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.“There was a slight unrest among the workers and that was reason enough for him to close it,” remembers Gatha, daughter of K C Pillai, who owns it along with her elder sister Geetha.They continued the lodging facility and rented out the remaining space for exhibitions and meetings until Spice Route, the company run by Kishore, Manoharan Nair and Krishna Pillai, evinced interest to relaunch the historic landmark. The sisters happily gave it to them on a long lease and the trio renovated it retaining that old-world charm and had a soft launch a few months back.The building was more than just a restaurant or hotel, says Dr V S Sharma, writer and former faculty with the Department of Malayalam, University of Kerala, who lived in Trivandrum Hotel for 20 years, from 1956.“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.It was the significant position that the hotel held in the political, social and cultural milieu of Ananthapuri that inspired Spice Route to relaunch the hotel. “On the day of the launch we are holding a panel discussion on ‘Emerging Thiruvananthapuram’ involving the MLAs. Such discussions would be held every three months,” said Kishore.The hotel has been given a new look without compromising on the traditional charm and glory, according to Revathy, who has done the interiors.Meanwhile, all the modern facilities have been incorporated. In addition, photos of landmarks of the capital city done by Unnishankar add to the ambience of the building.Now it has 17 rooms, four conference halls and four restaurants (an ethnic Travancore cuisine restaurant, a vegetarian fusion restaurant, a non-vegetarian fast food open kitchen and a juice and ice cream corner).
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