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Built by the Portuguese in 1555, Mattancherry Palace was presented to the raja of Cochin, Veera Kerala Varma (1537-61), as a gesture of goodwill (and probably as a means of securing trading privileges). The Dutch renovated the palace in 1663, hence its alternative name, the Dutch Palace. The two storey quadrangular building surrounds a courtyard containing a Hindu Temple. The central hall on the 1st floor was the coronation hall of the rajas. The astonishing murals, depicting scene from the Ramayana, Mahabharta and Puranic legends, are one of the wonders of India. The ladies' bedchamber downstairs features a cheerful Krishna using his six hands and two feet to engage in foreplay with eight happy milkmaids.
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