Manavanilayam is a sprawling three-storeyed mansion nestled in the foothills of Ananganmala surrounded by tall coconut palms, mango trees and lush green vegetation.

Built by the eldest son of the last King Of Nilambur (Nilambur Senior), the late Mookkassannairveetil Ramankutty Menon, Manavanilayam stands proudly as a symbol of Malayalee aristocracy in Kanniampuram, Otttapalam. The land on which it stands belonged to the late Chembolli Lakshmikutty Amma, the eldest child of the late Ambalakkat Ravunni Menon, youngest son of the last Zamorin of Calicut.

Ottapalam, a Valley of the Gods, lies on the banks of the river Bharathapuzha, in the Malabar area of Kerala, God’s Own Country.

Beset with temples dedicated to almost all Gods composing the Hindu Pantheon, Ottapalam is the repository of an ancient heritage: Ayurveda, Kathakali, Mohiniattam, Chenda, Kalarippayattu and the like. These arts flourished under the patronage of Kings revered by their people.