SWATHITHIRUNAL

ACCESSION TO POWER

Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma was born on the 16^th April 1813as the son of Rani Gouri Lakshmi Bhai, the ruling Queen and Rajaraja Varma Valia Koil Tampuran of Changanassery. Swathi Thirunal was a ‘Yajurvedic, Baudhayana, Dwija Kshatriya and belonged to the Bhargava Gothra’.¹ The prince was born under peculiar circumstances. The land which was consolidated and set on a firm footing by the great Marthanda Varma and made more settled and peaceful by his illustrious successor Rama Varma popularly known as Dharma Raja. His successor Bala Rama Varma was not blessed with continuous progress for a few years, from 1798 till 1810. But luckily under the guiding hand of Colonel Munro the reign of Rani Gouri Lakshmi Bhai brought in a new era of peace and prosperity.² This happy period of augury was blessed by the birth of Swathi Thirunal. The birth of the prince was celebrated all over the state as an event of great importance. The joy of the King, Queen and even the subjects knew no bounds.³ Their joy was really redoubled at the news at the news that a white elephant was caught from the high range hills soon after the event.⁴ From the very conception he was maharaja as there was no male member in the family to succeed Lakshmi Bhai, his mother. The new born had, therefore the claim for the throne even before he was born and thus he came to be known as Garbhasriman.

The renowned poet Irayimman Tampi of the royal court poured forth in ecstasy his immortal lullaby Omanathinkal Kidavo identifying his baby master with all that is noble, valuable and wonderful in the world.⁵ So great was the general rejoicing that even Colonel Munro presented a silver umbrella set with emerald pendants to Sri Padhmanabha Swami to mark the occasion.⁶

The prince was named after Rama Varma, but he was called Swathi Thirunal. According to the prevalent practice the prince’s name was associated with the star under which he was born and Rama Varma was born on the day of Swathi star.⁷ The Regent Rani Gowri Lakshmi Bhai could not proclaim Swathi Thirunal as the Maharaja before proclaiming him as a Sri Padmanabha Dasa. The religious ceremony that makes a Prince of the Royal house a Sri Padmanabha Dasa is performed in front of the Deity on the Ottakkal Mandapam, the single stone platform in front of the Sanctum Sanctorum. A Prince of the Royal family was allowed to be entering even inside the outer wall of the temple only when he completes one year of age or thereafter.⁸ When the news of the birth of a male heir to the throne of Travancore reached the Governor General, he ordered that the young Prince should be proclaimed as the Maharaja and that the Queen should step down and rules the country as the Regent. It was a problem for Rani because Swathi Thirunal was only four months old when the instruction from Lord Minto reached Rani Gowri Lakshmi Bhai. She could not break the laws of the temple and of her family, and at the same time she could not disobey the instructions of the East India Company. So she was under compulsion to solve the problem by satisfying both the religious and family obligations on the one side and the political on the other. In 30^th of Mithunam 988 M.E. Rani Gowri Lakshmi Bhai informed the Madras Government through the Resident Colonel Munro that the month of Karkataka was not favourable for the proclamation according to the religious belief and customs. And as there were only just two days for the Karkataka month to begin, there was not enough time to make the arrangements either. She also conveyed that the proclamation declaring Swathi Thirunal as the Maharaja would be issued in the month of Chingam (Avani-Leo).The Madras Government transmitted the Queen’s words to Governor General.

The matter was discussed at various levels by eminent scholars and finally a solution was presented before Rani Gowri lakshmi Bhai. The suggestion was that the ceremony could be conducted in the Natakasala of the temple in the first instance, as a temporary arrangement. Then, when Swathi Thirunal attained one year of age, the ceremony could be repeated with all the accessories, on the Ottakkal Mandapam as is the usual custom. The Queen was much relieved by this suggestion and thus on the 28^th of August 1813, Gowri Lakshmi Bhai, with the blessings of all, took the four month old baby to the Natakasala. With the accompaniments of Mangalavadya and the chanting of Mantras, the then Chief priest of Sri Padmanabha Swami temple, brought Theertha and Prasada and sprinkling them on Swathi Thirunal and proclaimed him Sri Padmanabha Dasa.⁹ The next ceremony, by which he became the Maharaja, was also performed. Along with sandal and flowers the Udavaal was given to Swathi Thirunal by the Chief priest Machipurath Narayanan Kesavan. When the baby hand of four month old Swathi Thirunal curled around the hilt of that sword, he became the Administrator of Travancore, to rule the land on behalf of Sri Padmanabha who was the real king of Travancore. It may be remembered that the sword seen in the portraits of Swathi Thirunal does not represent kingly might or material power, it is the ‘Insignial’ sword of Sri Padmanabha and only a Sri Padmanabha Dasa could hold it. Thus both obligations, that of making Swathi Thirunal a Sri Padmanabha Dasa and proclaiming him as the Maharaja were performed on the same day. The Maharani then issued a proclamation for the knowledge of all that, Swathi Thirunal had become the Maharaja of Travancore and that she would rule the country as the Regent till he attained majority.¹⁰

On the 4^th May 1814 Swathi Thirunal completed one year of age and both the ceremonies were repeated with great devotion and grandeur on the Ottakkal Mandapam and at the Kodimaram. In the long history of the Royal family of Travancore, only Swathi Thirunal has the unique distinction of being made a Sri Padmanabha Dasa twice in his life.¹¹ The Queen mother continues in the office as the Regent of the infant Maharaja. In 1815 Rani Lakshmi Bhai gave birth to another prince, Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma. But soon after, the Rani died prematurely. Subsequently Rani Parvathi Bhayi was declared as Regent. She ruled over the State till Swathi Thirunal became the king in 1829.

Childhood and Education

Swathi Thirunal was a sagacious person who displayed qualities of intelligence and talent even from his childhood. When he was at the age of seven and his brother at five, their education began. The education of the prince was done under the direct supervision of his aunt, Rani Gowri Parvathi Bhayi and father Rajaraja Varma Valia Koil Tampuran. Colonel Munro also paid personal attention in the matter and appointed a very competent scholar and tutor Kochupilla Variar of Haripad to teach Sanskrit and Malayalam to the Maharaja. Instructions in the Sastras and Sanskrit were supplemented by his father Rajaraja Varma.¹²

The Mastery of a number of languages was considered as an accomplishment during his days. According to the Ramavarma Vijaya, a contemporary literary work, Swathi Thirunal achieved proficiency in eighteen languages.¹³ He had gained much proficiency in Sanskrit, English, Persian, Hindustani, Marathi, Telugu, Karnatic, Tamil and Malayalam.¹⁴ He was a good scholar in Sanskrit. This has been vouched by the other scholars as well.¹⁵

Special care was taken to educate the Maharaja in the English language for the whole of India was under the direct control of the British and communication with the rest of India and with the British therefore was possible only in English. Among his many tutors the most outstanding was Subha Rao who taught him English.¹⁶ Subha Rao of Tanjore , who was, to a great extent responsible for making Swathi Thirunal what he was. Being an all round scholar, this ‘English Subha Rao’ as he was known, who later became Diwan, taught Swathi Thirunal Political science, Ethics and miscellaneous subject including even Music, in addition to English and Marathi. Telugu was taught by one Subbarama Bhagavatar, Persian by the Syed Nizam Moidu and later by Mohideen Shah and Marathi by Sesha Panditar. Swathi Thirunal was always contemplative even from boyhood. Philosophy was always dear to him. Sivaramaguru known as Kshirabdhi Sastri taught him Advaita Vedanta.¹⁷

Colonel Welsh speaks in very high terms of the attainments of the prince in English and other languages, even though he was only a boy of thirteen at that time. Colonel Welsh, a commandant of the British force, has recorded a very high opinion of his versatile abilities in his Military Reminiscences in 1825.

“I had the opportunity of witnessing the studies of the young Rajas in private, and forming an estimate of their progressive acquirement and abilities... The elder boy [Swathi Thirunal], now thirteen... read a chapter of Malcolm’s Central India, the Governor General’s Persian letter on the capture of Rangoon, a passage in Sanskrit and in Malayalam and seemed equally clear at each...which as jaw meter to measure the earth, and that many of our mathematical terms were also derived from the same source such as hexagon, heptagon, octagon, decagon, duo decagon, etc... to the Masnud the moment he had attained his sixteenth year.”.¹⁸ This gives an idea of the range of his studies and his linguistic proficiency. In a letter written to his brother at Pudukotta in August 1827, Subha Rao states:

“The Prince has already made considerable progress in his learning, anyway my conscience assures me that I have done my duty sincerely as a tutor, because the liberal knowledge he has acquired under my tuition by the study of Ethics, Mathematics, History and Logic is think adequate to render him worthy of the rank he is destined to hold in society¹⁹.”

Swathi Thirunal received a very sound education in the theory and practice of music. The royal family of Travancore has been famous for its liberal patronage to art and literature. Maharaja Swathi Thirunal was not an exception to this. The early lessons in practical music were given him by Karamana Subrahmanya Bhagavatar, a prominent member of the troupe of musicians attached to the royal house-hold²⁰. Tanjore Subha Rao taught the Maharaja Carnatic music in its refined form as current in Tanjore. It was Meruswami otherwise known as Ananta Padmanabha Goswami, a Maratha saint singer who initiated the Maharaja in the intricacies of Carnatic music and made him a Nadopasaka.²¹ Swathi Thirunal also received sound knowledge in music from the great musicians like Vativelu and his brothers, popularly known as Tanjore Quartette. Literary activities of various kinds emerged spontaneously from his mighty intellect. In the fields of acrobatics, wrestling, magic, painting and carving, in short, in all branches of art, Swathi Thirunal showed great interest and thorough understanding. Thus Swathi Thirunal attained much knowledge in art, architecture, music, and dance and even in painting. A musician and musical composer of rare talent, Swathi Thirunal’s reign was the encouragement of fine arts in Travancore.²²

Enthronement

The Upanayana ceremony of Swathi Thirunal was conducted on the 18^th of January1828. Since the Upanayana was conducted around the age of fourteen along with the Samavartana, the Kshatriyas of Kerala were considered as having attained their majority, when the Samavarthana was over. Even though the Prince Rama Varma was proclaimed Maharaja of Travancore on 28^th July 1813, he formally assumed direct charge of the administration at the age of sixteen. When Rani Gowri Lakshmi Bhai died, Swathi Thirunal was very young and so Rani Gowri Parvathi Bhai had to act as the Regent of the country. The illustrious sovereign was really the king of Travancore from the very day of his birth, but His Highness having now attained his majority, was formally installed on the masnud in his sixteenth year, and assumed charge of affairs from the Regent Rani Gouri Parvathi Bhai on the 10^th Madom 1004 M.E [21^st April 1829. AD]. In the year 1829, Swathi Thirunal assumed sovereignty over the country through a royal proclamation²³ and the coronation of the Raja took place in the same year. The ground was well prepared for Rama Varama to effect numerous reforms to bring peace and prosperity to the state. Notwithstanding his youth, His Highness’s aptness for the right discharge of the functions devolving on him was something wonderful. Besides, His Highness was fortunate in receiving the kingdom from the hands of Rani in a most flourishing condition, the result of the judicious administration of the last eighteen years by two of His Highness predecessors, his mother Lakshmi Bhayi and his aunt Parvathi Bhayi, the financial state of the country was promising. The state contained a very contented population and the machinery of the administration was worked by the best agencies.²⁴

The young Maharaja had also the advantages of the advice of his worthy father, the able tutor, the meritorious Diwan, and many experienced persons. The Resident Colonel Morison was also a staunch supports of the Maharaja. These auspicious circumstances and advantages, and His Highness talents and the requisite qualifications gave prospects of a happy and glorious reign to which the people in general looked forward with feeling of pleasure.²⁵ The reign of Swathi Thirunal was a ‘Golden Age’ in the history of modern Travancore.

Swathi Thirunal had two wives. He married a commoner Narayani Pillai Thankachi of Thiruvattar in 1830²⁶, attracted by her proficiency in veena. An Amma veedu was constructed for her outside the west Fort in Trivandrum, sixteen years later. The reason for this obscurity is said to be purely personal and private. But it is said that their relations were however, strained for some time and piece of lyric was composed by Irayimman Tampi for reconciliation. There is also another view that in course of time Swathi Thirunal married Sugandha Valli, a dancer from Tanjore - that too due to her extraordinary skill in dancing.

When Swathi Thirunal assumed the reigns of administration, from then onwards he bestowed his personal attention on the affairs of the state. The young prince ruled the country with great courage and expectations. Even though the King ruled so efficiently, the Company officials had their own doubts about the capability of the young prince. So they sent Lushington, Governor of Madras to Travancore. The Governor of Madras, Mr. Lushington, paid a visit to Travancore and had an interview with the young Prince at Quilon, in the early part of August 1830. His Excellency, the Governor was highly delighted with the affability, intelligence, wisdom and gentlemanly disposition of His Highness.²⁷ The Object of this visit of the Governor – appears to have been to satisfy himself as to the qualifications of so young a Prince for ruling Travancore. With his talent and proficiency it became clear that he would be very apt for the task to eliminate corruptions in administration and to promote the dignity of the state. The prince began his rule with great hope and confidence to highlight the status of Travancore as a glorious state. Thus, the reign of Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma witnessed an administrative and cultural revival of impressive dimensions.

1 R. P. Raja, New Light on Swathi Thirunal, Trivandrum, 2006, p. 194.

2 Poovathoor Ramakrishna Pillai, Bhaktimanjari of Swathi Thirunal: A Critical Study, Trivandrum, 1993, p. 11.

3 M. Raja Raja Varma, Selected Essays, Trivandrum, 1940, p. 2.

4 P. N. Kunjan Pillai, Sri Swathi Thirunal Maharaja (Mal), Trivandrum, 1950, p. 57.

5 A. H. Fox, The Music of Hindustan, Oxford, 1994, p. 63.

6 V. Nagam Ayya, The Travancore State manual, Vol. I, Delhi, 1989, p.482.

7 Gqwri Kuppuswmi and M. Hariharan, Royal Patronage to Indian Music, Delhi, 1984, p. 113.

8 R. P. Raja, op.cit., p. 199.

9 Ibid, p. 201.

10 Mathilakam Documents, Churuna. 805, Ola. 4-5.

11 R. P. Raja, op.cit., p. 202.

12 S. Venkita Subramonia Iyer, Swathi Thirunal and His Music, Trivandrum, 1975, p. 5.

13 S. Venkita Subramonia Iyer, ‘The Ramavijaya Champu’, The Journal of Oriental Manuscript Library, Vol.XVI, Trivandrum, 1967.

14 P. Shungoonny Menon, A History of Travancore, Madras, 1878, p. 312.

15 T. K. Velu Pillai, The Travancore State Manual, Vol.II, Trivandrum, 1940, p. 546.

16 P. N. Kunjan Pillai, op.cit., pp. 17-18,

17 Gowri Kuppuswami and M.Hariharan, op.cit.

18 P. N. Kunjan Pillai, op.cit., pp. 394-395.

19 S. Venkita Subramonia Iyer, ‘Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and His Times, The Journal of Music Academy, Vol. XXII, Madras, 1951, p. 156.

20 Ibid, p. 157.

21 Gowri Kuppuswami and M. Hariharan, op.cit.

22 A. Sreedhara Menon, A Survey of Kerala History, Kottayam, 1967, p. 269.

23 R. P. Raja, op.cit., p. 205.

24 Selected Proclamations by the Sovereign from 1811-1936, Sri Chitrodaya Huzzur Central Vernacular Records, Series No.1, Trivandrum,1937

25 P. Shungoonny Menon, op.cit., p. 298.

26 Poovathoor Ramakrishna Pillai, op.cit., p. 14.

27 V. Nagam Ayya, op.cit., p. 486.