The first true copy of the painting Indulekha by legendary artist Raja Ravi Varma will be unveiled at the Kilimanoor Palace, where the eminent artist was born in 1848, on the occasion of his 176th birth anniversary celebrations.
The unreleased painting of Indulekha, the protagonist of the first modern novel in Malayalam literature by O. Chandu Menon published in 1889, emerged in the public domain in 2022 and evoked a great sense of enthusiasm among the art fraternity.
Rama Varma Thampuran, secretary of the Kilimanoor Palace Trust, which looks after the upkeep of the Chitrashala (studio) of the iconic artist at the palace, said the trust had initially planned to unveil the original painting on the occasion of his birth anniversary. However, taking note of the security aspects, the trust decided to unveil the lone true copy of the painting.
