Auto Appooppan(grandpa). He was a thin man with many grey hairs in his beard, and a few front teeth missing. The orangish stains on his teeth made me guess he had a habit of chewing either pan masala or the herbal vetilla (betel leaf). 

He told me to check inside the premises of Kollam Railway Station, as Cheenakottaram is currently under the ownership of Indian Railways. When he asked me why I’m looking for such an odd place, I told him simply, “njn sthalam kaanan vannatha” (I came to see the places), and he seemed delighted. He gave me a cute toothless smile. I thanked him and decided to try my luck again.

I came near the railway premises again, but still lingered outside hesitantly. So I talked to another auto chetan. He was chubby and had that cute chubby baby smile. He told me to enter the railway premises and pointed out a red building inside its compound. I thanked him, and he was so happy.

Despite the common belief that people are inherently selfish, have you ever noticed that some people are simply so happy to help others, and the smallest things, like a thank you, make them light up with a smile? That’s what I felt after interacting with these two auto chetanmar(brothers). 

True, we need a lot of money to survive in this inflation and recession-prone society. But some people need so little to be happy because their hearts are already kind, content, and receptive to even the tiniest, beautiful things in this world. 

I entered the railway premises and went up to the entrance of the Cheenakottaram building. But a signboard mentioning that it was a restricted area stopped me in my tracks. I did consider sneaking a little inside to get a clear view and a snap, but the signboard, along with a few workers at a distance, scared me. 

As I was tired from my very long walk, I was not in the mood for a chase and run at that point.  So, I chose not to trespass and cause any disturbance for them. But on my way home, as I stood inside the bus, I realized that if I had climbed that overbridge at Chinnakada, the one that Kottiyam and Trivandrum bound-buses take, maybe I could have caught a better view of Cheenakottaram. 

I tested this theory on one of my bus rides through the bridge in the first week of September. Since I was able to catch a quick glimpse of the building, later, on September 9, I walked over the bridge and took a closer look at the Cheenakottaram.

Cheenakottaram 

“Cheenakottaram or China Palace is a rest house that was constructed in 1904 for Sri Mulam Tirunal Rama Varma, the then-King of Travancore. The palace was completed along with the commissioning of the Quilon-Madras rail line. 

Though it looks multi-storied, in reality, it is a single-storied, red ochre brick building with seven ornate rooms and Gothic-style arches. The architecture of Cheenakottaram is Indo-Saracenic—generally a blend of Indian architecture, European, Islamic, and Moorish architecture. Cheenakottaram is yet to get the ‘National Heritage Monument’ accreditation. All renovation plans of the building were stalled, citing a scarcity of funds.”

Did you know? “ The place got its name since it used red ochre bricks for the construction, similar to the style of traditional Chinese houses. Beyond that, the palace has no links with China.” 

As an Indian Express article rightly reported, the building is covered with overgrown vines and weeds, and is a sad sight to any History enthusiast. 

Sure, Kollam needs more funds and governmental help to restore heritage sights like the British Residency and Cheenkottaram. But we also need veterans and younger generation history enthusiasts to come together and hold the government accountable for causes like this. Where do we start?