Travancore Royal Family
Encyclopedia
The Travancore Royal Family descended from the Venad
line of the Chera
s and ruled over the India
n state of Travancore
until 1947.
The Royal family, alternatively known as the Kupaka Royal Family, Thripappur Swaroopam, Venad
Swaroopam, Vanchi Swaroopam etc., has its seat today at Trivandrum in Kerala
, India
. The last ruling Maharajah was Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
and Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
was the last Queen of Travancore. The present head of the family is Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
.
. A branch of the Chera Family was sent to the extreme North of Kerala
where they settled and came to be known as the Mooshika Royal family or the Kolathiri
s while another branch was deputed to go South to grapple with the Pandyan invasions. This became known as the Kupaka Royal family and were the ancestors of the Travancore
Royal Family. However it is to be noted that no Chera (or for that matter Pandya or Chola dynasties) King followed Matriarchy
or Polyandry
. The Travancore Royal family and the Kolathiris followed Matriarchy
indicating that it is also possible that they descended not from the Patriarchal Tamil Dynasties aforementioned, but possibly from the Matriarchal Dynasties of Tulunadu. The Nannans of Ezhimala, later known as the Mushika
Kings, became Matriarchal only after the fall of the Chera Kingdom around 1100 AD.
Kerala was ruled by a line of Perumals, among whom Rama Varman Kulashekhara was the last, and he is said to have divided the then Kerala
among his relatives, after which he is believed to have left for a pilgrimage to Mecca. However the Kolathiri
s and Travancore
were already existent then, although under the suzerainty of the Perumals. From the 11th century onwards began the rise of independent Travancore
or Venad
as it was known then. Ravi Varman Kulasekhara (1299–1314) of Venad invaded the territories of the Pandyas and Cholas and performed imperial coronations at Madurai
and Kanchipuram
and thus threw off the Pandyan hegemony in the region. However his success was short lived and after him his successors could not hold on to these acquisitions of the Pandyas and Cholas. Matriarchal dynasties were formed in Kerala only after the 14th century with the Turkish invasions which destroyed all the Dravidian Kingdoms of the South. The Matriarchal Dynasty of Travancore was founded during the lifetime of Veera Marthandavarman, the weak son of Ravivarman Kulasekhara Sangramadheeran, when he adopted two Matriarchal princesses (Attingal and Kunnumel Ranis) from Kolathunadu and gave up the Patriarchal descendance. The line of kings after Ravi Varma continued through the Marumakkathayam
law of succession and family which was different from that of the Tamils who practised Patriarchy.
As mentioned before, after the Great Ravi Varma's death two princesses were adopted from the Kolathiri
Royal family and installed as Ranis or Queens at Attingal
. The Venad Royal family continued thus in the female line adopting the titles of the earlier Tamil dynasties claiming to be Chera
and Vels of Venad
. Whenever there were no females to take forth the line, princesses were adopted from the Kolathiri
family, the latest adoption being in 1994. From the 14th century onwards, the Travancore Royal dynasty had numerous adoptions from Kolathunadu which was unusual for any Royal dynasty indicating the closeness between the Travancore and the Kolathiri Dynasties. Between 1314 and 1609 AD, Travancore was under the suzerainty of the Vijayanagara Naickers or Arcot Nawabs. It had to pay yearly tribute to the Naicker army which visited Kalkulam every year. However Travancore soon regained its independence. In the 17th century it became a province of Arcot Nawab for a brief period. Umayamma Rani
who reigned towards the end of the 17th century was a prominent ruler. Marthanda Varma
, the "maker of modern Travancore" and Dharma Raja
were powerful rulers who reestablished the power of monarchy in the state and destroyed that of the nobles the Ettuveetu Pillamar. By the early 19th century the Kingdom became a princely state
under the British. Swathi Thirunal was one of the most popular rulers of the 19th century. The regency of Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
was a time which heralded many new reforms which were continued by Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
.
royal family style themselves as Padmanabha Dasas or servants of Padmanabha
since 1750 when Maharajah Marthanda Varma
made over the state to the deity of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
and vowed that from that that day on, the royal family would rule the state on behalf of Him. The title of Padmanabha Dasa is prefixed to the name of every Travancore King while females call themselves Padmanabha Sevinis. This important donation of the state to the temple was known as Thripadidanam. The British government accorded the Maharajah of Travancore a high 19 gun salute, whereas for all temple festivals, the highest salute of 21 guns was fired.
family. Since then the senior most females of the family are styled as the Ranis of Attingal with the titles of Attingal Mootha Thampuran (Senior Rani of Attingal) and Attingal Elaya Thampuran (Junior Rani of Attingal). This adoption resulted by the late 17th century in the branching of the Royal family into four families namely the branch at Trivandrum, another at Kottarakara known as Elayadathu Swaroopam, the Peraka Thavazhi branch of Nedumangad
and the Quilon
branch. The later two branches died out into the 18th century whereas the last Rani of Kottarakara fled after battle with Marthanda Varma
. In 1630 two males were adopted from the Cochin Royal Family
sowing the seed of dissension between the branches of the Royal family. Later in 1684 one male and two females were adopted from the Kolathiri
family, from which family all subsequent adoptions were made, by Umayamma Rani
. In 1688 two males, including
Rajah Rama Varma, and 2 females were adopted and Marthanda Varma
was born to one of these princesses. In 1718 a princess was adopted, whose son was the later king Dharma Raja
and whose great grandson was the poet Irayimman Thampi
. In 1748 again four princesses were adopted and Balarama Varma
(1798–1810) belonged to this line. The next adoption of 1788 brought forth the famous Maharanis, Gowri Lakshmi Bayi and Gowri Parvati Bayi and all the male rulers up to 1924, the last ruler in this line being Moolam Thirunal. In 1857 two princesses, including Rani Lakshmi Bayi
, were adopted from a branch of the Kolathiri
family residing at Mavelikara since the 1790s, but by 1901 both these princesses and all their issue died. In 1900 again two princesses were adopted from Mavelikara, granddaughters of Raja Ravi Varma
, including the Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
. The latest adoption occurred in 1994.
The marriages of the princesses are known as Pallikettus while those of the Maharajahs are known as the ceremony of bestowing the Pattum Parivattavum. The form of marriage is Sambandham
and the consorts of the princesses are from certain select families of Koyi Thampurans whereas the consorts of the Maharajahs belong to four houses known as Ammaveedu
s. The spouses of the princesses and Maharajahs are not considered members of the royal house owing to the prevalent Marumakkathayam
law. However they received many royal dignities and privileges owing to their position as consorts. Sri Padmanabhaswamy
is the chief family deity.
by squandering away huge sums of tax payer's money, among others, his state administration would be taken over by the Madras government. This lead to the cessation of the practice of mahādanams and the Rājas of Travancore were unable to purchase their Kshatriyahood further and hence Sāmanthan
by dignity presently.
The Padmanabhapuram Palace
was the main residence of the Travancore Maharajahs whereas the Ranis of Attingal resided at that place in their own palaces. Later the royal family moved to Trivandrum wherein the females resided at the Sree Padam Palace. Presently the Royal family members live at Kowdiar Palace
in Trivandrum and at Chennai
, Bangalore
etc. Some members are also settled abroad in the United States of America, Australia
, South Africa
etc.
The Royal family at present consists of the descendants of the two princesses adopted in 1900 from the Mavelikara royal family, Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
and Sethu Parvathi Bayi. Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
was the last regent Maharani of Travancore. The oldest son of Sethu Patvathy Bayi was the last Maharajah, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
, who signed the instrument of accession and amalgamated the state into India
in 1949. The Royal family consists, in the line of Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
two daughters, Princesses Uthram Thirunal Lalithamba Bayi and Karthika Thirunal Indira Bayi and their families. In the line of the Junior Maharani, Sethu Parvati Bayi, are the last Maharajah (unmarried), his brother Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
, present head of the royal family and the family of their late sister Princess Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi (who was married to Col. G.V. Raja of the Poonjar Royal Family). Princess Karthika Tirunal and Col. G. V. Raja had two daughters (Pooyam Tirunal and Ashwati Tirunal) and two sons (Avittam Tirunal and Moolam Tirunal). The present Head of the Family, Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
married Shrimati Radha Devi (the daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Krishnan Gopinath Pandalai, MB, CM, FRCS, LRCP, late IMS, sometime Superintendent of the Government General Hospital, Madras), and has a son, Anantha Padmanabhan Thampi and a daughter, Parvati Devi. He resides at Pattom Palace, Trivandrum. Presently the senior most female in the Royal Family with the title of Attingal Mootha Thampuran is H.H. Karthika Thirunal Indira Bayi. She resides in Chennai
.
The Indian Constitutional Amendment of 1971 terminated the status of the royal families of the erstwhile princely states as rulers and abolished their rights to receive privy purses. However the other clauses of the agreements signed between the Government of India and the Princes in 1947 legally still hold. The Royal Family of Travancore has no administrative authority since 1971. Till 1956 Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
served as Rajpramukh of Thiru-Kochi. Later in 1971 while the family lost their privy purse and other privileges, the rights of the family in the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
were respected and the head of the family still fulfills his duty towards the temple as the Maharajah of Travancore. The allowances of all the family members born prior to 1949 are also still paid by the Government of Kerala.
Some prominent members of the Travancore royal family today include artists Rukmini Varma
(Princess Bharani Thirunal) and her son Jayagopal Varma, writers Shreekumar Varma
(Prince Punardam Thirunal), Dr. Lakshmi Raghunandan (Princess Makham Thirunal) and Gowri Lakshmi Bayi (Princess Aswathy Thirunal), musician Aswathi Thirunal Rama Varma
, Yathi Verma. After the Constitutional Amendment of 1971, the royal family and its properties and estates were partitioned and divided into two equal halves among the branches of HH Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
and HH Maharani Sethu Parvathi Bayi. However certain legal disputes with regard to the same continued among family members until as late as 1991.
sripadmanabharic.com
The contributions of Goda Varma Raja in the field of sports are ever cherished. His grandson is now holding up the legacy by throwing open to public an indoor shuttle court complex.
Adithya Varma, Grandson of G.V.Raja and member of the Travancore Royal Family, has set up the indoor court at Kowdiar Garden adjacent to the Golf Club, Named Sri Padmanabha Royal Indoor Courts, the court was formally inaugurated by sports Minister Sri. M. Vijayakumar on Monday 5 July 2010 in the presence of Thiruvananthapuram MP Dr. Sashi Tharoor and members of the royal family.
The indoor courts complex comprises three badminton courts. All the courts have been floored with processed maple wood imported from Canada.
Ancient Tamil Dynasties
Venad
Venad Swarupam was one of the three prominent late medieval Hindu feudal kingdoms on Malabar Coast, south India, along with Kingdom of Calicut and Kingdom of Cannanore. In the early 14th century, Venad ruler Ravi Varma Kulasekhara had established a short-lived supremacy over southern India...
line of the Chera
Chera dynasty
Chera Dynasty in South India is one of the most ancient ruling dynasties in India. Together with the Cholas and the Pandyas, they formed the three principle warring Iron Age Tamil kingdoms in southern India...
s and ruled over the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
until 1947.
The Royal family, alternatively known as the Kupaka Royal Family, Thripappur Swaroopam, Venad
Venad
Venad Swarupam was one of the three prominent late medieval Hindu feudal kingdoms on Malabar Coast, south India, along with Kingdom of Calicut and Kingdom of Cannanore. In the early 14th century, Venad ruler Ravi Varma Kulasekhara had established a short-lived supremacy over southern India...
Swaroopam, Vanchi Swaroopam etc., has its seat today at Trivandrum in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The last ruling Maharajah was Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
Chithira Thirunal Maharaja was the last ruling maharaja of the princely state of Travancore, in southern India...
and Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Maharani Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi CI was the ruler of Travancore as regent for her nephew, Chithira Tirunal from 1924 until late 1931...
was the last Queen of Travancore. The present head of the family is Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
Sri Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma is the scion of the former Travancore royal family.He joined the firm of Plymouth and Company at Bangalore in 1952, working there and also studying the functioning of industries at a basic level...
.
Recorded history of the dynasty
One popular view is that the Travancore Royal family descends from the Chera DynastyChera dynasty
Chera Dynasty in South India is one of the most ancient ruling dynasties in India. Together with the Cholas and the Pandyas, they formed the three principle warring Iron Age Tamil kingdoms in southern India...
. A branch of the Chera Family was sent to the extreme North of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
where they settled and came to be known as the Mooshika Royal family or the Kolathiri
Kolathiri
Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā was the title by which the senior most male along the matilinial line of the Mushika or Kolathunādu Royal Family was styled...
s while another branch was deputed to go South to grapple with the Pandyan invasions. This became known as the Kupaka Royal family and were the ancestors of the Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
Royal Family. However it is to be noted that no Chera (or for that matter Pandya or Chola dynasties) King followed Matriarchy
Matriarchy
A matriarchy is a society in which females, especially mothers, have the central roles of political leadership and moral authority. It is also sometimes called a gynocratic or gynocentric society....
or Polyandry
Polyandry
Polyandry refers to a form of marriage in which a woman has two or more husbands at the same time. The form of polyandry in which a woman is married to two or more brothers is known as "fraternal polyandry", and it is believed by many anthropologists to be the most frequently encountered...
. The Travancore Royal family and the Kolathiris followed Matriarchy
Matriarchy
A matriarchy is a society in which females, especially mothers, have the central roles of political leadership and moral authority. It is also sometimes called a gynocratic or gynocentric society....
indicating that it is also possible that they descended not from the Patriarchal Tamil Dynasties aforementioned, but possibly from the Matriarchal Dynasties of Tulunadu. The Nannans of Ezhimala, later known as the Mushika
Mushika Kingdom
Mushika Kingdom was an ancient kingdom of the Tamil Sangam age in present day northern Kerala, India ruled by the Royal dynasty of the same name. They ruled the strip of land between Mangaluru in the north and Vadagara in the south...
Kings, became Matriarchal only after the fall of the Chera Kingdom around 1100 AD.
Kerala was ruled by a line of Perumals, among whom Rama Varman Kulashekhara was the last, and he is said to have divided the then Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
among his relatives, after which he is believed to have left for a pilgrimage to Mecca. However the Kolathiri
Kolathiri
Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā was the title by which the senior most male along the matilinial line of the Mushika or Kolathunādu Royal Family was styled...
s and Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
were already existent then, although under the suzerainty of the Perumals. From the 11th century onwards began the rise of independent Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
or Venad
Venad
Venad Swarupam was one of the three prominent late medieval Hindu feudal kingdoms on Malabar Coast, south India, along with Kingdom of Calicut and Kingdom of Cannanore. In the early 14th century, Venad ruler Ravi Varma Kulasekhara had established a short-lived supremacy over southern India...
as it was known then. Ravi Varman Kulasekhara (1299–1314) of Venad invaded the territories of the Pandyas and Cholas and performed imperial coronations at Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
and Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram, or Kanchi, is a temple city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a temple town and the headquarters of Kanchipuram district...
and thus threw off the Pandyan hegemony in the region. However his success was short lived and after him his successors could not hold on to these acquisitions of the Pandyas and Cholas. Matriarchal dynasties were formed in Kerala only after the 14th century with the Turkish invasions which destroyed all the Dravidian Kingdoms of the South. The Matriarchal Dynasty of Travancore was founded during the lifetime of Veera Marthandavarman, the weak son of Ravivarman Kulasekhara Sangramadheeran, when he adopted two Matriarchal princesses (Attingal and Kunnumel Ranis) from Kolathunadu and gave up the Patriarchal descendance. The line of kings after Ravi Varma continued through the Marumakkathayam
Marumakkathayam
Marumakkathayam is a matrilinear system of inheritance which was followed by all Nair castes including of Royal Families, some of the Ambalavasis, Arayars, Ezhava, some tribal groups and Mappilas in North Malabar of Kerala state, South India. Unlike other Brahmin families, Payanoor Nambootiris...
law of succession and family which was different from that of the Tamils who practised Patriarchy.
Kolathiri
Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā was the title by which the senior most male along the matilinial line of the Mushika or Kolathunādu Royal Family was styled...
Royal family and installed as Ranis or Queens at Attingal
Attingal
Attingal is a town and a municipality in the Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala state, India, bounded by the Mamom and Vamanapuram rivers. It is situated 30 km to the north of state capital of Thiruvananthapuram.-Demographics:...
. The Venad Royal family continued thus in the female line adopting the titles of the earlier Tamil dynasties claiming to be Chera
Chera dynasty
Chera Dynasty in South India is one of the most ancient ruling dynasties in India. Together with the Cholas and the Pandyas, they formed the three principle warring Iron Age Tamil kingdoms in southern India...
and Vels of Venad
Venad
Venad Swarupam was one of the three prominent late medieval Hindu feudal kingdoms on Malabar Coast, south India, along with Kingdom of Calicut and Kingdom of Cannanore. In the early 14th century, Venad ruler Ravi Varma Kulasekhara had established a short-lived supremacy over southern India...
. Whenever there were no females to take forth the line, princesses were adopted from the Kolathiri
Kolathiri
Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā was the title by which the senior most male along the matilinial line of the Mushika or Kolathunādu Royal Family was styled...
family, the latest adoption being in 1994. From the 14th century onwards, the Travancore Royal dynasty had numerous adoptions from Kolathunadu which was unusual for any Royal dynasty indicating the closeness between the Travancore and the Kolathiri Dynasties. Between 1314 and 1609 AD, Travancore was under the suzerainty of the Vijayanagara Naickers or Arcot Nawabs. It had to pay yearly tribute to the Naicker army which visited Kalkulam every year. However Travancore soon regained its independence. In the 17th century it became a province of Arcot Nawab for a brief period. Umayamma Rani
Umayamma Rani
Aswathi Thirunal Umayamma, popularly known as Umayamma Rani, was the Regent of Venad from 1677 to 1684 on behalf of her nephew Rajah Ravi Varma who ruled thereafter till 1718.-State of Venad:Venad or Travancore was at that time in a state of turmoil...
who reigned towards the end of the 17th century was a prominent ruler. Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
, the "maker of modern Travancore" and Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharajah of Travancore from 1758 until his death in 1798. He succeeded his uncle Marthanda Varma, who is credited with the title of "maker of modern Travancore"...
were powerful rulers who reestablished the power of monarchy in the state and destroyed that of the nobles the Ettuveetu Pillamar. By the early 19th century the Kingdom became a princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
under the British. Swathi Thirunal was one of the most popular rulers of the 19th century. The regency of Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Maharani Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi CI was the ruler of Travancore as regent for her nephew, Chithira Tirunal from 1924 until late 1931...
was a time which heralded many new reforms which were continued by Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
Chithira Thirunal Maharaja was the last ruling maharaja of the princely state of Travancore, in southern India...
.
Padmanabha Dasas
The TravancoreTravancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
royal family style themselves as Padmanabha Dasas or servants of Padmanabha
Padmanabha
Padmanabha may refer to:* Padmanabha , one of the aspects of Vishnu or God with a lotus issuing from his navel on which Brahma sits...
since 1750 when Maharajah Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
made over the state to the deity of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple
Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Thiruvananthapuram, India. The shrine is currently run by a trust headed by the royal family of Travancore. The temple is one of 108 Divya Desams – principal centres of worship of the deity in Vaishnavism...
and vowed that from that that day on, the royal family would rule the state on behalf of Him. The title of Padmanabha Dasa is prefixed to the name of every Travancore King while females call themselves Padmanabha Sevinis. This important donation of the state to the temple was known as Thripadidanam. The British government accorded the Maharajah of Travancore a high 19 gun salute, whereas for all temple festivals, the highest salute of 21 guns was fired.
Adoption
The first adoption to the Travancore Royal Family was in the early 14th century from the KolathiriKolathiri
Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā was the title by which the senior most male along the matilinial line of the Mushika or Kolathunādu Royal Family was styled...
family. Since then the senior most females of the family are styled as the Ranis of Attingal with the titles of Attingal Mootha Thampuran (Senior Rani of Attingal) and Attingal Elaya Thampuran (Junior Rani of Attingal). This adoption resulted by the late 17th century in the branching of the Royal family into four families namely the branch at Trivandrum, another at Kottarakara known as Elayadathu Swaroopam, the Peraka Thavazhi branch of Nedumangad
Nedumangad
Nedumangad is a municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located around 20 km to the north-east of Thiruvananthapuram city on the Thiruvananthapuram — Thenmala State Highway...
and the Quilon
Quilon
Quilon may refer to,* Venad, a former state on Malabar Coast, India* Kollam , Kerala state, India* Kollam district, Kerala state...
branch. The later two branches died out into the 18th century whereas the last Rani of Kottarakara fled after battle with Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
. In 1630 two males were adopted from the Cochin Royal Family
Cochin Royal Family
The Cochin royal family were rulers of Cochin, or Kochi, India. They were also known as Perumpadapu Swaroopam or Kuru Swaroopam.-Tradition of Perumpadapu Swaroopam:...
sowing the seed of dissension between the branches of the Royal family. Later in 1684 one male and two females were adopted from the Kolathiri
Kolathiri
Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā was the title by which the senior most male along the matilinial line of the Mushika or Kolathunādu Royal Family was styled...
family, from which family all subsequent adoptions were made, by Umayamma Rani
Umayamma Rani
Aswathi Thirunal Umayamma, popularly known as Umayamma Rani, was the Regent of Venad from 1677 to 1684 on behalf of her nephew Rajah Ravi Varma who ruled thereafter till 1718.-State of Venad:Venad or Travancore was at that time in a state of turmoil...
. In 1688 two males, including
Rajah Rama Varma, and 2 females were adopted and Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
was born to one of these princesses. In 1718 a princess was adopted, whose son was the later king Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharajah of Travancore from 1758 until his death in 1798. He succeeded his uncle Marthanda Varma, who is credited with the title of "maker of modern Travancore"...
and whose great grandson was the poet Irayimman Thampi
Irayimman Thampi
Ravi Varman Thampi better known as Irayimman Thampi was a Carnatic musician as well as a music composer from Kerala, India. He was a vocalist in the court of Swathi Thirunal...
. In 1748 again four princesses were adopted and Balarama Varma
Balarama Varma
Avittom Thirunal Balarama Varma was a ruler of the Indian princely state of Travancore from 1798 to 1810, succeeding Maharajah Dharma Raja. His rule of Travancore was full of disturbances and internal and external problems...
(1798–1810) belonged to this line. The next adoption of 1788 brought forth the famous Maharanis, Gowri Lakshmi Bayi and Gowri Parvati Bayi and all the male rulers up to 1924, the last ruler in this line being Moolam Thirunal. In 1857 two princesses, including Rani Lakshmi Bayi
Rani Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore
Rani Bharani Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi CI was the Senior Rani of Travancore from 1857 till her death in 1901. Her consort was the famous poet and writer, styled the father of Malayalam literature, Sri Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran. -Early life:...
, were adopted from a branch of the Kolathiri
Kolathiri
Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā was the title by which the senior most male along the matilinial line of the Mushika or Kolathunādu Royal Family was styled...
family residing at Mavelikara since the 1790s, but by 1901 both these princesses and all their issue died. In 1900 again two princesses were adopted from Mavelikara, granddaughters of Raja Ravi Varma
Raja Ravi Varma
Raja Ravi Varma was an Indian painter from the princely state of Travancore who achieved recognition for his depiction of scenes from the epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana...
, including the Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Maharani Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi CI was the ruler of Travancore as regent for her nephew, Chithira Tirunal from 1924 until late 1931...
. The latest adoption occurred in 1994.
Titles and precedence
- The senior most male of the Royal family, born in the female line, to a Rani of Attingal, becomes Maharajah with the title of Sri Padmanabha Dasa Vanchi Pala (Personal Name) Kulasekhara Perumal. Other titles include Shamsher Jang, Raja Rama Raja Bahadur, Manney Sultan etc.
- The senior most female of the Royal family is the Maharani and holds the title of Attingal Mootha Thampuran and is known as Sri Padmanabha Sevini Vanchi Dharma Vardhini Raja Rajeshwari Maharani (personal name).
- The second princess is known as Attingal Elaya Thampuran, third princess as Attingal Kochu Thampuran.
- The heir apparent is known as the Elaya Raja.
- Consort of the Maharani is known as the Valiya Koil Thampuran.
- Consort of the Maharajah is known as the Ammachi and holds the title of Panapillai AmmaPanapillai AmmaPanapillai Amma was the title held by the consort of the ruling Maharajah of Travancore. Its literal translation is 'the royal consort' since as per the formerly existent matriarchal system in Travancore, the Maharajah's sister, and not his wife, was the Maharani. Thus the wife took the title of...
. The Maharajahs children do not succeed to the musnud under the MarumakkathayamMarumakkathayamMarumakkathayam is a matrilinear system of inheritance which was followed by all Nair castes including of Royal Families, some of the Ambalavasis, Arayars, Ezhava, some tribal groups and Mappilas in North Malabar of Kerala state, South India. Unlike other Brahmin families, Payanoor Nambootiris...
law and instead get a title of nobility, immediately below royalty, namely ThampiThampiThe Thampis are the sons of the Samanthan Nair Maharajahs of Travancore and their morganatic wives belonging to Illathu Nair or other similar Kshatriya castes...
. The Maharajahs are only allowed morganatic marriages so as to maintain MarumakkathayamMarumakkathayamMarumakkathayam is a matrilinear system of inheritance which was followed by all Nair castes including of Royal Families, some of the Ambalavasis, Arayars, Ezhava, some tribal groups and Mappilas in North Malabar of Kerala state, South India. Unlike other Brahmin families, Payanoor Nambootiris...
.
Marriage and other customs
Sambandham
Sambandham was a form of marital system primarily followed by the Nairs in what is the present-day Indian state of Kerala. This system of marriage was followed by the matriarchal castes of Kerala, though today the custom has ceased to exist...
and the consorts of the princesses are from certain select families of Koyi Thampurans whereas the consorts of the Maharajahs belong to four houses known as Ammaveedu
Ammaveedu
Ammaveedus were the residences of the consorts of the Maharajahs of Travancore in Trivandrum. The descendants of the Maharajahs were considered as members of these Ammaveedus, with a status next only to royalty...
s. The spouses of the princesses and Maharajahs are not considered members of the royal house owing to the prevalent Marumakkathayam
Marumakkathayam
Marumakkathayam is a matrilinear system of inheritance which was followed by all Nair castes including of Royal Families, some of the Ambalavasis, Arayars, Ezhava, some tribal groups and Mappilas in North Malabar of Kerala state, South India. Unlike other Brahmin families, Payanoor Nambootiris...
law. However they received many royal dignities and privileges owing to their position as consorts. Sri Padmanabhaswamy
Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple
Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Thiruvananthapuram, India. The shrine is currently run by a trust headed by the royal family of Travancore. The temple is one of 108 Divya Desams – principal centres of worship of the deity in Vaishnavism...
is the chief family deity.
Cessation of the practice of mahādanams
The Maharajas of Travancore had been conditionally promoted to Kshatriyahood with periodic performance of 16 mahādānams (great gifts in charity) such as Hiranya-garbhā, Hiranya-Kāmdhenu, Hiranyāswaratā, and Tulāpurushadānam in which each of which thousands of Brahmins had been given costly gifts apart from each getting a minimum of 1 kazhanch (78.65 gms) of gold. The Nambudiri Brahmins had stipulated that Rajas of Travancore could retain their dignity of Sāmanta permanently but the Kshatriyhood conferred on them by the yāgās and mahādanams would be valid only for 6 years and thus the latter purchased kshatriyhood at a heavy recurring cost. During 1848, Lord Dalhousie the then Governor General of British India who was also an eager annexationist was appraised that the depressed condition of the finances in Travancore was owing to mal-administration and practices of treasury by the ruling elite. Lord Dalhousie, who was indignant at the colossal wasteful expenditure of Travancore state treasury through mahādanams among others, instructed Lord Harris Governor of Madras, warn the Rāja under the ninth article of the treaty of 1805. On 21 November 1855, Lord Harris dispatched a strongly worded communication to the then Rāja of Travancore alias Martanda varma (Uttram Tirunal 1847–1860 A.D) that if he did not put a stop to his periodic re-incarnation as KshatriyaKshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
by squandering away huge sums of tax payer's money, among others, his state administration would be taken over by the Madras government. This lead to the cessation of the practice of mahādanams and the Rājas of Travancore were unable to purchase their Kshatriyahood further and hence Sāmanthan
Samanthan
Samantan Nair or more commonly Samantan was a generic term applied to dignify a collection of Kshatriya sub-clans among the ruling elite and feudal estate owners of Kerala belonging to the Nayar race.-Historical background:Kerala was under the second Chera Empire approximately during 800...
by dignity presently.
Palaces
Padmanabhapuram Palace
Padmanabhapuram Palace complex is located in at Padmanabhapuram Fort, close to the town of Thuckalay in Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu, in India. It is about 20 km from Nagercoil, and about 50 kilometers from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The palace complex is inside an old granite...
was the main residence of the Travancore Maharajahs whereas the Ranis of Attingal resided at that place in their own palaces. Later the royal family moved to Trivandrum wherein the females resided at the Sree Padam Palace. Presently the Royal family members live at Kowdiar Palace
Kowdiar Palace
Kowdiar Palace in Trivandrum, Kerala, India was built in 1915 by Sree Moolam Thirunal and was gifted to Sethu Parvati Bayi.It is the official residence of the Travancore Royal Family....
in Trivandrum and at Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
etc. Some members are also settled abroad in the United States of America, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
etc.
The Royal Family
Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Maharani Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi CI was the ruler of Travancore as regent for her nephew, Chithira Tirunal from 1924 until late 1931...
and Sethu Parvathi Bayi. Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Maharani Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi CI was the ruler of Travancore as regent for her nephew, Chithira Tirunal from 1924 until late 1931...
was the last regent Maharani of Travancore. The oldest son of Sethu Patvathy Bayi was the last Maharajah, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
Chithira Thirunal Maharaja was the last ruling maharaja of the princely state of Travancore, in southern India...
, who signed the instrument of accession and amalgamated the state into India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1949. The Royal family consists, in the line of Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Maharani Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi CI was the ruler of Travancore as regent for her nephew, Chithira Tirunal from 1924 until late 1931...
two daughters, Princesses Uthram Thirunal Lalithamba Bayi and Karthika Thirunal Indira Bayi and their families. In the line of the Junior Maharani, Sethu Parvati Bayi, are the last Maharajah (unmarried), his brother Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
Sri Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma is the scion of the former Travancore royal family.He joined the firm of Plymouth and Company at Bangalore in 1952, working there and also studying the functioning of industries at a basic level...
, present head of the royal family and the family of their late sister Princess Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi (who was married to Col. G.V. Raja of the Poonjar Royal Family). Princess Karthika Tirunal and Col. G. V. Raja had two daughters (Pooyam Tirunal and Ashwati Tirunal) and two sons (Avittam Tirunal and Moolam Tirunal). The present Head of the Family, Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
Sri Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma is the scion of the former Travancore royal family.He joined the firm of Plymouth and Company at Bangalore in 1952, working there and also studying the functioning of industries at a basic level...
married Shrimati Radha Devi (the daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Krishnan Gopinath Pandalai, MB, CM, FRCS, LRCP, late IMS, sometime Superintendent of the Government General Hospital, Madras), and has a son, Anantha Padmanabhan Thampi and a daughter, Parvati Devi. He resides at Pattom Palace, Trivandrum. Presently the senior most female in the Royal Family with the title of Attingal Mootha Thampuran is H.H. Karthika Thirunal Indira Bayi. She resides in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
.
Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
Chithira Thirunal Maharaja was the last ruling maharaja of the princely state of Travancore, in southern India...
served as Rajpramukh of Thiru-Kochi. Later in 1971 while the family lost their privy purse and other privileges, the rights of the family in the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple
Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Thiruvananthapuram, India. The shrine is currently run by a trust headed by the royal family of Travancore. The temple is one of 108 Divya Desams – principal centres of worship of the deity in Vaishnavism...
were respected and the head of the family still fulfills his duty towards the temple as the Maharajah of Travancore. The allowances of all the family members born prior to 1949 are also still paid by the Government of Kerala.
Some prominent members of the Travancore royal family today include artists Rukmini Varma
Rukmini Varma
Rukmini Varma is an Indian artist based in Bangalore. Born as H.H. Bharani Thirunal Rukmini Bayi, Fourth Princess of Travancore to H.H. Princess Uthram Thirunal Lalithamba Bayi and Sri. Kerala Varma Avargal, she is a granddaughter of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi and belongs to the Travancore Royal...
(Princess Bharani Thirunal) and her son Jayagopal Varma, writers Shreekumar Varma
Shreekumar Varma
Shreekumar Varma is an Indian author, playwright, newspaper columnist and poet, known for the novels Lament of Mohini , Maria's Room , Devil's Garden: Tales Of Pappudom , The Magic Store of Nu-Cham-Vu and the historical book for children, Pazhassi Raja: The Royal Rebel...
(Prince Punardam Thirunal), Dr. Lakshmi Raghunandan (Princess Makham Thirunal) and Gowri Lakshmi Bayi (Princess Aswathy Thirunal), musician Aswathi Thirunal Rama Varma
Aswathi Thirunal Rama Varma
Aswathi Thirunal Rama Varma, also known as Prince Rama Varma, is a South Indian classical musician, a performing vocalist, veena player and writer.-Early life and background:...
, Yathi Verma. After the Constitutional Amendment of 1971, the royal family and its properties and estates were partitioned and divided into two equal halves among the branches of HH Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Maharani Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi CI was the ruler of Travancore as regent for her nephew, Chithira Tirunal from 1924 until late 1931...
and HH Maharani Sethu Parvathi Bayi. However certain legal disputes with regard to the same continued among family members until as late as 1991.
List of Maharajas of Travancore
- Anizham Tirunal Marthanda VarmaMarthanda VarmaMarthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
1729–1758 - Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma (Dharma RajaDharma RajaDharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharajah of Travancore from 1758 until his death in 1798. He succeeded his uncle Marthanda Varma, who is credited with the title of "maker of modern Travancore"...
) 1758–1798 - Balarama VarmaBalarama VarmaAvittom Thirunal Balarama Varma was a ruler of the Indian princely state of Travancore from 1798 to 1810, succeeding Maharajah Dharma Raja. His rule of Travancore was full of disturbances and internal and external problems...
1798–1810 - Gowri Lakshmi Bayi 1810–1815 (Queen from 1810–1813 and Regent Queen from 1813–1815)
- Gowri Parvati Bayi (Regent) 1815–1829
- Swathi Thirunal Rama VarmaSwathi Thirunal Rama VarmaSri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharaja of the state of Travancore , in India. He reigned under the regency of his mother Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi from 1813 till 1815 and henceforth under the regency of his aunt Maharani Gowri Parvati Bayi from 1815 till 1829...
1829–1846 - Uthradom ThirunalUthradom ThirunalSri Padmanabha Dasa Vanchi Pala Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma Kulasekhara Kiritapati Manney Sultan Maharaja Raja Rama Raja Bahadur Shamsher Jung was the Maharajah of Travancore state in southern India, succeeding his elder brother Maharajah Swathi Thirunal in 1846 till his demise in 1860...
Marthanda Varma 1846–1860 - Ayilyam ThirunalAyilyam ThirunalMaharajah Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma was the ruler of the princely state of Travancore in India from 1860 to 1880. His reign was highly successful with Travancore gaining the appellation of "model state of India"...
Rama Varma 1860–1880 - Visakham ThirunalVisakham ThirunalVisakham Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharaja of the erstwhile Indian kingdom of Travancore from 1880-1885 AD. He succeeded his elder brother Maharajah Ayilyam Thirunal to the throne of Travancore.-Early life:...
Rama Varma 1880–1885 - Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma 1885–1924
- Sethu Lakshmi BayiSethu Lakshmi BayiMaharani Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi CI was the ruler of Travancore as regent for her nephew, Chithira Tirunal from 1924 until late 1931...
(Regent) 1924–1931 - Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma 1931–1947
Sri Padmanabha Royal Indoor Courts
Sri Padmanabha Royal Indoor Courtsripadmanabharic.com
The contributions of Goda Varma Raja in the field of sports are ever cherished. His grandson is now holding up the legacy by throwing open to public an indoor shuttle court complex.
Adithya Varma, Grandson of G.V.Raja and member of the Travancore Royal Family, has set up the indoor court at Kowdiar Garden adjacent to the Golf Club, Named Sri Padmanabha Royal Indoor Courts, the court was formally inaugurated by sports Minister Sri. M. Vijayakumar on Monday 5 July 2010 in the presence of Thiruvananthapuram MP Dr. Sashi Tharoor and members of the royal family.
The indoor courts complex comprises three badminton courts. All the courts have been floored with processed maple wood imported from Canada.
See also
- TravancoreTravancoreKingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
- Sethu Lakshmi BayiSethu Lakshmi BayiMaharani Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi CI was the ruler of Travancore as regent for her nephew, Chithira Tirunal from 1924 until late 1931...
- Shreekumar VarmaShreekumar VarmaShreekumar Varma is an Indian author, playwright, newspaper columnist and poet, known for the novels Lament of Mohini , Maria's Room , Devil's Garden: Tales Of Pappudom , The Magic Store of Nu-Cham-Vu and the historical book for children, Pazhassi Raja: The Royal Rebel...
- AttingalAttingalAttingal is a town and a municipality in the Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala state, India, bounded by the Mamom and Vamanapuram rivers. It is situated 30 km to the north of state capital of Thiruvananthapuram.-Demographics:...
- KeralaKeralaor Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
- Royal FamilyRoyal familyA royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
- Marthanda VarmaMarthanda VarmaMarthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
Ancient Tamil Dynasties
- Chera DynastyChera dynastyChera Dynasty in South India is one of the most ancient ruling dynasties in India. Together with the Cholas and the Pandyas, they formed the three principle warring Iron Age Tamil kingdoms in southern India...
- Ay kingdomAy kingdomThe Ay was the earliest ruling dynasty of the southern parts of present-day Kerala, south India. The Ay kings claimed descent from Yadavas or Ayar....
- Ancient Tamil Kingdoms