The collection of uniforms takes visitors through the history of the State’s police, from the era of the erstwhile kings of Travancore to the present.
Two years
after it was inaugurated, the International Tourism Police Station and Police
Museum at Mattanchery near here is receiving accolades for the variety of
exhibits it has displayed.
The
collection of uniforms takes visitors through the history of the State’s
police, from the era of the erstwhile kings of Travancore to the present.
At the
museum’s entrance is a replica of the Travancore king’s policeman armed with a
spear and the king’s bodyguard draped in yellow ‘uniform’ – a dhoti.
Swords on show
Apart from
swords used by the Travancore kingdom’s police force, the variety of hats used
by police personnel are on display.
A police
woman’s uniform of 1939 – the model resembling Western style of clothing, the
type of canes used by IPS officers, a gun-powder pot made of bronze, an antique
pistol and binoculars dating back to the 1920’s are also on display.
Interesting models
For those
who have seen the policemen in khakhi knickers, if not in real life at least in
films, the model presented here might be interesting. Then there are models of
police women wearing khakhi sarees, the amiable blue uniform of Kerala’s
tourism police, badges and ranks of police personnel, a constable of the
pipe-band in ceremonial dress, a cop carrying a bugle, the mounted police and
the dog squad. Coming to the present, there is a policeman in advanced riot
dress, a commando in dangri, a photo of a commando carrying an automatic
weapon, an anti-sabotage team with equipment and a policeman wearing
bomb-disposal suit.
Free entry
“Many
visitors to the Mattancherry heritage zone visit the museum, where entry is
free.
Well received
It is well
appreciated, especially by foreigners.
