ABSTRACT
Unlike the palaces examined so far at Vijayanagara and Madurai, the old palace at Ramnad is in relatively complete condition. Not only are many of its original, pre-colonial buildings still intact, it also contains an audience hall full of paintings illustrating the ideal lifestyle of the Setupati king. The architecture, planning and painting traditions found at Ramnad provide a rich record of the Setupati court. Ramnad Palace also has a strong stylistic connection with the courtly remains at Madurai. The palace’s preservation is partially due to its continuous use as the central household of the Setupati family from its construction in the seventeenth century right up to the present day. Although the functions of Ramnad Palace’s buildings and the lifestyles of its residents have changed considerably since the seventeenth century, most of the buildings in the compound were standing long before the advent of British colonial rule in 1772.
