The rulers belonged to the Kulasekhara dynasty with their roots in the Valluvanad royal lineage of ascension that presided over the Mamamkam festival. The family was forced to relocate to the south, seeking protection under the King of Travancore, when Tippu Sultan attacked the region. The family established two branches within Travancore, one in Mariapalli and the other in Thiruvalla. The existing palace, a traditional 'pathinaru kettu' structure, was built in place of an old one which belonged to the erstwhile ruler of Thiruvalla. Pathinaru here means 16 while kettu means blocks and the number of such blocks can vary. The family gradually went into financial ruin as feudalism came to an end in the 19th century.
