The Public Office building to the south of the town is wide two-storied
structure of exposed brick, pointed neatly with arched gothic windows and
spiral staircases. The building, which in the days of the Darbar housed the
offices of the Diwan, the Darbar Office and the Chief Court, is now occupied
by the office of the revenue divisional officer and the civil courts along
with several departments of district administration.
Public offices
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To its front stand a bronze statue of Marthanda-bhairava Tondaiman (மார்தாண்ட
பைரவ தொண்டைமான்) and elsewhere in the compound a sculptural symbol to mark
the formation of the new district. Contiguous to it is the residence of the
collector, set in spacious grounds.
The Government Hospital, the residences of the British officials and the
Raja’s College also belong to the same architectural style. These buildings
are of red brick uncovered by mortar and belong to a style popularised by
Robert Chisholm and vaguely called ‘Indo-Saracenic’. The Raja’s College is
an imposing building with a large playground, where under the last
Tondaiman, a keen cricketer, many important cricket matches were played. A
brother of the last Tondaiman represented the state on a few occasions.
In another part of the town are the offices of the collector housed in
the New Palace.
 The New palace (Present Collectorate building)
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The New Palace, designed and built by the late Nilakanta Sastriar, whose
daughter was Tmt. Rukmini Devi Arundale, the founder of Kalakshetra in
Chennai. Sastriar was the special Engineer for the Palace construction and
later State Engineer. The Palace has a handsome appearance, with its well
dressed stonewalls and Moorish cupolas and is surrounded by a large park,
with lawns and gardens. There were tennis, cricket and football grounds, and
a riding course. The building was first occupied in 1930 and the Raja lived
here with his family. A bungalow in the compound was occupied by the Raja’s
Aide-de-camp. To the south of the New Palace is a bungalow, once occupied by
the Raja’s English tutor.
There is a Government Museum in Tirugokarnam. It was opened in 1910. It
consists of different sections like
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Arts and Industries-representing local arts and
industries with specimens from outside the State for comparison and study
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Economic section containing a representative
collection of local cereals, fibers etc-
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The Natural History section
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Ethnology-with a fine selection of arms and
armour and of musical instruments
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Numismatics-a fairly representative collection
of Indian coins
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Archaeology-illustrative of the large field of
ancient monuments and sculpture for which the State is famous
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Paintings
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Zoology
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Reference library
The museum has developed largely in recent years and is well worth
visiting. It is open to the public on all days except Sundays and State
holidays.
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