Kilimanoor is nearly 50 kilometers away from Thiruvananthapuram. A Royal family which is closely related to the Travancore Royal House lives here even today. This royal family is known all over the world through its most famous son artist Raja Ravi Varama.

Swathi Thirunal visited this palace while he was a child . He developed a strong friendship with Kareendran Thampuran of the Kilimanoor royal family. Kareendran was perhaps his closest friend and their warm relationship lasted till the end of Swathi’s life.Kilimanoor Palace is situated in a sprawling, green landscape . It is a complex comprising of big and medium sized buildings, temples , sacred groves and two huge ponds.