Sree
Namaskar
Diwali is approaching. Let this Diwali be more blissful without firecrackers. Below is a link to information and videos on a spiritually beneficial way of celebrating Diwali.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/festivals/diwali
Here, you will also find a link to a Saatvik Diwali egreeting which can be sent to friends and family.Wishing you Blissful Diwali celebration.
Regards,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Those who burst fireworks and /firecrackers are Anti-Social, Anti-national and Anti-religious ! - H.H. Dr. Jayant Balaji Athavale
The losses that occur due to fireworks/firecrackers are
1. Physical: Burns, deafness. Many people die in explosions in factories manufacturing fire-crackers. Sometimes, rocket-crackers set fire to huts, heap of dry grass etc. 2. Economic: Terrorists in Pakistan collect funds from people in the name of 'Jihad' (Religious War), saying they will purchase bullets to kill 'Kafirs' (non-believers). The cost of each bullet is Rs.10 /-. With the situation so grim and also because the nation is on the brink of insolvency, it is a sin to burn crores of Rupees on bursting fire-crackers every year. 3. Spiritual: Devotional songs (Aarti) or sattvik sounds attract Divine energies and deities. But noise from crackers, full of 'tama' component, attract distressing energies. This is what we are witnessing today in the country. The Tama-charged environment affects the human mind adversely and man becomes Tama-oriented. Hence we must impress the ill-effects of crackers upon the young minds and stop them from bursting crackers. To read more details, see videos about how to celebrate Diwali in scientific way and to send Sattvik Greetings to friends, visit: http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/festivals/diwali --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "dharmakranti" group. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to dharmakranti-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
Thursday, 8 November 2007
Monday, 9 July 2007
chndragupta
Badass of the Week:
Chandragupta Maurya
This was the only picture of him I could find.
Chandragupta was born in around 300 BC in India and became an incredibly influential character in Indian history. The illegitimate son of the King of India and a peasant woman, Chandragupta was exiled from the kingdom in his youth in order to quiet any claim he had to the throne. Instead of chilling out in the Middle East, Chandragupta waited until the King died and then got together a huge army and headed back to India. His secret weapon was a contingent of nine thousand war elephants that he would feed large quantities of alcohol to prior to battle. The elephants would get drunk and pissed, freak out and trample anything in their way. No one was any match for the intoxicated elephants and Chandragupta overran the area from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal, conquering most of present-day India and declaring himself the ruler of the new Mauryan Empire in 321 BC. The Greeks became wary of Chandragupta, so they crossed into India to battle him. Chandragupta got pissed out and defeated the Greek army, conquered Afghanistan, and then took the Greek Commander’s daughter to be his wife because you know what they say about Greek chicks. They’re hot. What makes Chandragupta totally awesome is that he was totally paranoid out of his mind. He built a huge palace with hundreds of beds and he never slept in the same place twice. He had food testers taste everything he ate and he created the first ever secret police to defend him from assassination. The best part about it though is that he had an entourage of seven hundred female bodyguards that followed him everywhere he went. He said that he trusted females more to defend him and so he compiled his unit from the best Greek and Indian women he could find. That’s just freaking awesome. If I was King I would do the same thing. Chandragupta turned over his empire to his son in 298 BC and went in the desert to become a Jain Monk, where he became so totally X-treme that he fasted himself to death.
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geovisit();
Chandragupta Maurya
This was the only picture of him I could find.
Chandragupta was born in around 300 BC in India and became an incredibly influential character in Indian history. The illegitimate son of the King of India and a peasant woman, Chandragupta was exiled from the kingdom in his youth in order to quiet any claim he had to the throne. Instead of chilling out in the Middle East, Chandragupta waited until the King died and then got together a huge army and headed back to India. His secret weapon was a contingent of nine thousand war elephants that he would feed large quantities of alcohol to prior to battle. The elephants would get drunk and pissed, freak out and trample anything in their way. No one was any match for the intoxicated elephants and Chandragupta overran the area from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal, conquering most of present-day India and declaring himself the ruler of the new Mauryan Empire in 321 BC. The Greeks became wary of Chandragupta, so they crossed into India to battle him. Chandragupta got pissed out and defeated the Greek army, conquered Afghanistan, and then took the Greek Commander’s daughter to be his wife because you know what they say about Greek chicks. They’re hot. What makes Chandragupta totally awesome is that he was totally paranoid out of his mind. He built a huge palace with hundreds of beds and he never slept in the same place twice. He had food testers taste everything he ate and he created the first ever secret police to defend him from assassination. The best part about it though is that he had an entourage of seven hundred female bodyguards that followed him everywhere he went. He said that he trusted females more to defend him and so he compiled his unit from the best Greek and Indian women he could find. That’s just freaking awesome. If I was King I would do the same thing. Chandragupta turned over his empire to his son in 298 BC and went in the desert to become a Jain Monk, where he became so totally X-treme that he fasted himself to death.
Previous Badasses
Back to Main
geovisit();
chandaraguptha
Ghandara Map
Taxila Map
Khashas & Maghada Maps
Camp Detail
The Burning BlueThe Battle of Britain, 1940-->
Chandragupta brings the art of war in ancient India to GMT's "Great Battles of History" Series. Beginning with Chandragupta Maurya's victories over the Nanda clan, the game follows the brief but rapid rise of the Mauryan dynasty, from Chandragupta's expulsion of Seleucus from the Indus river valley to the conquest of the last independent kingdom on the subcontinent, Kalinga, by his grandson Ashoka. The Mauryan empire became the largest and most powerful in India's history - a distinction that would remain unchallenged until the arrival of the Mughals some 1,700 years later.
Chandragupta simulates the traditional "four-fold" division of the Indian military system, with the elephant corps reigning supreme, and the hordes of light infantry regarded as little more than fodder for chariots' wheels and trampling pachyderms. Chariots still play a prominent role on the Indian battlefield of the era, but the cavalry, with its versatility and endurance, is a potent competitor. In Chandragupta, victory goes to the commander who can master the unique aspects of the differing Indian military "classes" - the professional, lifelong soldiers called Maulas, the mercenary levies, unpredictable tribal allies, and the militias of the powerful trade guilds. While Maulas and mercenaries are commanded under a single hierarchical command structure, the tribals and the trade guilds are led by independent chiefs.
Units include cataphracted elephants, "heavy" four- (and sometimes eight-!) wheeled chariots, and even an "elCH" unit - yes, elephant-pulled chariots. Rules include Combined Chariot/Infantry and Elephant/Infantry lines, Dharmayudda or "just" warfare, Guild enmity, and Tribal loyalty. EL units can even breach camp walls and pull down city gates (if they don't rampage first).
Fans of GBoH will appreciate the exciting variety in Chandragupta's scenarios, from huge set-piece battles on flat plains, to tribal suppressions, a night assault on a military camp, and street fighting in the city of Takshashila. Chandragupta is the 13th volume in the series.
Battles:
Pataliputra (319 BC) - Chandragupta's mentor, the Brahmin Chanakya, brashly challenges the Nanda dynasty with a cadre of mercenaries.
Maghada (317 BC) - Chandragupta again confronts the Nandas, who are this time led by the formidable general Bhadrasala.
Mayalaketu (317 BC) - Chanakya attacks the turncoat general Mayalaketu and his rebel army in camp.
Takshashila (316 BC) - the Thracian general Eudamus, allied to Indian king Ambhi, defends the city of Takshashila against Chandragupta's assault.
Gandhara (304 BC) - former officer of Alexander the Great, now "Master of Babylonia," Seleucus I Nicator crosses the Indus river to invade Gandhara, and is confronted by the Mauryan army at the river's banks.
Revolt in the Provinces (275 BC) - Chandragupta's grandson, Ashoka, brings a relief force to lift a rebel siege of Takshashila and rescue the aging Chanakya who is holed up in the city's palace.
Khashas (274 BC) - Chandragupta's son, Bhindusara, puts down a confederation of the independent Khasha kings with an attack on their mountain strongholds.
Kalinga (261 BC) - the most famous battle of the Mauryan era, Ashoka's army attacks the kingdom of Kalinga in a huge - and bloody -- set-piece battle.
Wednesday, 4 July 2007
say aginst the fasisom
M F Hussain selected for Raja Ravi Varma Award
Thiruvananthapuram, May 12: M F Hussain has been selected for Kerala government's prestigious Raja Ravi Varma Award. Announcing this year's award, education and culture minister M A Baby said the award comprising Rs.1.25 lakh in cash prize, a citiation and a plaque would be presented to Hussain on his birthday on September 17.
Baby informed Hussain over telephone about Kerala government's award from the venue of the press conference. Hussain expressed happiness over getting the award instituted in the name of the great artist Raja Ravi Varma, Baby told reporters. The jury was chaired by well-known artist Vivan Sundram. The other members were Ajayakumar, C N Karunakaran and Razia Soni.
Source: http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=370931&sid=REG
Does Hussain deserve award or punishment?
Paintings by Raja Ravi Varma
Paintings by MF Hussain
Goddess Lakshmi
Goddess Lakshmi naked on Shree Ganesh's head
Famous Saraswati Painting
Naked Saraswati
Ravan, Sita and Jatayu(As per Ramayana)
Naked Lord Hanuman and Goddess Sita sitting on thigh of Ravana
Source: Book - Husain: Drawing, painting, water colour, graphic, sculpture, architecture, photography, tapestry
By Daniel Alan HerwitzCALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
HJS Letter to Kerala Government
What can you do?
1. Sign the online petition below.
2. NRI Hindus can register their protest and demands with respective Indian Embassy.
3. Local Hindus can pressurize government to cancel this award.
4. Spread this message to as many Hindus as you can using your friends network, groups, online communities etc. Tell your friends
Thank you for signing and supporting the noble cause!
» 'ABHILASHKUMAR' - Thank you for protest» 'AKHILESH' - Thank you for protest
Note - To prevent illegal usage of email address, we need to confirm the validity of email address. We have sent you an email, please click on the link in the email to confirm your signature. Only then protest e-letter will be submitted. If you have already entered the protest , it will not be added again. Currently, your e-letter is awaiting confirmation of email.
> Visit latest defamations
[^Top]
Major Success: ABN Amro withdraws credit card with MF Hussain's art
Jim Brown, Head of Consumer Clients, Asia, ABN Amro has informed HJS that ABN Amro Bank has withdrawn the credit cards carrying MF Hussain's painting.
Letter to HJS says - ABN Amro has decided that:
the card will not be launched in any other country;
all marketing promotions have been stopped; and
a new card is being developed and will be issued with an image from another prominent Indian artist.
HJS pays gratitute to God and thanks all alert Hindus for prompt support.
Read Letter from ABN Amro
Protest Credit Card with Hussain's Art
Singapore: A new credit card issued by Dutch bank ABN Amro is showcasing the art of M F Hussain. Bank said on Monday that "Picasso of India", M F Hussain will feature on its platinum card that is available for local Singaporeans and expatriate Indians.
Suhail Chandra, head of consumer clients, said Singapore representatives explained to the artist that they wanted to put "Hussain in everyone's pocket and make sure we can get people to wake up to a Hussain image every time they use the card".
Source:New credit card features work of famed artist MF HusainA credit card with M F Hussain's art
> Refer Letters sent by alert Hindus to ABN AMRO
> HJS Letter to ABN Amro
[^Top]
M F Hussain's Hypocrisy
Be a judge yourself of Hussain's paintings below.
Goddess Durga in sexual union with Tiger
Prophet's Daughter Fatima fully clothed
Goddess Lakshmi naked on Shree Ganesh's head
M.F. Hussain's Mother fully clothed
Naked Saraswati
Mother Teresa fully clothed
Naked Shri Parvati
Hussain's Daughter well clothed
Naked Draupadi.
Well clothed Muslim Lady.
Naked Lord Hanuman and Goddess Sita sitting on thigh of Ravana
Muslim poets Faiz, Galib are shown well-clothed
Full Clad Muslim King and naked Hindu Brahmin. The above painting clearly indicates Hussain's tendency to paint any Hindu as naked and thus his hatred.
Naked Bharatmata - Hussain has shown naked woman with names of states written on different parts of her body. He has used Ashok Chakra, Tri-colour in the painting. By doing this he has violated law & hurt National Pride of Indians. Both these things should be of grave concern to every Indian irrespective of his religion.
Out of the four leaders M. Gandhi is decapitated and Hitler is naked. Hussain hates Hitler and has said in an interview 8 years ago that he has depicted Hitler naked to humiliate him and as he deserves it ! How come Hitler's nudity cause humiliation when in Hussain's own statement nudity in art depicts purity and is in fact an honour ! This shows Hussain's perversion and hypocrisy.
Conclusion M.F. Hussain depicts the deity or person he hates as naked. He shows Prophet's Mother, his own mother, daughter, all the Muslim personalities fully clothed, but at the same time Hindus and Hindu deities along with Hitler are shown naked. This proves his hatred for the Hindus. For other obscene paintings, click hereDisclaimer - These obscene paintings have been given space here, only with an intention to highlight the hurt Hussain has caused to the Hindus. It is painful otherwise to reproduce this work. It is not our intention to further hurt the sentiments of Hindus. See what people think and voice your opin
Thiruvananthapuram, May 12: M F Hussain has been selected for Kerala government's prestigious Raja Ravi Varma Award. Announcing this year's award, education and culture minister M A Baby said the award comprising Rs.1.25 lakh in cash prize, a citiation and a plaque would be presented to Hussain on his birthday on September 17.
Baby informed Hussain over telephone about Kerala government's award from the venue of the press conference. Hussain expressed happiness over getting the award instituted in the name of the great artist Raja Ravi Varma, Baby told reporters. The jury was chaired by well-known artist Vivan Sundram. The other members were Ajayakumar, C N Karunakaran and Razia Soni.
Source: http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=370931&sid=REG
Does Hussain deserve award or punishment?
Paintings by Raja Ravi Varma
Paintings by MF Hussain
Goddess Lakshmi
Goddess Lakshmi naked on Shree Ganesh's head
Famous Saraswati Painting
Naked Saraswati
Ravan, Sita and Jatayu(As per Ramayana)
Naked Lord Hanuman and Goddess Sita sitting on thigh of Ravana
Source: Book - Husain: Drawing, painting, water colour, graphic, sculpture, architecture, photography, tapestry
By Daniel Alan HerwitzCALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
HJS Letter to Kerala Government
What can you do?
1. Sign the online petition below.
2. NRI Hindus can register their protest and demands with respective Indian Embassy.
3. Local Hindus can pressurize government to cancel this award.
4. Spread this message to as many Hindus as you can using your friends network, groups, online communities etc. Tell your friends
Thank you for signing and supporting the noble cause!
» 'ABHILASHKUMAR' - Thank you for protest» 'AKHILESH' - Thank you for protest
Note - To prevent illegal usage of email address, we need to confirm the validity of email address. We have sent you an email, please click on the link in the email to confirm your signature. Only then protest e-letter will be submitted. If you have already entered the protest , it will not be added again. Currently, your e-letter is awaiting confirmation of email.
> Visit latest defamations
[^Top]
Major Success: ABN Amro withdraws credit card with MF Hussain's art
Jim Brown, Head of Consumer Clients, Asia, ABN Amro has informed HJS that ABN Amro Bank has withdrawn the credit cards carrying MF Hussain's painting.
Letter to HJS says - ABN Amro has decided that:
the card will not be launched in any other country;
all marketing promotions have been stopped; and
a new card is being developed and will be issued with an image from another prominent Indian artist.
HJS pays gratitute to God and thanks all alert Hindus for prompt support.
Read Letter from ABN Amro
Protest Credit Card with Hussain's Art
Singapore: A new credit card issued by Dutch bank ABN Amro is showcasing the art of M F Hussain. Bank said on Monday that "Picasso of India", M F Hussain will feature on its platinum card that is available for local Singaporeans and expatriate Indians.
Suhail Chandra, head of consumer clients, said Singapore representatives explained to the artist that they wanted to put "Hussain in everyone's pocket and make sure we can get people to wake up to a Hussain image every time they use the card".
Source:New credit card features work of famed artist MF HusainA credit card with M F Hussain's art
> Refer Letters sent by alert Hindus to ABN AMRO
> HJS Letter to ABN Amro
[^Top]
M F Hussain's Hypocrisy
Be a judge yourself of Hussain's paintings below.
Goddess Durga in sexual union with Tiger
Prophet's Daughter Fatima fully clothed
Goddess Lakshmi naked on Shree Ganesh's head
M.F. Hussain's Mother fully clothed
Naked Saraswati
Mother Teresa fully clothed
Naked Shri Parvati
Hussain's Daughter well clothed
Naked Draupadi.
Well clothed Muslim Lady.
Naked Lord Hanuman and Goddess Sita sitting on thigh of Ravana
Muslim poets Faiz, Galib are shown well-clothed
Full Clad Muslim King and naked Hindu Brahmin. The above painting clearly indicates Hussain's tendency to paint any Hindu as naked and thus his hatred.
Naked Bharatmata - Hussain has shown naked woman with names of states written on different parts of her body. He has used Ashok Chakra, Tri-colour in the painting. By doing this he has violated law & hurt National Pride of Indians. Both these things should be of grave concern to every Indian irrespective of his religion.
Out of the four leaders M. Gandhi is decapitated and Hitler is naked. Hussain hates Hitler and has said in an interview 8 years ago that he has depicted Hitler naked to humiliate him and as he deserves it ! How come Hitler's nudity cause humiliation when in Hussain's own statement nudity in art depicts purity and is in fact an honour ! This shows Hussain's perversion and hypocrisy.
Conclusion M.F. Hussain depicts the deity or person he hates as naked. He shows Prophet's Mother, his own mother, daughter, all the Muslim personalities fully clothed, but at the same time Hindus and Hindu deities along with Hitler are shown naked. This proves his hatred for the Hindus. For other obscene paintings, click hereDisclaimer - These obscene paintings have been given space here, only with an intention to highlight the hurt Hussain has caused to the Hindus. It is painful otherwise to reproduce this work. It is not our intention to further hurt the sentiments of Hindus. See what people think and voice your opin
Monday, 2 July 2007
THE MALAYALAM
സുകുമാര പുത്രനെഴുതിയ ഒരു തപാലിനുള്ള മറുപടി ..നീളമല്പ്പം കൂടിയതിനാല് ഇവിടേയും പോസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്യുന്നു.ആദ്യം ഇവിടെ ഞെക്കി അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ തപാല് വായിയ്ക്കുകരാമ വാനരപ്പാലവും നാസയും -ഒരു കമന്റ്
ഭാരതത്തിനും ശ്രീലങ്കയ്ക്കുമിടയ്ക്ക് ഇത്തരമൊരു പാലമുള്ളത് ആദ്യമായികിട്ടുന്ന അറിവാണെന്ന് തോന്നുന്നില്ല.
അങ്ങ് കാണിച്ചിരിയ്ക്കുന്ന ചിത്രങ്ങള് ഫോര്വേഡഡ് ഈ- എഴുത്തുകളായി കുറേ നാളായി കാണുന്നുണ്ട്.
ശരിയ്ക്കും പറയുകയാണെങ്കില് പാക് കടലിടുക്കില് സ്വാഭാവികമായോ അല്ലാതേയോ ചെറു ചെറു ദ്വീപുകളും പവിഴപ്പുറ്റുകളും ചേര്ന്ന ഒരു പാലം പണ്ടു മുതലേ കണ്ടിട്ടുണ്ട്..പണ്ട് മുതലേ എല്ലാവര്ക്കും അറിയാവുന്നതാണിത്
(മദ്രാസ് പ്രസിഡന്സിയിലെ Robert Palk,(1755-1763 എന്ന ഗവര്ണര് ജനറലിന്റെ ഓര്മ്മയ്ക്കായാണ് ഈ കടല്ലിടുക്കിന് പാക് കടലിടുക്ക് എന്ന പേരു വന്നത്.).
.ആ ദ്വീപുകളില് രാമേശ്വരം ദ്വീപു മുതല് ആ ദ്വീപിന്റെ മുനമ്പായ ധനുഷ്കോടി വരെ ഭാരതത്തില് ഉള്ളവര്ക്ക് പ്രാപ്യമാണ് താനും.രാമേശ്വരം വരെ നാം പാമ്പന് പാലം എന്ന പേരില് റോഡ് ഗതാഗതവും ഉണ്ടാക്കിയിട്ടുണ്ട്.അവിടുന്നങ്ങോട്ട് ശ്രീലങ്ക വരെ ചെറുചെറു ദ്വീപുകളും ആഴം കുറഞ്ഞ സമുദ്രഭാഗവും പവിഴപ്പുറ്റുകളും ചേര്ന്നു കിടക്കുന്ന സമുദ്രഭാഗത്തിനേയാണ് നാം രാമന്റെ പാലമെന്നോ ആഡംസ് പാലമെന്നോ ഒക്കെ പറയുന്നത്.
ഈ പാലം മനുഷ്യനിര്മ്മിതമായാലും അല്ലെങ്കിലും ഭാരതത്തിലേയും ശ്രീലങ്കയിലേയും ജീവിതത്തിനെ ഒരുപാട് സ്വാധീനിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.ബംഗാള് ഉള്ക്കടലിലെ മത്സ്യബന്ധനം, കാലാവസ്ഥ, വേലിയേറ്റവും വേലിയിറക്കവും വഴിയുണ്ടാകുന്ന സമുദ്രത്തിലേയും കരയിലേയും വ്യതിയാനങ്ങള് ഇതിനെയൊക്കെ ഈ കടലിടുക്കിലെ പാലം പോലെയുള്ള ആഴം കുറഞ്ഞ ഭാഗം സ്വാധീനിയ്ക്കുന്നു.
വികിപീഡിയയില് നിന്നുള്ള വിവരങ്ങളനുസരിച്ച് ഭാരതീദാസന് സര്വകലാശാല ഈ കടലിടുക്കിന് ഏതാണ്ട് 3500 വര്ഷത്തെ പഴക്കമെ കാണുന്നുള്ളൂ.അതിനും മുന്നേ ഉള്ളതാണെന്നും അല്ല ഇതു സ്വാഭാവികമായ ആഴം കുറഞ്ഞ കടലിടുക്കാണെന്നുമൊക്കെ വാദങ്ങളുണ്ട്.
ഇതിന് നാസയാണോ ആഡംസ് പാലം എന്നു പേരുകൊടുത്തതെന്ന് നാം ഒന്നുകൂടി ആലോചിയ്ക്കേണ്ടതുണ്ട്.എന്റെ പ്രാഥമിക പഠനകാലം മുതല്ക്കേ ഈ ആഡംസ് പാലത്തിനേപറ്റി കേള്ക്കുന്നതാണ്.
ഇതിഹാസങ്ങള്ക്കും മറ്റും ചരിത്രപരമായ തെളിവുകണ്ടുപിടിയ്ക്കുന്നത് നല്ലതു തന്നെ.പക്ഷേ കിട്ടുന്ന വിവരങ്ങള് ആദ്യം ശരിയാണൊ എന്നു നാം പരിശോധിയ്ക്കേണ്ടതുണ്ട്. മറ്റൊന്ന് ഭാരതീയ ഇതിഹാസങ്ങളോടും ചിന്താരീതിയോടുമൊക്കെ നാം സമരസപ്പെടേണ്ടത് അതിനെ ശരിയായി മനസ്സിലാക്കുക എന്ന ഒരൊറ്റ കാര്യം ചെയ്തുകൊണ്ട് മാത്രമാണ്.പതിനേഴു ലക്ഷം കൊല്ലം മുന്പ് നടന്നതെന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്ന ഒന്നല്ല രാമായണത്തിന്റെ സാംഗത്യം.അതു പ്രേതകഥകള് പറയുന്ന പോലെ പറയാനുള്ള ഒന്നുമല്ല (എന്റെ അഭിപ്രായം.)
ഇതിഹാസങ്ങള്, പുരാണങ്ങള് എന്നതൊക്കെ മനസ്സിലാക്കുന്നത് അതിന്റേതായ ഒരു രീതിശാസ്ത്രമുപയോഗിച്ചു വേണം.ആ രീതിശാസ്ത്രം പഠിയ്ക്കേണ്ടത് ഒരു സദ്ഗുരുവിന്റടുത്തുനിന്നും വേണം താനും..അത് ഏതു മതക്കാരനായാലും കുഴപ്പമില്ല.മനുഷ്യന് പോലുമാകണമെന്നില്ല.
അല്ലാതെ പണ്ട് രാമനെന്ന ഒരു രാജകുമാരന് രാവണനെന്ന ഒരു തെമ്മാടിയെ തന്റെ പെണ്ണുമ്പിള്ളയെ തട്ടിക്കൊണ്ടുപോയ ദേഷ്യത്തിന് ചെന്ന് കൊന്ന് കൊലവിളിച്ചതാണീ രാമകഥ എന്നു പറഞ്ഞിരുന്നാലെന്തു ചെയ്യാന്?ഗൂഗിളിലോ,.വിക്കിപീഡിയയിലോ Palk Strait, Rama's Bridge, എന്നുള്ള താക്കോല് വാക്കുകളുപയോഗിച്ച് പരതിയാല് ഇതിനേപ്പറ്റിയുള്ല പൂര്ണ്ണമായ വിവരങ്ങള് ലഭിയ്ക്കും.
സമയം കിട്ടുമ്പോള് രാമേശ്വരം വരെ പോയി മഹാദേവനെ തൊഴുത്, സമുദ്രത്തിന്റെ തീരത്ത് വച്ച് സകല മറകളും കളയുന്ന ആചാരമായി മനസ്സൊന്ന് മുണ്ഡനം ചെയ്താല് അത്രയുമായി...നേരിട്ട് കാണുകയും ചെയ്യാം.
അതിനല്ലാതെയെന്തിനാണൊരു രാമായണം?പിന്നെ ഇതിന്റെയൊരു പാരിസ്ഥിതിക വശമുണ്ട്..നേരത്തേ പറഞ്ഞതുപോലെ ഈ രാമ-വാനരപ്പാലം (പേരിന്റെ പേരിലൊരു വഴക്കു വേണ്ടാ) ഇടിച്ചു നിരത്തി ഒരു കപ്പല്ച്ചാല് പാക് കടലിടുക്കില്ക്കൂടെയുണ്ടാക്കാന് ഒരു പരിപാടി ഉത്ഘാടം ചെയ്തു കഴിഞ്ഞു. സേതുസമുദ്രം കപ്പല് ചാനല് പ്രൊജക്റ്റ്..
അത് കേരളം തമിഴ്നാട് ഉള്പ്പേടെയുള്ള തീരദേശത്ത് വമ്പന് പാരിസ്ഥിതിക വ്യതിയാനങ്ങള്ക്ക് കാരണമാകുമെന്ന് പറയപ്പെടുന്നു. സുനാമി പോലുള്ള വലിയ സമുദ്രക്കെടുതികളില് നിന്ന് കേരളം ഉള്പ്പേടെയുള്ള തീരത്തെ സംരക്ഷിച്ചു നിര്ത്തുന്നത് സ്വാഭാവികമായ ആഴം കുറഞ്ഞ ഈ പാലമാണത്രേ.തൂത്തുക്കുടി മുഖ്യമായും മറ്റു ചെറു തുറമുഖങ്ങളുടേയും വളര്ച്ച ലക്ഷ്യമിട്ടുണ്ടാക്കുന്ന ഈ കപ്പല് ചാനല് വന്നാല്(പണി തുടങ്ങി എന്നു തോന്നുന്നു?) ഹോങ്ങ് കോങ്ങിലും മറ്റുമടുക്കുന്ന കപ്പലുകളൊക്കെ തൂത്തുക്കുടിയിലടുക്കുമെന്നും ഭാരതത്തിന് വന് സാമ്പത്തിക നേട്ടമാണുണ്ടാകുന്നതെന്നും പറയപ്പെടുന്നു.
പക്ഷേ ഇത് തീരദേശത്തെ വളരേയേറെ പാരിസ്ഥിതികമായി ബാധിയ്ക്കുമെന്ന് ലോകത്തെ വലിയ ശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞന്മാര് വളരെയേറെപ്പേര് മുന്നറിയിപ്പ് തരുന്നുമുണ്ട്.സത്യമ്പറഞ്ഞാല് ആരെ വിശ്വസിയ്ക്കണമെന്നറിയില്ല. ശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞന്മാര് പറഞ്ഞതാണ് കാര്യമെന്നൊക്കെ വിശ്വസിച്ചിരിയ്ക്കുമ്പോഴായിരിയ്ക്കും ഭാരതത്തിന്റെ വികസനം തടയാനായി സീ ഐ എ കാശു കൊടുത്ത് അവരെക്കൊണ്ട് പറയിപ്പിച്ചതാണെന്ന് അറിയുന്നത്.:)
പക്ഷേ ഒരു നല്ലകാര്യവും ഈ രാഷ്ട്രീയക്കാര് ചെയ്യില്ല എന്നുറപ്പുള്ളത് കൊണ്ട് എനിയ്ക്കീ ശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞര് പറയുന്നത് വിശ്വസിയ്ക്കാനാണിഷ്ടം.കാരണം പട്ടിണിയോ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസമില്ലായ്മയോ ഒന്നും മാറ്റാനില്ലാത്ത തിടുക്കമായിരുന്നു അവര്ക്കീ സേതു സമുദ്രം പ്രൊജെക്റ്റ് നടപ്പിലാക്കാനുണ്ടായിരുന്നത്.(പുതിയ സേതുസമുദ്രം പ്രൊജെക്റ്റ്..എന്നു വായിയ്ക്കണം. ചര്ച്ചകള് തുടങ്ങിയിട്ട് നൂറ്റമ്പത് കൊല്ലത്തോളമായി..ബ്രട്ടീഷുകാരാണീ വിദ്യ ആദ്യം പറഞ്ഞു തുടങ്ങിയത്..)
ഭാരതത്തിനും ശ്രീലങ്കയ്ക്കുമിടയ്ക്ക് ഇത്തരമൊരു പാലമുള്ളത് ആദ്യമായികിട്ടുന്ന അറിവാണെന്ന് തോന്നുന്നില്ല.
അങ്ങ് കാണിച്ചിരിയ്ക്കുന്ന ചിത്രങ്ങള് ഫോര്വേഡഡ് ഈ- എഴുത്തുകളായി കുറേ നാളായി കാണുന്നുണ്ട്.
ശരിയ്ക്കും പറയുകയാണെങ്കില് പാക് കടലിടുക്കില് സ്വാഭാവികമായോ അല്ലാതേയോ ചെറു ചെറു ദ്വീപുകളും പവിഴപ്പുറ്റുകളും ചേര്ന്ന ഒരു പാലം പണ്ടു മുതലേ കണ്ടിട്ടുണ്ട്..പണ്ട് മുതലേ എല്ലാവര്ക്കും അറിയാവുന്നതാണിത്
(മദ്രാസ് പ്രസിഡന്സിയിലെ Robert Palk,(1755-1763 എന്ന ഗവര്ണര് ജനറലിന്റെ ഓര്മ്മയ്ക്കായാണ് ഈ കടല്ലിടുക്കിന് പാക് കടലിടുക്ക് എന്ന പേരു വന്നത്.).
.ആ ദ്വീപുകളില് രാമേശ്വരം ദ്വീപു മുതല് ആ ദ്വീപിന്റെ മുനമ്പായ ധനുഷ്കോടി വരെ ഭാരതത്തില് ഉള്ളവര്ക്ക് പ്രാപ്യമാണ് താനും.രാമേശ്വരം വരെ നാം പാമ്പന് പാലം എന്ന പേരില് റോഡ് ഗതാഗതവും ഉണ്ടാക്കിയിട്ടുണ്ട്.അവിടുന്നങ്ങോട്ട് ശ്രീലങ്ക വരെ ചെറുചെറു ദ്വീപുകളും ആഴം കുറഞ്ഞ സമുദ്രഭാഗവും പവിഴപ്പുറ്റുകളും ചേര്ന്നു കിടക്കുന്ന സമുദ്രഭാഗത്തിനേയാണ് നാം രാമന്റെ പാലമെന്നോ ആഡംസ് പാലമെന്നോ ഒക്കെ പറയുന്നത്.
ഈ പാലം മനുഷ്യനിര്മ്മിതമായാലും അല്ലെങ്കിലും ഭാരതത്തിലേയും ശ്രീലങ്കയിലേയും ജീവിതത്തിനെ ഒരുപാട് സ്വാധീനിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.ബംഗാള് ഉള്ക്കടലിലെ മത്സ്യബന്ധനം, കാലാവസ്ഥ, വേലിയേറ്റവും വേലിയിറക്കവും വഴിയുണ്ടാകുന്ന സമുദ്രത്തിലേയും കരയിലേയും വ്യതിയാനങ്ങള് ഇതിനെയൊക്കെ ഈ കടലിടുക്കിലെ പാലം പോലെയുള്ള ആഴം കുറഞ്ഞ ഭാഗം സ്വാധീനിയ്ക്കുന്നു.
വികിപീഡിയയില് നിന്നുള്ള വിവരങ്ങളനുസരിച്ച് ഭാരതീദാസന് സര്വകലാശാല ഈ കടലിടുക്കിന് ഏതാണ്ട് 3500 വര്ഷത്തെ പഴക്കമെ കാണുന്നുള്ളൂ.അതിനും മുന്നേ ഉള്ളതാണെന്നും അല്ല ഇതു സ്വാഭാവികമായ ആഴം കുറഞ്ഞ കടലിടുക്കാണെന്നുമൊക്കെ വാദങ്ങളുണ്ട്.
ഇതിന് നാസയാണോ ആഡംസ് പാലം എന്നു പേരുകൊടുത്തതെന്ന് നാം ഒന്നുകൂടി ആലോചിയ്ക്കേണ്ടതുണ്ട്.എന്റെ പ്രാഥമിക പഠനകാലം മുതല്ക്കേ ഈ ആഡംസ് പാലത്തിനേപറ്റി കേള്ക്കുന്നതാണ്.
ഇതിഹാസങ്ങള്ക്കും മറ്റും ചരിത്രപരമായ തെളിവുകണ്ടുപിടിയ്ക്കുന്നത് നല്ലതു തന്നെ.പക്ഷേ കിട്ടുന്ന വിവരങ്ങള് ആദ്യം ശരിയാണൊ എന്നു നാം പരിശോധിയ്ക്കേണ്ടതുണ്ട്. മറ്റൊന്ന് ഭാരതീയ ഇതിഹാസങ്ങളോടും ചിന്താരീതിയോടുമൊക്കെ നാം സമരസപ്പെടേണ്ടത് അതിനെ ശരിയായി മനസ്സിലാക്കുക എന്ന ഒരൊറ്റ കാര്യം ചെയ്തുകൊണ്ട് മാത്രമാണ്.പതിനേഴു ലക്ഷം കൊല്ലം മുന്പ് നടന്നതെന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്ന ഒന്നല്ല രാമായണത്തിന്റെ സാംഗത്യം.അതു പ്രേതകഥകള് പറയുന്ന പോലെ പറയാനുള്ള ഒന്നുമല്ല (എന്റെ അഭിപ്രായം.)
ഇതിഹാസങ്ങള്, പുരാണങ്ങള് എന്നതൊക്കെ മനസ്സിലാക്കുന്നത് അതിന്റേതായ ഒരു രീതിശാസ്ത്രമുപയോഗിച്ചു വേണം.ആ രീതിശാസ്ത്രം പഠിയ്ക്കേണ്ടത് ഒരു സദ്ഗുരുവിന്റടുത്തുനിന്നും വേണം താനും..അത് ഏതു മതക്കാരനായാലും കുഴപ്പമില്ല.മനുഷ്യന് പോലുമാകണമെന്നില്ല.
അല്ലാതെ പണ്ട് രാമനെന്ന ഒരു രാജകുമാരന് രാവണനെന്ന ഒരു തെമ്മാടിയെ തന്റെ പെണ്ണുമ്പിള്ളയെ തട്ടിക്കൊണ്ടുപോയ ദേഷ്യത്തിന് ചെന്ന് കൊന്ന് കൊലവിളിച്ചതാണീ രാമകഥ എന്നു പറഞ്ഞിരുന്നാലെന്തു ചെയ്യാന്?ഗൂഗിളിലോ,.വിക്കിപീഡിയയിലോ Palk Strait, Rama's Bridge, എന്നുള്ള താക്കോല് വാക്കുകളുപയോഗിച്ച് പരതിയാല് ഇതിനേപ്പറ്റിയുള്ല പൂര്ണ്ണമായ വിവരങ്ങള് ലഭിയ്ക്കും.
സമയം കിട്ടുമ്പോള് രാമേശ്വരം വരെ പോയി മഹാദേവനെ തൊഴുത്, സമുദ്രത്തിന്റെ തീരത്ത് വച്ച് സകല മറകളും കളയുന്ന ആചാരമായി മനസ്സൊന്ന് മുണ്ഡനം ചെയ്താല് അത്രയുമായി...നേരിട്ട് കാണുകയും ചെയ്യാം.
അതിനല്ലാതെയെന്തിനാണൊരു രാമായണം?പിന്നെ ഇതിന്റെയൊരു പാരിസ്ഥിതിക വശമുണ്ട്..നേരത്തേ പറഞ്ഞതുപോലെ ഈ രാമ-വാനരപ്പാലം (പേരിന്റെ പേരിലൊരു വഴക്കു വേണ്ടാ) ഇടിച്ചു നിരത്തി ഒരു കപ്പല്ച്ചാല് പാക് കടലിടുക്കില്ക്കൂടെയുണ്ടാക്കാന് ഒരു പരിപാടി ഉത്ഘാടം ചെയ്തു കഴിഞ്ഞു. സേതുസമുദ്രം കപ്പല് ചാനല് പ്രൊജക്റ്റ്..
അത് കേരളം തമിഴ്നാട് ഉള്പ്പേടെയുള്ള തീരദേശത്ത് വമ്പന് പാരിസ്ഥിതിക വ്യതിയാനങ്ങള്ക്ക് കാരണമാകുമെന്ന് പറയപ്പെടുന്നു. സുനാമി പോലുള്ള വലിയ സമുദ്രക്കെടുതികളില് നിന്ന് കേരളം ഉള്പ്പേടെയുള്ള തീരത്തെ സംരക്ഷിച്ചു നിര്ത്തുന്നത് സ്വാഭാവികമായ ആഴം കുറഞ്ഞ ഈ പാലമാണത്രേ.തൂത്തുക്കുടി മുഖ്യമായും മറ്റു ചെറു തുറമുഖങ്ങളുടേയും വളര്ച്ച ലക്ഷ്യമിട്ടുണ്ടാക്കുന്ന ഈ കപ്പല് ചാനല് വന്നാല്(പണി തുടങ്ങി എന്നു തോന്നുന്നു?) ഹോങ്ങ് കോങ്ങിലും മറ്റുമടുക്കുന്ന കപ്പലുകളൊക്കെ തൂത്തുക്കുടിയിലടുക്കുമെന്നും ഭാരതത്തിന് വന് സാമ്പത്തിക നേട്ടമാണുണ്ടാകുന്നതെന്നും പറയപ്പെടുന്നു.
പക്ഷേ ഇത് തീരദേശത്തെ വളരേയേറെ പാരിസ്ഥിതികമായി ബാധിയ്ക്കുമെന്ന് ലോകത്തെ വലിയ ശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞന്മാര് വളരെയേറെപ്പേര് മുന്നറിയിപ്പ് തരുന്നുമുണ്ട്.സത്യമ്പറഞ്ഞാല് ആരെ വിശ്വസിയ്ക്കണമെന്നറിയില്ല. ശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞന്മാര് പറഞ്ഞതാണ് കാര്യമെന്നൊക്കെ വിശ്വസിച്ചിരിയ്ക്കുമ്പോഴായിരിയ്ക്കും ഭാരതത്തിന്റെ വികസനം തടയാനായി സീ ഐ എ കാശു കൊടുത്ത് അവരെക്കൊണ്ട് പറയിപ്പിച്ചതാണെന്ന് അറിയുന്നത്.:)
പക്ഷേ ഒരു നല്ലകാര്യവും ഈ രാഷ്ട്രീയക്കാര് ചെയ്യില്ല എന്നുറപ്പുള്ളത് കൊണ്ട് എനിയ്ക്കീ ശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞര് പറയുന്നത് വിശ്വസിയ്ക്കാനാണിഷ്ടം.കാരണം പട്ടിണിയോ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസമില്ലായ്മയോ ഒന്നും മാറ്റാനില്ലാത്ത തിടുക്കമായിരുന്നു അവര്ക്കീ സേതു സമുദ്രം പ്രൊജെക്റ്റ് നടപ്പിലാക്കാനുണ്ടായിരുന്നത്.(പുതിയ സേതുസമുദ്രം പ്രൊജെക്റ്റ്..എന്നു വായിയ്ക്കണം. ചര്ച്ചകള് തുടങ്ങിയിട്ട് നൂറ്റമ്പത് കൊല്ലത്തോളമായി..ബ്രട്ടീഷുകാരാണീ വിദ്യ ആദ്യം പറഞ്ഞു തുടങ്ങിയത്..)
Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti-Truth (The supreme Reality) is one but sages call it (God) by different names. Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah-Let all be happy and safe in this world. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam-Whole world in one family. Sarva Bhut Hite Ratah- Work continuously for welfare of every living being. Aatmavat Sarva Bhuteshu-Treat all as your own self. Skill is, Successfully walking on a tightrope over Niagara Falls. Intelligence is, not trying it.
the history of THIRUVANAMTHAPURAM
This volume traces the history of Travancore from the ancient period to the 1930s. The inclusion of copies of hundreds of cadjan leaf records and other original historical documents in this volume add to its worth as a source book on Travancore history.
PREFACE
The work of preparing this Volume spread over a period of four years. It was begun first but finished only after all the other volumes were completed. The preparation of this Volume cost an enormous amount of labour in the field of historical research. What has been hitherto known as the ancient history of Travancore is in the main not authentic. The legend of Parasurama is regarded as the starting point in the history of the West Coast. According to tradition Parasurama was responsible for the political and social organisation of the land of his creation. The theory has received the unquestioning veneration of scholars and historians. The view was accepted and repeated by judges and administrators and applied in the actual decision of law suits. A talented prince of Travancore once wrote to the Calcutta Review that “the Jenmies were sovereign at one time, or rather, they had the power of making or electing sovereigns.” The view had its origin in the monopoly of political power alleged to have been exercised by the Brahman immigrants of the “sixty-four gramams” from their headquarters at Thiruvanchikkulam. But Travancore was beyond their jurisdiction; and functionaries like the Rakshapurushas, Avarodhanampis or the Perumals who exercised political authority in the north had nothing to do with this kingdom at any time. Many unverified Assertions in regard to subsequent history of Travancore are due to the version advertised by certain prominent writers that the rulers of Travancore derived their status and authority from Cheraman Perumal who is said to have partitioned his empire among his sons, nephews and dependents. This position is clearly unsustainable. The arguments in support of the new position are elaborated in the text.
The Keralolpathi and Keralamahathmyam which embody the traditional accounts and are regarded as shedding light on ancient history are not ancient works. They are recent productions of more than doubtful value. The epigraphical records throw valuable light on events of the distant past. But the introductions and notes compiled by the editors of book like the Travancore Archaeological Series are found to perpetuate the versions which have had their origin in stories which acquired an undeserved currency through repetition. There are now numerous books on South Indian history written by competent scholars. But the events which occurred in the West Coast have not elicited adequate attention. The result is that due prominence has not been given to the history of the Cheras, much less to the history of that branch of the original Chera dynasty which has been ruling over Travancore from very early times.
The historian also finds the alternate ascendancy of the Pandyas and the Cholas in Travancore, the disastrous defeats of Travancore by Vijayanagar and Madura and the acknowledgment of their suzerainty, and latterly of the acceptance by this State of the rank of a feudatory of the Nawab of Arcot till at last she entered into a treaty with the English East India Company. But the events and relationships thus catalogued, except the last, have no foundation in truth.
The view of ascendancy of the Pandyas and Cholas rested on an imperfect study of certain inscriptions. But those inscriptions are often nothing more than bombast, and such of them, as for instance the Trivandrum Museum inscription, unfold a different story from what is generally accepted. It shows that, instead of the king of Travancore being defeated by Nedumchadayan, the latter was obliged to save himself by a timely flight from the outskirts of Vilinjam to his own territories, the Travancoreans pursuing him and laying siege to his own fort at Karaikkotta. The story of the Chola conquest of Travancore is equally untenable. What the historians did was to work down from the nebulous phrase Kanthalursalai kalamarutharuliya which finds a prominent place in the Chola inscriptions. The phrase took such possession of the historical imagination and lent itself to such a variety of interpretations that no proper attempt appears to have been made to understand its sense and the limits of its application. On a close examination of the evidence it appears that the theory of victories over Travancore based on it must be abandoned.
Writers on South Indian history often misunderstand proper names, particularly the names of places. There are instances in which confusion of ideas is patent. When mention is found made in Chola inscriptions of victories won in Malanadu or Kerala, they are often interpreted to be successes over Travancore while, in fact, they refer to military successes over the kings who ruled at Thiruvanchikkulam in the later periods. Nor can the reference in epigraphic records to victories in places like Vilinjam and Kottar be interpreted to be victories over Travancore. At the time in which the events are said to have happened there places lay without and beyond Travancore. They were originally in the possession of the Ay kings from whom they passed into the hands of the Pandyas and Cholas. It was only in the 12th century A.D that those places were added to this state.
The alleged supremacy of Sthanu Ravi, Bhaskara Ravi and other rulers of Mahodayapattanam accepted as a fact of true history is equally unsustainable. The question has been subjected to a careful examination which, I trust would show that the old interpretations and the conclusions based thereon cannot be regarded as correct. The kings of Travancore were not “petty rulers” as understood by some historians, but monarchs of great power and resources, who exercised a paramount influence as well beyond the Ghats as in Malabar.
It is often stated that the marriage of Jayasimha with Queen Umsa Devi was the beginning of the resuscitated importance of Travancore. The researches made in the subject have shown that the facts are otherwise. The immediate predecessor of Ravi Varma Samgramadhira whwo assumed imperial sway in south India was Udaya Marthanda Varma, a powerful king, “the lord of eight feudatories.” This is a fact unraveled for the first time.
The evaluation of the work of Samgramadhira Ravi Varma Kulasekhara made by the several writers also appeared to be manifestly defective. Considerable space had therefore to be devoted to the examination of the materials available in inscriptions literary works and ancient documents. Ravi Varma carried his victorious arms over every part of South India as far north as Nellore, proclaimed his imperial authority in the historic city of Kanchipuram, and preserved the religion and culture of the Hindus. The greatness of that king is admitted by all writers. It is however amusing to find some of them suggesting that Ravi Varma’s conquest of South India was “nothing more than a raid.” Other writers take the view that he was “driven out” of Kanchipuram, adopting the argument of the archaeologist based on an inconclusive data mentioned in an inscription which, it may be noted does not make any mention of Ravi Varma’s defeat or his being driven away. The detailed examination of the whole question made in this Volume has, I trust, resulted in a new evaluation of the great work of that king.
The period from the death of Ravi Varma to about 800 M.E. has hitherto been treated as a dark one in the history of Travancore, all the information available being the names of a few kings. But a careful study of the Mathilakam records along with the inscriptions and literary works has led to the discovery of numerous facts relating to the events of the period.
In the preparation of the account of the relations of Travancore with the Portuguese new facts have been gathered and several mistakes which appeared in the older books corrected. The records show that Travancore was then a great and powerful kingdom which not only owned extensive owned extensive territories on the East Coast but also levied tribute from Ceylon. The Portuguese were not able to exercise any control or influence in Travancore as they did in the other states of Malabar.
The expeditions undertaken by Vijayanagar in South India and the scope of the conquests alleged to have been made by her kings and generals are often taken to mean that Travancore was defeated by Achyutharaya and Vithala, the materials on which reliance is placed being the adulatory averments of court poets and the vain-glorious boasts of prasasthi writers. The conflicts between Travancore and Vijayanagar which have hitherto been understood as having led to the victory of the latter were in reality events of an opposite character. The reason for the invasions of Travancore by the Vijayanagar armies and later by the Madura forces is the alleged refusal or failure to pay the promised tribute. Considerable light is thrown on that question by Portuguese records of an unimpeachable value. The undertaking to pay tribute said to have been made by Travancore to Vijayanagar is nothing more than an invention. The battles which were fought by Achyutharaya’s generals and later on by Vithala terminated disastrously for Vijayanagar. This conclusion is rested on an examination of the vast literature on the subject. Books which are usually cited as authorities for the opposite view are seen to perpetuate a wrong version which had its basis in nothing more than the fabled glories of Vijayanagar. Travancore writers, archaeologists among them, have excelled others in broadcasting the wrong accounts and giving them additional currency by repeating the stories in books and reports issued under the authority of the Government. However, the burden of proof in evolving a different conclusion is heavy. I trust that the burden has been discharged. The subordination of Travancore to the Nayaks of Madura is another idle story which some writers have chosen to popularise. The former State Manual avers that from the time of the advent of the Nayakkar forces the Travancore king was paying a tribute to the Madura kingdom. This view is shared by a Travancore writer who contributed an article to the Christian College Magazine in 1904. A Travancore archaeologist went so far afield in finding evidence for this theory in an inscription which he himself described as “hopelessly misspelt, engraved as it must have been by an ignorant stonemason, who, in addition to his illiteracy, appears also to have been an indifferent calligraphist that it is impossible to make any sense out of this curious literacy achievement.” The discussion of the subject in the text is calculated to expose the hollowness of the usual verdict. It may now be confidently asserted that Travancore was never subject to the Madura Nayaks. On the other hand, the Nayaks’ forces sustained signal defeats at the hands of the Travancore armies. If the representation of the events in regard to foreign relations is incorrect, the mistakes made as regards the facts of internal history by previous writers are not less so. The views are apparently rested on the narration of events by Shungoonny Menon in his History of Travancore. The erroneous accounts have found their way into the Administration Reports of the State, where it is stated that the country now comprised in Travancore consisted of four or five separate States, the most important of which were Attingal, Venad, and Desiganad; and it was with these that the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Danes and the English first had relations.”
As regards Attingal the Administration Reports say that Maharaja Marthanda Varma amalgamated the Attingal State with Venad on a treaty engagement that none but the offspring of the Ranis of Attingal should succeed to the amalgamated State. Now, the Ranis of Attingal were and are admittedly members of the Ruling Family; and no prince could become members of the family except as children, natural or adopted, of the Ranis of Attingal. But the erroneous view that the Ranis held Attingal as members of their own independent Kupaka dynasty still finds a place in books on the subject. The whole evidence has therefore been elaborately considered and the conclusion definitely recorded that Attingal was never an independent queendom, but only an estate assigned to the Ranis, the Ruler exercising all political rights as Sovereign and domestic rights as the Karanavan of the Tharavad. The theory of annexation or amalgamation is clearly unsustainable. It has also been explained that the kingdom of Travancore normally extended from the south so far nor as Kannetti. The theory that Elayedathuswarupam and Desinganad were separate states is also proved to be untenable.
There has been a great deal of misunderstanding of actual conditions and events in regard to other matters of internal history. It is often stated that in the ninth century of the Malabar era the kings of Travancore were weak and inefficient with little political authority living in danger of their lives and that the administration of the State as well as the Sri Padmanabhaswami temple at Trivandrum was conducted by the Yogakkar and their partisans the Pillamar. But numerous documents discovered from the Mathilakam archives, some of which are published in the Appendix Volume, prove a state of affairs entirely different. It is a travesty of truth to contend, as the previous writers have done that the king had no authority over the state or the temple. As a matter of fact, the Ruler’s authority was adequate and effective. It is hoped that the section on the temple and the State will serve to remove the misconceptions on the subject.
Closely allied with the removal of the misconception regarding the alleged anti-royal propensities and revolutionary endeavours of the time is the reconstruction of the real history of the period covered by the reigns of Umayamma Rani and Ravi Varma. It has been usual for historians to harp on the helplessness of that queen and the necessity to which she was exposed of saving herself from the machinations of the people by a flight to n to Nedumangad and a fugitive residence there. What is, on the other hand, actually found from the records is that Umayamma Rani had the full support of her people.
In the former State Manual the suggestion is found made that Umayamma Rani was responsible for the murder of Kerala Varma of Puravaliyanad. A careful study of Puthuvathappattu, a contemporary composition, taken along with the acocount narrated by Peter Martin of the murder of a Travancore prince at the time and the entries in the Dynastic Records published in the Kerala Society papers leads to the irresistible conclusion that Kerala Varma met with a tragic fate as the result of his high-handed acts, to which the ministers and other leaders of the people would not submit. The correct date of the incident (872 M.E) has also been established.
On the whole the happenings of the eighth and ninth centuries M.E are thus seen to be a character different from that which former historians have invested them. The stability of Government in Travancore was steadily maintained by the rulers. It is submitted that the differences which arose between the rulers and the ruled are greatly exaggerated. The people, no doubt, stood by their ancient rights and privileges; but they were always loyal to the throne. The kings also were generally fair in their dealings with their people.
Another subject which required a critical examination was the prevailing account of the incident of 1721 A.D at Anjengo where a number of the East India Company’s men are said to have been deliberately murdered. Canter Visscher throws the whole blame on the Rani of Attingal. The old State Manual makes the Ettuvittil Pillamar responsible for the crime. But a close study of the different sources of information has disclosed that the whole trouble arose from a conflict between the unlawful exercise of arbitrary authority by the Anjengo factors, their dishonesty and imprudence and their attempt to make illicit profits by private trade at the expense of the people of the land as well as their masters.
The immediate cause was a scuffle between the Company’s servants and the Muhammadans of the locality. The intrigues of the Dutch had also a considerable share in fomenting the disputes which led to the catastrophe. The slur cast on the Ruling Family by previous writers is thus proved to be absolutely without justification.
The reign of Maharaja Marthanda Varma being an important stage in the history of Travancore, great care has been taken to explain the magnitude of his work with its bearing on the course of events in other parts of South India. So many and so romantic are the prevalent stories of the hair breadth escapes of that king, and so exaggerated the accounts of the opposition said to have been made by influential people in all parts of the country, that the quest for truth was particularly difficult and laborious, and involved deep study and careful exercise of judgment in the selection and rejection of facts. Sufficient space is also devoted to explain Marthanda Varma’s policy towards the Dutch and the English. It is a truism with several writers on the subject that the king, having had no support from his own people, was obliged to depend on foreign mercenaries, that the armies which led him to victory owed their efficiency and fighting skill to D’Lannoy’s discipline, and that the Travancore forts were built by that Flemish soldier after he was taken captive at the battle of Colachel. These assumptions are refuted by statements found in the Mathilakam documents, the Dutch records and the Anjengo papers.
A reasoned attempt has been made to prove that the king was not only the Maker of modern Travancore but also the benefactor of Kerala one who had a considerable share in the political events of the period in South India. When Marthanda Varma ascended the throne of his ancestors the Dutch were powerful in the east. They had settlements in the Pacific and the Indian oceans and a number of fortified places in Ceylon and the Coromandel and Malabar coasts. Most of the Malabar rulers were under their leading strings while some were their acknowledged vassals. It was under Marthanda Varma that inflicted upon them defeat after defeat, put them in complete humiliation, and reduced them to the position of merchants shown of all political ambition. This perspective has not been sufficiently explored by historians. It was therefore deemed necessary to narrate all the relevant facts and explain their import. The several stages in the conquests made by that king have also been explained in chronological sequence. The march of events for which Marthanda Varma was responsible has been shown to be the outcome of a steady policy of national political expansion. The part played by Travancore under Maharaja Rama Varma Karthika Thirunal in settling the political map of South India and helping to promote Pax Britanica is also explained in considerable detail. The suppression of the “irrepressible” Poligars of Tinnevelly and the buttressing of the authority of the Nawab of the Carnatic were achieved by the East India Company with the active help of the Maharaja who sent large armies to fight the enemy at Vasudevanallur, Nellithankavila and many another places. However, the Maharaja was obliged to recognise the formal precedence of the Nawab through the persuasion of the Company'’ officers. The participation of Travancore in the war between the East India Company and Mysore is described in the older books. But the magnitude of her services and her sacrifices, and the value of the assistance which she rendered to the English in the consolidation of their power in South India have not hitherto been adequately treated or clearly explained. An attempt to fill up the gap is made in this Volume.
As regards the success of Travancoreans in the defense of the Travancore Lines ion the northern frontier against Tipu Sultan and the subsequent happenings, all sources of information have been explored. It has been shown that the credit of driving Tipu and baggage goes not to adventitious natural phenomena like the flood in the Periyar, but to the organization, bravery and fighting skill of the Travancoreans who, despite the failure of hopes of help from without which were legitimately expected, offered wonderful resistance in defence of their king and country, and stemmed the tide of destruction until Lord Cornwallis came down to Madras to correct the mistake committed by an inefficient Governor. The triumphs of peace achieved by Maharaja Karthika Tirunal, his contribution to the cause of culture and awakening of a sense of friendliness and a spirit of solidarity among the various sections of his people have also been described.
The reign of Bala Rama Varma was a temporary set-back to the progress of the State. The “innocence” of the ruler and the weakness of a Government dominated by favourites brought about an organised opposition by his subjects. The Maharaja was obliged to send away his favourites and even hand them over to the leaders of the people for such punishment as they deemed fit. No Travancore minister exercised such vast unlimited and undefined authority as Velu Thampi who rose to power on the crest of popular support. At first he strengthened his position with the help of the British Resident, and lent his aid to the acceptance by Travancore of an agreement by which the East India Company came to exercise certain powers of intervention in the affairs of this State. The records show that the Dalawa was ultimately alienated from the East India Company by the impolitic course of conduct pursued by Col. Macaulay, the Resident. An insurrection in the face of the political relationship with the English which had come into being was indefensible. However, a miscalculation of their strength cost the minister his life, besides exposing the State to great difficulties and dangers. An effort has been made to narrate the events gatherable from all the existing sources, to present both sides of the picture, and give a caution to the student of that period of Travancore history not to allow himself to be operated upon by the current accounts which bear sentimental colourings which mar the light of truth.
In regard to later history it may be stated that the general trend of events which shaped the progress of Travancore during the reigns of the Ranis, Gauri Lakshmi Bayi and Gauri Parvathi Bayi has been described in sufficient detail to enable a correct understanding of the rapid strides made by the Government and the people in progressive administration and legislation. The reign of the Rain paved the way top the intervention of the Resident in important matters of internal administration, an intervention which was destined to cause misunderstandings between Swathi Thirunal Maharaja and the representative of the Government of Madras. The account of the reigns of the Maharajas who ruled from 1004 to 1061 M.E., had also to be so greatly amplified that they had to be substantially re-written in the light of additional materials laid under contribution. The growth of institutions and the development of policies are explained in detail.
The reign of Maharaja Sri Mulam Thirunal, one of the longest in the annals of the State and one highly beneficial to the people, is treated with the necessary fullness. The Maharaja lived for twenty years after the publication of the former State Manual. The development of new institutions and the delegation of power in certain matters to the representatives of the people rendered it necessary to wholly rewrite the history of the reign with a new perspective and a much larger scope. The eight years of the reign of His Highness Maharaja Sri Chithra Tirunal have been prolific of events of a momentous character in all departments of public activity. The measures of policy are so numerous and so far reaching in their effect that their immensity and comprehensives baffle description. The work of contemporary evaluation is also delicate. The appreciation recorded by eminent statesmen and thinkers of the empire have been of great assistance in the evaluation of the great achievements of His Highness Sri Chithra Thirunal Maharaja.
From the foregoing exposition it will be seen that what has been attempted in this Volume is an account of the continuous progress of the State from the ancient times in which the Chera kings of Travancore shared the sovereignty of South India with the Pandyas and Cholas and helped the preservation and strengthening of the ancient culture of India at the same time taking full advantage of the methods of government and adopting the administration of justice according to the western standards. In tracing the course of this progress the main lines of the development of social economic and religious life have been kept in view in addition to the political. I claim that I have taken full advantage of the opportunity afforded by His Highness Government to discover the true facts of history so far as it was possible in the present state of knowledge and of research. In view of the numerous mistakes found in the older books it has been necessary to assign detailed reasons in support of conclusions different from those usually accepted.
A comparative study of the books, inscriptions, records in the archives of Government, literary works and relevant traditions, accounts of travellers, and the records of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the English has as detailed above, resulted in a new perspective as well as the discovery of new facts. Some of the main conclusions arrived at are:- (1) That Travancore is one of the oldest of the Indian States and possesses a continuous history of over two thousand years. (2) That the ruling dynasty of Travancore belongs to the original Chera stock; (3) That there never have been in Travancore any serious dynastic troubles, or any change of dynasty; (4) That Travancore has been an independent kingdom from very early times extending normally from Nanjanad in the south to Kannetti in the north; (5)That from early times the people of the whole of Malabar looked upon the king of Travancore as Kulasekhara Perumal, the premier ruler in this part of the country. (6) That the territory of Travancore during certain periods covered portions of South India beyond the Sahyadris; (7) That the theory of its subordination to Bhaskara Ravi, Sthanu Ravi and other Perumals of Thiruvanchikkulam is incorrect. (8) That the Pandyas or the Cholas were never able to subjugate this kingdom; (9) That one of her kings, Ravi Varma Kulasekhara, subdued the whole of the West Coast, pushed his conquests as far north-east as Nellore, and proclaimed his imperial authority in three different places in South India. (10) At one time even Ceylon paid tribute to Travancore. (11) That the collision between Travancore and Vijayanagar generally interpreted as having led to successive defeats of Travancore really resulted in the defeat of the invaders and the decimation of their forces; (12) That the alleged payment of tribute by Travancore to Vijayanagar and later on to Madura is a myth; (13) That the Portuguese were never able to exercise any influence, much less any authority in Travancore as they did in other parts of Malabar and South India; (14) That the stories found in the books about the conflict between royalty and the people in Travancore leading to the burning of the king’s palace, the poisoning of Adithya Varma, and the cold-blooded murder of Umayamma Rani’s five children at Kalippankulam are entirely false; (15) That the statements found in the older books such as of Shungoonny Menon, Nagam Aiya and others that the king did not exercise any effective control or authority over the affairs of the Sri Padmanabhaswami temple, Trivandrum, are baseless; (16) That the statements regarding the dominating position attributed to the Ettuvittil Pillamar in the government of the country and their alleged endeavours to establish a republic are nothing more than figments. (17) That the Dutch who subordinated the other rulers of Malabar were defeated in successive battles by Maharaja Marthanda Varma and ultimately obliged to abandon their political ambitions in this part of the country. (18) That the accounts of the ‘flights’ said to have been made by Maharaja Marthanda Varma to escape death at the hands of his subjects are not founded upon fact; (19) That Marthanda Varma established strong government with the active co-operation of his own subjects and not with the assistance of foreign mercenaries; (20) That Attingal was never a “queendom” in itself as generally stated, but was nothing more than an estate from the revenues of which the members of the Ruling Family, especially females, were permitted to maintain themselves; and that the intervention of Marthanda Varma in the affairs of Attingal was neither an act of annexation nor one of amalgamation. The power so exercised was that possessed by the Karanavan of the family, the king of Travancore. (21) That Quilon, Kottarakkara and Nedumangad were not distinct political entities but formed part of Travancore, though local affairs were looked after by the members of the Ruling Family residing in those places; (22) That Maharaja Marthanda Varma not only enlarged Travancore by his wars and conquests but also established a strong kingdom with adequate military forces and civil government that it was possible within a few years of his demise for his nephew and successor Rama Varma, Dharma Raja, to withstand invasions from the east organised by the subordinates of the Nawab of the Carnnatic and the Poligars of Tinnevelly; (23) That the indigenous system of administration in Travancore at the time elicited the admiration of westerners; (24) That it was the far-sighted statesmanship of Marthanda Varma followed by that or Rama Varma which enabled Travancore to give military aid to the English East India Company in their wars with Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan; (25) That Travancore was able to resist the vast armies of Tippu Sultan unaided for a time; and that Tippu’s army was ultimately turned back by defeat and not by a sudden flood as stated by the historians. (26) That the treaty between Travancore and the English East India Company had its origin in a desire for mutual assistance, and was at the time of its inception on a footing of complete equality. (27) That the alliance between the two powers has grown into a strong bond despite the insurrection of 1809 which was the outcome of personal pique between the Resident and the Dalawa. (28) That the state has benefited itself by the adoption of administrative and legislative policies and the organisation of representative institutions in accordance with British ideals though the frame work of the administrative machinery is Indian and monarchical; (29) That Travancore has always been a land of religious toleration and that the votaries of faiths other than the State religion have received kindness and encouragement at the hands of the rulers and the people. (30) That Travancore was able to preserve its culture and its traditions unimpaired and unaffected by invasions from without developing and expanding the distinctive culture of Malabar, and maintaining a common bond for the people of the whole of Kerala despite political separation; (31) That under His Highness the Maharaja Sri Chithra Thirunal the State is making a steady contribution to the wider public life of India and the Empire.
The work has involved an enormous amount of time and the expenditure of continuous energy. In addition to numerous books and published documents whose number is legion, I have had the opportunity to study the records in the Sri Padmanabhaswami temple, His Highness the Maharaja’s palace, and the Huzur Central Records office. In Mathilakam and the Huzur Records thousands of bundles were laid under contribution. The large staff appointed at my instance to list, index and make copies of the old documents in the Mathilakam, the Palace and the Huzur Central Records did their work in a prompt, methodical and efficient manner under the supervision of Mr. P.N. Kunjan Pillai, my Assistant in the State Manual office, who was appointed a Superintendent and placed in charge of the record rooms. The scheme thus put into operation was for general purposes as well as for the discovery of materials for the State Manual. As the Government was pleased to issue instructions that the search for the records useful for the State Manual should be given preference, the work was done with all possible expedition. Numerous documents of very great value as authentic material for history have thus been brought to light. The superintendent made it a point to sit with me for several hours every day before and after working hours in the Central Records Office, so that we might read the documents together, discuss them in all their bearings and settle new avenues of search, a task which was particularly difficult and laborious. The relative value of the documents from the archives was ascertained by comparison with epigraphic records, account of travelers, literary compositions and the information obtainable from numerous books on South Indian history. The time originally fixed for “the revision of the Manual” was seven months only. If the scope of the revision had been confined to bringing the book up-to-date as was originally intended, the drafting might have been completed within the period of seven months. But when the preliminaries were fixed and the work was started it was decided that the whole book should be rewritten. The reasons are stated in the Preface to Vol.I. The staff appointed for one year at my instance to list, index and copy the old records in the Mathilakam, the Palace and the Huzur Central Records was continued for three years. From the commencement of the work of that special staff to its termination I had been getting important documents of great historical value furnishing information which could not be obtained from any other source.
The records, as may be expected in a search of this kind, were discovered not in the chronological sequence of overtness recorded in them, but in a fortuitous manner. Frequently a single document made it imperative to reopen a concluded inquiry and rendered it a matter of unavoidable necessity to revise views accepted as correct in the former draft. In fact, such revision and rewriting were necessitated so frequently that I was obliged to be always at work on all parts of the subject checking, verifying, amplifying and rewriting the matter for the press. In some cases sheets once printed had to be abandoned when conclusive documents, which came into my hands subsequently, warranted a new opinion and a fresh narrative.
His Highness Government very kindly gave me every facility for the collection of materials, permitting me and my staff to proceed to Madras, Malabar and other places. At Madras I was able to use the valuable collections of books and papers in the Connemara Library, the Madras University Library and other institutions. In Malabar I was able to collect many details which throw light on the dynastic relationship of the Ruling Family of Travancore with the original Chera stock. My Assistant stayed in Malabar for several days interviewing many people from whom valuable information was obtained. The altered scope, the changed character, and the greater proportions of the work, as I have already stated, made it necessary that the time should be greatly extended and that the total period should be many times that which was contemplated at first. Instead of seven months originally sanctioned the Government were pleased to allow me four years in all. They sanctioned the extensions of time after fully apprising themselves of the work already done and taking into account what remained to be done. In the preface to Vol. 1,9 stated that Mr. Kunjan Pillai worked with me for a period of two years. The discovery of valuable historical documents from among the records consigned to the limbo and deposited among thousands of old and apparently useless cadjan bundles made it necessary that he should continue as part time Assistant in my office for four years. The Government was pleased not only to extend the time for the completion of the work but also to permit me and my Assistant to proceed to Madras a second time to collect the information necessary for a critical examination and study of the newly discovered documents and such other material as should be available. Contemporary events, particularly the great changes in the administrative and legislative policy of the state, also made it imperative that the plan of some of the sections should be modified, and facts which were considered as only remotely germane and narrated in that view in the original draft had to be stated afresh and explained with necessary fullness so that the import of the changes might be clearly understood. The extension of the period also enabled me to make certain additions and improvements in the matter of Vols. III and IV as well, notwithstanding that some of the Chapters had already been printed. It is due to the government as well as to me that I should say that the extensions of time were unavoidable in the nature of wholesale change in the character and quantity of the work from what was contemplated at the time of my appointment as Special Officer.
My obligation to the previous State Manual is considerable. It served as a convenient basis for historical studies as well as for preparing the chapters on several other subjects comprised in the present Manual. Mr. Nagam Aiya wrote his book about thirty five years ago. On many matters of internal and external history he was obliged to rely on Shungoonny Menon. He also utilised numerous documents and books made available since Shungoonny Menon’s time. But the sources of historical information which were unearthed since his days, the wealth of literature, the numerous inscriptions made available by the patient industry of epigraphists and others, and the new aspects of old facts presented in recent books written by competent scholars, made it absolutely necessary to prospect for new lines of study, thought and presentation. Shungoonny Menon and Nagam Aiya were great pioneers whose labours have to be gratefully recognized and remembered. I have great pleasure to express my thanks to all those who assisted me in the preparation of the Manuel. They are especially due to the authorities of the Trivandrum Public Library which, I am glad to say, possesses numerous source books on South Indian history. The collections of books in the libraries of the College of Arts, Trivandrum and those in the Legislative Library have also been useful. Mr. R.V. Poduval placed the whole library of the Travancore Archaeological Department at my disposal and borrowed for me the Epigraphical Reports and other literature from Madras and other for me the Epigraphical Reports and other literature from Madras and other places beyond Travancore. My obligation to the authorities of the Connemara Library and the University Library, Madras, is very great. I am also obliged to Dewan Bahadur Dr.S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Dr. Chelanat Achyutha Menon, V.R. Ramachandra Dikshithar and other members of the research staff of the Madras University of their readiness to discuss with me certain topics of South Indian history. Mr. R. Krishna Rao, a grandson of the late Raja Sir. T. Madava Rao, was so good as to lend me a collection of Madava Rao papers. The manuscripts of the History of Travancore by Dewan Nanoo Pillai (unpublished) and the unpublished account of the reign of the late Maharaja Sri Mulam Thirunal complied by Mahakavi Rao Sahib Ullur S. Parameswara Aiyar have been very useful. Mr. Suranad P.N. Kunjan Pillai M.A. has been my Assistant in this work throughout the period. Even after his appointment as Superintendent in the Central Records Office he continued to assist me out of office hours during all this period. He was so good as to attend my office on all holidays as well and work with me from morning to evening. I take this opportunity to place on record my high and sincere sense of appreciation of his versatility of talent and his supreme devotion to duty. His association with me in the work has been a source of pleasure as well as of profit. I have been benefited not only by his industry, but also by his vast erudition, quick grasp, remarkable memory, broad outlook and his capacity to make relevant suggestions which enabled me to arrive at definite conclusions in several troublesome tangles. Hard work is his delight. I hope that the valuable experience gained by this young officer will be of advantage to the State in future. It is my pleasant duty to record that the great collection of documents in the Mathilakam, the Palace and the Huzur Central Records has been of immense value in dislodging errors, finding out explanations, and filling up gaps. This would not have been possible but for the gracious permission given to me by His Highness the Maharaja to use the old records in the Palace and the Mathilakam as well as those in the other archives of Government. As I have already stated in the Preface to Vol.I, the personal interest evinced by His Highness has been a great inspiration and encouragement. In the performance of this difficult and laborious task which His Highness’ Government commissioned me to do I had the inestimable advantage of frequent discussions with the Dewan, Sachivothama Sir C.P Ramaswami Aiyar, and the benefit of his valuable advice. I may be permitted to say that that advice has stood me in good stead in the preparation of this as well as the other volumes. To him I beg to express my sincere and respectful thanks.
Trivandrum 15th Oct 1940
T.K.VELU PILLAI
TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter XIII
I - ANCIENT HISTORY
Introductory .. .. 1 Kerla Traditions of its origin .. .. 2 Peopling of the new country .. .. 3 The four divisions .. .. 4 Privileges of the Namputhiris .. .. 4 Government .. .. 4 Some facts of ancient geography .. .. 6 The age of Kerala .. .. 7 Kerala in ancient literature .. .. 8 The land of trade .. .. 9 The earliest inhabitants .. .. 11 Kerala ethnologically similar to South India .. .. 13 The inhabitants .. .. 13 Namputhiris .. .. 14 Other immigrants .. .. 14 The Nagas and the Brahmanas .. .. 15 Friendly dealings .. .. 16 The story of Parasurama .. .. 16 Dravidian civilisation .. .. 17 The three great kingdoms .. .. 18 The Cheras .. .. 19 Early kings .. .. 19 Senkuttuvan .. .. 20 Apathy of the historians .. .. 21 Senkuttuvan’s conquests .. .. 22 Development of trade .. .. 23 Internal administration .. .. 24 After Senkuttuvan .. .. 24 Later history: The two branches .. .. 25 Kulasekhara Alwar .. .. 26 The Southern Cheras: Travancore .. .. 26 Political organisation .. .. 27 Travancore outside Perumals’ sway .. .. 28 No land tax in Kerala .. .. 30 Recapitulation .. .. 34 The antiquity of Travancore and Kolathunad .. .. 35 Jainism and Buddhism .. .. 36 Revival of Hinduism .. .. 37 Sankaracharya .. .. 38 Christians and Muhammadans .. .. 39
II EARLY HISTORY
Travancore rulers and Cheras .. .. 41 A wrong view corrected .. .. 43 Copper plate grants .. .. 46 An independent entity .. .. 49 Relations with the Pandyas .. .. 50 Kollam Era .. .. 51 The Thiruvati of the copper plate .. .. 52 Sri Vallabahan Kotha .. .. 56 Govardhana Marthanda .. .. 56 Relations with the Cholas and Pandyas .. .. 58 Nanjanad .. .. 60 Versions examined .. .. 61 Kanthalursala .. .. 68 Ramar Thiruvati .. .. 71 Vira Kerala Varma .. .. 78 Kotha Kerala Varma .. .. 78 Vira Ravi Varma .. .. 80 Udaya Marthanda Varma .. .. 80 The Gosala inscription .. .. 82 The extent of Venad .. .. .84 Rama Varma .. .. 84 Devadaran Kerala Varma .. .. 86 Ravi Kerala Varma .. .. 87 The Manalikkara edict .. .. 89 Some rulers .. .. 92 Kupaka is Venad .. .. 94
III MEDIAEVAL HISTORY
i. From Revi Varma Kulasekhara to the advent of the Portuguese .. .. 95-152 Ravi Varma Samgramadhira .. .. 95 Early activities .. .. 96 The condition of South India .. .. 99 Conquests and coronation .. .. 102 Inscriptions .. .. 106 Greatness suffered in its evaluation .. .. 107 Remarkable reign .. .. 111 Personal qualities .. .. 113 His morals .. .. 114 Date of his death .. .. 115 An Explanation .. .. 118 Adithya Varma .. .. 120 Rama Udaya Marthanda Varma and Kerala Varma .. .. 1`23 Kerala Varma’s successors .. .. 124 Ravi Varma .. .. 126 Chera Udaya Marthanda .. .. 127 Victory of Ravim Varma at Karuvelamkulam .. .. 127 Venad Mutha Raja and Rama Marthanda .. .. 128 Adithya Varma .. .. 130 The Varkala inscription .. .. 132 Ravi Ravi Varma .. .. 133 The Portuguese .. .. 137 First Voyage .. .. 137 Enmity with Zamorin .. .. 138 Alliance with Cochin .. .. 139 At Quilon .. .. 144 Struggles with the Zamorin .. .. 146 The vengeance of the Moors of Quilon .. .. 147 Treaty with Quilon .. .. 148 Kings and Co-regents .. .. 149 Jayasimha Deva ii .. .. 149 The Portuguese again .. .. 152
ii Travancore and Vijayanagar .. .. 156-174 Udaya Marthanda Varma .. .. 156 A claim examined .. .. 157 The nature of conquests .. .. 158 Travancore outside its sway .. .. 160 Battle of the Thamraparni .. .. 164 Inscriptional evidence .. .. 166 Rajanatha unreliable .. .. 166 Udaya Marthanda a great king .. .. 171 The Second Bhuthalavira and his successors .. .,. 172 Travancore and foreigners .. .. 173 Portuguese plunder temples .. .. 174 iii Vijayanagar again .. .. 175-196 BaDAGAS DEFEATED .. .. 175 Xavier’s part .. .. 176 Travancore independent .. .. 177 Vithala’s second invasion .. .. 179 Rama Varma and his successors .. .. 180 The Portuguese again .. .. 182 Ravi Varma .. .. 184 Ravi Varma and Unnikkerala Varma .. .. 185 Thirumala Nayak’s invasion .. .. 187 Thirumala’s project .. .. 191 The death of Iravikuttipillai .. .. 191 Travancore not defeated .. .. 192 The English and the Dutch .. .. 192 Ravi Varma .. .. 195 The Dutch .. .. 196 iv. The temple and the State .. .. 202-231 Rama Varma and Adithya Varma .. .. 202 Temple affairs .. .. 203 The Yogam .. .. 205 Disputes .. .. 213 The closing years of Adithya Varma .. .. 213 Wrong version .. .. 214 Poisoning untrue .. .. 217 Adithya Varma died at kalkulam .. .. 219 Ravi Varma and Umayamma Rani .. .. 219 The Kalippankulam incident untrue .. .. 220 Proof by omission .. .. 224 Correct history .. .. 225 All invasion .. .. 228 Kerala Varma of Malabar .. .. 229 English at Anjengo .. .. 231 v. The Last Phase of Medieval history .. .. 232-291 Ravi Varma .. .. 232 Kerala Varma killed .. .. 233 An alleged invasion .. .. 235 Popular rights asserted .. .. 238 Reforms of Ravi Varma .. .. 241 Adithya Varma and Rama Varma .. .. 241 Incident at Anjengo .. .. 244 The truth about it .. .. 249 Agreement with the English .. .. 252 Rama Varma and Madura .. .. 256 Rani’s escape .. .. 259 Marthanda Varma .. .. 262-357 Introductory .. .. 262 Political divisions of Malabar .. .. 266 Commencement of reign .. .. 268 The army .. .. 269 The Kunchu Thampis .. .. 271 War with Quilon 274 War with Kayamkulam .. .. 278 A conspiracy .. .. 280 Change of Dalawaship 281 Attingal .. .. 282-300 Assumption of direct control .. .. 282 Views of Van Rheede and Hamilton .. .. 282 Foreign writers ignorant .. .. 283 Later views .. .. 285 Current versions examined .. .. 286 Hamilton’s viewe examined .. .. 288 Position of the Ranis .. .. 289 Origin in adoption .. .. 289 Views of Sundaram Pillai .. .. 290 Kilpperur .. .. 293 Result of the investigation .. .. 294 Chirava .. .. 296 Marthanda Varma’s act explained .. .. 299 Position of the sovereign .. .. 300 Events in Kottarakkara .. .. 301 Amalgamation of Kotarakkara .. .. 302 The Dutch war .. .. 303 Battle of Colachel .. .. 304 Troubles in the eastern frontier .. .. 306 Treaty of Mannar .. .. 309 The Dutch peace conferences .. .. 310 Defeat of the Kayamkulam Raja .. .. 316 Annexation of Ampalappula .. .. 317 Annexation of Thekkumkur .. .. 318 Annexation of Vadakkumkur .. .. 319 Treaty of Mavelikkara .. .. 320 War with Cochin .. .. 324 Battle of Purakkad .. .. 325 Advance towards Cochin .. .. 325 Treaty with Cochin .. .. 325 Dutch views of the treaty with Cochin .. .. 326 Rebellion in the north .. .. 328 Defeat of the Zamorin .. .. 329 Cochin seeks help from Travancore .. .. 331 Relations with the Carnatic .. .. 332 Relations with the English .. .. 334 Reforms .. .. 337 IV MODERN HISTORY
Temple .. .. 337 Public works .. .. 339 Military administration .. .. 340 Land Revenue .. .. 344 Other sources of revenue .. .. 345 Village and district administration .. .. 347 Dedication of the State to Sri Padmanabha .. .. 347 Death of Ramayyan Dalava .. .. 349 Last days of Maharaja .. .. 350 Estimate of his work .. .. 353 Rama Varma .. .. 357-346 Commencement of the reign .. .. 357 War with the Zamorin .. .. 358 Conclusion of the war .. .. 360 The Zamorin’s visit and treaty .. .. 361 The Travancore lines .. .. 361 Ayyappan Marthanda Pillai .. .. 363The eastern frontier .. .. 364 Kalakkad .. .. 365 Fall of Yusuf Khan .. .. 367 Changing fortunes .. .. 369 Disputes settlee .. .. 370 The Nawab’s Cowlenamah .. .. 371 Its significance .. .. 373 The position of the English .. .. 374 The rise of Hjyder Ali .. .. 376 His scheme against Travancore .. .. 378 Invasion of Malabar .. .. 378 The resistance quelled .. .. 379 Overtures with the Dutch .. .. 380 Tactics of the Dutch .. .. 381 Hyder Ali’s demands .. .. 381 Project invasion of Travancore .. .. 383 Events elsewhere .. .. 383 Travancore in the treaty of Madras .. .. 385 Mysore forces in Malabar .. .. 386 Hyder and the Dutch .. .. 388 Death of D’ Lannoy .. .. 389 Travancore and the Dutch .. .. 390 Hyder’s difficulties .. .. 392 His renewed efforts .. .. 392 The success of the English .. .. 394 Tipu sultan .. .. 395 Treaty of mangalore .. .. 398 The Maharaja’s pilgrimage .. .. 398 Domestic events .. .. 399 The War brewing .. .. 39 Kesavan Pillai becomes the Dewan .. .. 400 Affairs in Malabar .. .. 401 Tipu descends upon Malabar .. .. 402 Tipu’s diplomacy .. .. 403 Tipu and the English .. .. 405 Cranganore and Ayakkotta .. .. 407 Disputes regarding the transaction .. .. 410
Tipu defeated .. .. 413 Further plans .. .. 415 Tipu enters Travancore .. .. 416 Tipu compelled to retreat .. .. 421 Glorious part played by Travancore .. .. 422 Lord Cornwallis takes the field .. .. 426 Treaty of Seringapatam .. .. 427 Settlement of Malabar .. .. 430 The Expenses of the war .. .. 432 Reforms .. .. 437 Estimate of maharaja .. .. 441 Balarama Varma (978-936 ME) .. .. 446-501 Introductory .. .. 446 Betrayal of State interests .. .. 447 Death of Raja Kesava Das .. .. 448 The Nampuri Valiya Sarvadhikaryakkar .. .. 448 The rising of the people .. .. 449 Execution of Kumaran Thampi and Irayimman Thampi .. .. 454 Velu Thampi appointed Dalava .. .. 455 Intrigues against Velu Thampi .. .. 456 Mutiny of the troops .. .. 458 Modification of the treaty .. .. 459 Endeavours for the remission of increased subsidy .. .. 469 Trial of strength with Col. Macaulay .. .. 471 The storm gathers .. .. 473 The rebellion .. .. 476 The incident at Alleppey .. .. 477 The Kuntara Proclamation .. .. 481 Attack in Cochin .. .. 483 Further stages .. .. 485 Velu Thampi kills himself .. .. 491 Macaulay condemned .. .. 493 Rebellin explained .. .. 495 The new minister .. .. 497 Close of the reign .. .. 500 Gauri Lakshmsi Bayi (986-990 M.E.) .. .. 501-526 Succession settled .. .. 501 Thampi Iravi dismissed .. .. 503 Resident-Dewan .. .. 505 Reforms .. .. 506 Revenue .. .. 511 Trade .. .. 512 Judicial .. .. 514 Establishment of courts .. .. 515 Police .. .. 517 Munro’s work .. .. 521 Birth of the princes .. .. 524 Gauri Parvathi Bayi (990-1004 M.E) .. .. 526-545 Ministerial changes .. .. 527 Reforms .. .. 531 Civic rights .. .. 531 Social improvement .. .. 535 Judicial .. .. 535 Revenue .. .. 535 Religious toleration .. .. 537 The Nayar Brigade .. .. 540 Foreign relations .. .. 541 Edappalli .. .. 542 Punjar .. .. 543 Panthalam .. .. 544 Close of the regency .. .. 545 Rama Varma Swathi Thirunal(1004-1022 M.E) .. .. 545-564 Accession .. .. 545 Change of Dewanship .. .. 546 Withdrawal of subvsidiary force .. .. 547 Solid work .. .. 549 Reforms .. .. 550 Administration of justice .. .. 550 Other reforms .. .. 552 Troubles with the Resident .. .. 553 Resignation of Reddy Rao .. .. 559 Last years .. .. 560 An estimate .. .. 561 Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma (1022-1036 M.E) .. .. 564-592 Accession .. .. 564 Krishna Rao appointed Dewan .. .. 565 Poverty of public fisc .. .. 566 Amelioration of slaves .. .. 567 Travancore ivory work praised .. .. 569 Tinnevelly – Travancore boundary .. .. 570 Financial strain .. .. 570 Demise of Parvathi Bayi .. .. 571 Administrative divisions .. .. 571 Attacks on the administration .. .. 572 Steps taken to improve the administration .. .. 577 Miscellaneous .. .. 578 The pepper monopoly .. .. 579 Madava Rao appointed Dewan .. .. 582 Disturbances in South Travancore .. .. 583 General Cullen’s death .. .. 589 Demise of the Maharaja .. .. 591 Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma (1036-1055 M.E) .. .. 592-633 Accession .. .. 592 Famine relief .. .. 593 Fiscal reform .. .. 593 Interportal convention .. .. 595 The improvement of Travancore ports .. .. 600 Judicial reform .. .. 601 Sircar pattam lands enfranchised .. .. 602 Jenmi Kudidyan Proclamation .. .. 602 Means of communication .. .. 604 Education .. .. 605 Medical aid .. .. 606 Miscellaneous events .. .. 607 Appreciation of the administration .. .. 610 Retirement of Madava Rao .. .. 614 Seshiah\Sastri .. .. 616 Reforms .. .. 616 Jurisdication over European British subjects .. .. 619 Important events .. .. 624 Imperial Banner to Travancore .. .. 625 Retirement of Seshiah Sastri .. .. 627 Dewan Nanoo Pillai .. .. 628 Public works .. .. 629 Survey .. .. 630 Medical and Sanitary .. .. 630 Trade and Commerce .. .. 630 Legislation .. .. 631 Judicial .. .. 631 Land Revenue .. .. 632 Events in the Royal Family .. .. 632 Demise of Maharaja .. .. 633 Rama Varma Visakham Thirunal (1055-1060 M.E.) .. .. 634-646 Accession .. .. 634 Attainments and early life .. .. 634 Relesse of the Valiya Koyil Thampuran .. .. 637 Retirement of Dewan Nanoo Pillai .. .. 637 The new Dewan .. .. 637 Reforms .. .. 638 Travancore Cochin boundary .. .. 641 Important events .. .. 642 The Maharajas personal traits .. .. 644 The Maharajas demise .. .. 645 Sri Mulam Thirunal Rama Varma (1061-1099 M.E) .. .. 647-710 Early years .. .. 647 Accesssion .. .. 648 Land policy .. .. 651 Viruthi service .. .. 653 Puthuval lands .. .. 654 Kulachukututhal .. .. 658 Agriculture .. .. 659 Agricultural loans .. .. 660 Irrigation .. .. 661 Forests .. .. 663 Salt .. .. 665 Excise .. .. 666 Administration of justice .. .. 669 Education .. .. 673 Public works .. .. 675 Anchal .. .. 677 Public Health .. .. 678 Ayurveda .. .. 679 Sanitation .. .. 679 Legislature .. .. 681 Registration .. .. 687 Public service .. .. 688 Foreigners and public service .. .. 690 Devaswam .. .. 693 Miscellaneous Departments .. .. 694 Population and progress .. .. 694 The Maharaja and his Dewans .. .. 695 Leading events .. .. 702 Title to His Highness .. .. 703 Kulasekhara Perumal .. .. 703 Distinguished visitors .. .. 703 Royal tours .. .. 704 The King Emperors coronation .. .. 705 Events in the Royal Family .. .. 705 Riots .. .. 706 Silver Jubilee .. .. 707 Delhi Durbar .. .. 707 Princes and Princesses .. .. 707 The Great War . .. 708 Shashtyabdapurthi .. .. 708 Domestic life .. .. 709 Literature .. .. 710 Demise .. .. 710 Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi (Regent 1100-1107 M.E) .. .. 711-726 Commencement of the administration .. .. 711 Dewan M.E Watts .. .. 711 Revenue .. .. 712 Panchayats .. .. 713 The improvement of communication .. .. 714 Education and Public Health .. .. 715 Devaswams .. .. 716 Important legislations .. .. 717 The new Dewan .. .. 721 Munro Island resumed .. .. 721 Special Committee .. .. 722 Public works .. .. 723 Judicial .. .. 723 Devadasis discontinued .. .. 724 Title to the Maharani .. .. 724 Visit of Lord Irwin .. .. 724 Other events .. .. 725 Round Table Conference .. .. 726 Close of the Regency .. .. 726 Maharaja Bala Rama Varma Sri Chithra Thirunal .. .. 727-804 Ideals .. .. 727 Installation .. .. 728 Education .. .. 729 Investiture .. .. 731 More privileges .. .. 737 Indian States Committee .. .. 738 New Dewan .. .. 738 The Legislature .. .. 739 Powers .. .. 741 Constituencies .. .. 744 His Highness message .. .. 746 His Highness European tour .. .. 747 Distinguished visitors .. .. 750 Pallikkettu .. .. 752 Change of Dewan .. .. 753 Franchise reform .. .. 754 Public service .. .. 755 Salaries standardised .. .. 758 Reorganisation of the State Forces .. .. 759 Silver Jubilee celebration .. .. 759 Title of the Maharja .,. .. 760 Visit of the Ruler of Cochin .. .. 761 Epidemics .. .. 761 Fire in the Sri Padmanabhaswami temple .. .. 762 Pallivasal Scheme .. .. 762 His Highness’ tours .. .. 763 Sachivothama .. .. 766 Temple Entry .. .. 766 Tour to Madras .. .. 70 Tour to the East Indies .. .. 770 Travancore and Federation .. .. 773 Degrees to their Highness .. .. 775 Educational policy .. .. 777 The Travancore University .. .. 778 Birth of the First Prince .. .. 780 Pallikkettu .. .. 780 Viceregal visit .. .. 780 Visit of the Maharaja of Bikaner .. .. 781 Thirumatampu .. .. 782 Maqterial progress .. .. 782 Industries .. .. 784 Labour question .. .. 785 Land Mortgage Bank .. .. 786 The Credit Bank .. .. 787 State Transport .. .. 788 Public works .. .. 789 Sports and Games .. .. 790 The Scout movement .. .. 791 Uplift of backward communities .. .. 792 Poor Home .. .. 792 Award of titles .. .. 793 Coinage .. .. 793 Political agitation .. .. 794 Birth of Princess .. .. 796 Franchise reform .. .. 796 Finance .. .. 797 War efforts .. .. 802 A remarkable period .. .. 804 Bibliography .. .. 805-820 Index .. .. 821-900
ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOL. II
1. H.H. Maharaja Sri Chithra Thirunal Statue in Madras .. Frontispiece 2. Chitharal, Jaina sculpture .. 15 3. Image of the Buddha-Mavelikkara .. .. 37 4. Chera Coat of Arms (ancient) .. .. 43 5. King Udaya Marthanda Varma .. .. 171 6. Iravikutti Pillai .. .. 191 7. Nieuhoffs audience with the Queen of quilon .. .. 199 8. Padmanabhapuram palace (old) .. .. 219 9. Surrender of the Dutch at Colachel .. .. 305 10. Tippu at the Travancore Lines .. .. 415 11. Fortified Hill, Aramboly .. .. 487 12. Maharaja Sri Mulam Thirunal .. .. 649
MAPMap of Travancore to explain Marthanda Varma’s conquests .. 267
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PREFACE
The work of preparing this Volume spread over a period of four years. It was begun first but finished only after all the other volumes were completed. The preparation of this Volume cost an enormous amount of labour in the field of historical research. What has been hitherto known as the ancient history of Travancore is in the main not authentic. The legend of Parasurama is regarded as the starting point in the history of the West Coast. According to tradition Parasurama was responsible for the political and social organisation of the land of his creation. The theory has received the unquestioning veneration of scholars and historians. The view was accepted and repeated by judges and administrators and applied in the actual decision of law suits. A talented prince of Travancore once wrote to the Calcutta Review that “the Jenmies were sovereign at one time, or rather, they had the power of making or electing sovereigns.” The view had its origin in the monopoly of political power alleged to have been exercised by the Brahman immigrants of the “sixty-four gramams” from their headquarters at Thiruvanchikkulam. But Travancore was beyond their jurisdiction; and functionaries like the Rakshapurushas, Avarodhanampis or the Perumals who exercised political authority in the north had nothing to do with this kingdom at any time. Many unverified Assertions in regard to subsequent history of Travancore are due to the version advertised by certain prominent writers that the rulers of Travancore derived their status and authority from Cheraman Perumal who is said to have partitioned his empire among his sons, nephews and dependents. This position is clearly unsustainable. The arguments in support of the new position are elaborated in the text.
The Keralolpathi and Keralamahathmyam which embody the traditional accounts and are regarded as shedding light on ancient history are not ancient works. They are recent productions of more than doubtful value. The epigraphical records throw valuable light on events of the distant past. But the introductions and notes compiled by the editors of book like the Travancore Archaeological Series are found to perpetuate the versions which have had their origin in stories which acquired an undeserved currency through repetition. There are now numerous books on South Indian history written by competent scholars. But the events which occurred in the West Coast have not elicited adequate attention. The result is that due prominence has not been given to the history of the Cheras, much less to the history of that branch of the original Chera dynasty which has been ruling over Travancore from very early times.
The historian also finds the alternate ascendancy of the Pandyas and the Cholas in Travancore, the disastrous defeats of Travancore by Vijayanagar and Madura and the acknowledgment of their suzerainty, and latterly of the acceptance by this State of the rank of a feudatory of the Nawab of Arcot till at last she entered into a treaty with the English East India Company. But the events and relationships thus catalogued, except the last, have no foundation in truth.
The view of ascendancy of the Pandyas and Cholas rested on an imperfect study of certain inscriptions. But those inscriptions are often nothing more than bombast, and such of them, as for instance the Trivandrum Museum inscription, unfold a different story from what is generally accepted. It shows that, instead of the king of Travancore being defeated by Nedumchadayan, the latter was obliged to save himself by a timely flight from the outskirts of Vilinjam to his own territories, the Travancoreans pursuing him and laying siege to his own fort at Karaikkotta. The story of the Chola conquest of Travancore is equally untenable. What the historians did was to work down from the nebulous phrase Kanthalursalai kalamarutharuliya which finds a prominent place in the Chola inscriptions. The phrase took such possession of the historical imagination and lent itself to such a variety of interpretations that no proper attempt appears to have been made to understand its sense and the limits of its application. On a close examination of the evidence it appears that the theory of victories over Travancore based on it must be abandoned.
Writers on South Indian history often misunderstand proper names, particularly the names of places. There are instances in which confusion of ideas is patent. When mention is found made in Chola inscriptions of victories won in Malanadu or Kerala, they are often interpreted to be successes over Travancore while, in fact, they refer to military successes over the kings who ruled at Thiruvanchikkulam in the later periods. Nor can the reference in epigraphic records to victories in places like Vilinjam and Kottar be interpreted to be victories over Travancore. At the time in which the events are said to have happened there places lay without and beyond Travancore. They were originally in the possession of the Ay kings from whom they passed into the hands of the Pandyas and Cholas. It was only in the 12th century A.D that those places were added to this state.
The alleged supremacy of Sthanu Ravi, Bhaskara Ravi and other rulers of Mahodayapattanam accepted as a fact of true history is equally unsustainable. The question has been subjected to a careful examination which, I trust would show that the old interpretations and the conclusions based thereon cannot be regarded as correct. The kings of Travancore were not “petty rulers” as understood by some historians, but monarchs of great power and resources, who exercised a paramount influence as well beyond the Ghats as in Malabar.
It is often stated that the marriage of Jayasimha with Queen Umsa Devi was the beginning of the resuscitated importance of Travancore. The researches made in the subject have shown that the facts are otherwise. The immediate predecessor of Ravi Varma Samgramadhira whwo assumed imperial sway in south India was Udaya Marthanda Varma, a powerful king, “the lord of eight feudatories.” This is a fact unraveled for the first time.
The evaluation of the work of Samgramadhira Ravi Varma Kulasekhara made by the several writers also appeared to be manifestly defective. Considerable space had therefore to be devoted to the examination of the materials available in inscriptions literary works and ancient documents. Ravi Varma carried his victorious arms over every part of South India as far north as Nellore, proclaimed his imperial authority in the historic city of Kanchipuram, and preserved the religion and culture of the Hindus. The greatness of that king is admitted by all writers. It is however amusing to find some of them suggesting that Ravi Varma’s conquest of South India was “nothing more than a raid.” Other writers take the view that he was “driven out” of Kanchipuram, adopting the argument of the archaeologist based on an inconclusive data mentioned in an inscription which, it may be noted does not make any mention of Ravi Varma’s defeat or his being driven away. The detailed examination of the whole question made in this Volume has, I trust, resulted in a new evaluation of the great work of that king.
The period from the death of Ravi Varma to about 800 M.E. has hitherto been treated as a dark one in the history of Travancore, all the information available being the names of a few kings. But a careful study of the Mathilakam records along with the inscriptions and literary works has led to the discovery of numerous facts relating to the events of the period.
In the preparation of the account of the relations of Travancore with the Portuguese new facts have been gathered and several mistakes which appeared in the older books corrected. The records show that Travancore was then a great and powerful kingdom which not only owned extensive owned extensive territories on the East Coast but also levied tribute from Ceylon. The Portuguese were not able to exercise any control or influence in Travancore as they did in the other states of Malabar.
The expeditions undertaken by Vijayanagar in South India and the scope of the conquests alleged to have been made by her kings and generals are often taken to mean that Travancore was defeated by Achyutharaya and Vithala, the materials on which reliance is placed being the adulatory averments of court poets and the vain-glorious boasts of prasasthi writers. The conflicts between Travancore and Vijayanagar which have hitherto been understood as having led to the victory of the latter were in reality events of an opposite character. The reason for the invasions of Travancore by the Vijayanagar armies and later by the Madura forces is the alleged refusal or failure to pay the promised tribute. Considerable light is thrown on that question by Portuguese records of an unimpeachable value. The undertaking to pay tribute said to have been made by Travancore to Vijayanagar is nothing more than an invention. The battles which were fought by Achyutharaya’s generals and later on by Vithala terminated disastrously for Vijayanagar. This conclusion is rested on an examination of the vast literature on the subject. Books which are usually cited as authorities for the opposite view are seen to perpetuate a wrong version which had its basis in nothing more than the fabled glories of Vijayanagar. Travancore writers, archaeologists among them, have excelled others in broadcasting the wrong accounts and giving them additional currency by repeating the stories in books and reports issued under the authority of the Government. However, the burden of proof in evolving a different conclusion is heavy. I trust that the burden has been discharged. The subordination of Travancore to the Nayaks of Madura is another idle story which some writers have chosen to popularise. The former State Manual avers that from the time of the advent of the Nayakkar forces the Travancore king was paying a tribute to the Madura kingdom. This view is shared by a Travancore writer who contributed an article to the Christian College Magazine in 1904. A Travancore archaeologist went so far afield in finding evidence for this theory in an inscription which he himself described as “hopelessly misspelt, engraved as it must have been by an ignorant stonemason, who, in addition to his illiteracy, appears also to have been an indifferent calligraphist that it is impossible to make any sense out of this curious literacy achievement.” The discussion of the subject in the text is calculated to expose the hollowness of the usual verdict. It may now be confidently asserted that Travancore was never subject to the Madura Nayaks. On the other hand, the Nayaks’ forces sustained signal defeats at the hands of the Travancore armies. If the representation of the events in regard to foreign relations is incorrect, the mistakes made as regards the facts of internal history by previous writers are not less so. The views are apparently rested on the narration of events by Shungoonny Menon in his History of Travancore. The erroneous accounts have found their way into the Administration Reports of the State, where it is stated that the country now comprised in Travancore consisted of four or five separate States, the most important of which were Attingal, Venad, and Desiganad; and it was with these that the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Danes and the English first had relations.”
As regards Attingal the Administration Reports say that Maharaja Marthanda Varma amalgamated the Attingal State with Venad on a treaty engagement that none but the offspring of the Ranis of Attingal should succeed to the amalgamated State. Now, the Ranis of Attingal were and are admittedly members of the Ruling Family; and no prince could become members of the family except as children, natural or adopted, of the Ranis of Attingal. But the erroneous view that the Ranis held Attingal as members of their own independent Kupaka dynasty still finds a place in books on the subject. The whole evidence has therefore been elaborately considered and the conclusion definitely recorded that Attingal was never an independent queendom, but only an estate assigned to the Ranis, the Ruler exercising all political rights as Sovereign and domestic rights as the Karanavan of the Tharavad. The theory of annexation or amalgamation is clearly unsustainable. It has also been explained that the kingdom of Travancore normally extended from the south so far nor as Kannetti. The theory that Elayedathuswarupam and Desinganad were separate states is also proved to be untenable.
There has been a great deal of misunderstanding of actual conditions and events in regard to other matters of internal history. It is often stated that in the ninth century of the Malabar era the kings of Travancore were weak and inefficient with little political authority living in danger of their lives and that the administration of the State as well as the Sri Padmanabhaswami temple at Trivandrum was conducted by the Yogakkar and their partisans the Pillamar. But numerous documents discovered from the Mathilakam archives, some of which are published in the Appendix Volume, prove a state of affairs entirely different. It is a travesty of truth to contend, as the previous writers have done that the king had no authority over the state or the temple. As a matter of fact, the Ruler’s authority was adequate and effective. It is hoped that the section on the temple and the State will serve to remove the misconceptions on the subject.
Closely allied with the removal of the misconception regarding the alleged anti-royal propensities and revolutionary endeavours of the time is the reconstruction of the real history of the period covered by the reigns of Umayamma Rani and Ravi Varma. It has been usual for historians to harp on the helplessness of that queen and the necessity to which she was exposed of saving herself from the machinations of the people by a flight to n to Nedumangad and a fugitive residence there. What is, on the other hand, actually found from the records is that Umayamma Rani had the full support of her people.
In the former State Manual the suggestion is found made that Umayamma Rani was responsible for the murder of Kerala Varma of Puravaliyanad. A careful study of Puthuvathappattu, a contemporary composition, taken along with the acocount narrated by Peter Martin of the murder of a Travancore prince at the time and the entries in the Dynastic Records published in the Kerala Society papers leads to the irresistible conclusion that Kerala Varma met with a tragic fate as the result of his high-handed acts, to which the ministers and other leaders of the people would not submit. The correct date of the incident (872 M.E) has also been established.
On the whole the happenings of the eighth and ninth centuries M.E are thus seen to be a character different from that which former historians have invested them. The stability of Government in Travancore was steadily maintained by the rulers. It is submitted that the differences which arose between the rulers and the ruled are greatly exaggerated. The people, no doubt, stood by their ancient rights and privileges; but they were always loyal to the throne. The kings also were generally fair in their dealings with their people.
Another subject which required a critical examination was the prevailing account of the incident of 1721 A.D at Anjengo where a number of the East India Company’s men are said to have been deliberately murdered. Canter Visscher throws the whole blame on the Rani of Attingal. The old State Manual makes the Ettuvittil Pillamar responsible for the crime. But a close study of the different sources of information has disclosed that the whole trouble arose from a conflict between the unlawful exercise of arbitrary authority by the Anjengo factors, their dishonesty and imprudence and their attempt to make illicit profits by private trade at the expense of the people of the land as well as their masters.
The immediate cause was a scuffle between the Company’s servants and the Muhammadans of the locality. The intrigues of the Dutch had also a considerable share in fomenting the disputes which led to the catastrophe. The slur cast on the Ruling Family by previous writers is thus proved to be absolutely without justification.
The reign of Maharaja Marthanda Varma being an important stage in the history of Travancore, great care has been taken to explain the magnitude of his work with its bearing on the course of events in other parts of South India. So many and so romantic are the prevalent stories of the hair breadth escapes of that king, and so exaggerated the accounts of the opposition said to have been made by influential people in all parts of the country, that the quest for truth was particularly difficult and laborious, and involved deep study and careful exercise of judgment in the selection and rejection of facts. Sufficient space is also devoted to explain Marthanda Varma’s policy towards the Dutch and the English. It is a truism with several writers on the subject that the king, having had no support from his own people, was obliged to depend on foreign mercenaries, that the armies which led him to victory owed their efficiency and fighting skill to D’Lannoy’s discipline, and that the Travancore forts were built by that Flemish soldier after he was taken captive at the battle of Colachel. These assumptions are refuted by statements found in the Mathilakam documents, the Dutch records and the Anjengo papers.
A reasoned attempt has been made to prove that the king was not only the Maker of modern Travancore but also the benefactor of Kerala one who had a considerable share in the political events of the period in South India. When Marthanda Varma ascended the throne of his ancestors the Dutch were powerful in the east. They had settlements in the Pacific and the Indian oceans and a number of fortified places in Ceylon and the Coromandel and Malabar coasts. Most of the Malabar rulers were under their leading strings while some were their acknowledged vassals. It was under Marthanda Varma that inflicted upon them defeat after defeat, put them in complete humiliation, and reduced them to the position of merchants shown of all political ambition. This perspective has not been sufficiently explored by historians. It was therefore deemed necessary to narrate all the relevant facts and explain their import. The several stages in the conquests made by that king have also been explained in chronological sequence. The march of events for which Marthanda Varma was responsible has been shown to be the outcome of a steady policy of national political expansion. The part played by Travancore under Maharaja Rama Varma Karthika Thirunal in settling the political map of South India and helping to promote Pax Britanica is also explained in considerable detail. The suppression of the “irrepressible” Poligars of Tinnevelly and the buttressing of the authority of the Nawab of the Carnatic were achieved by the East India Company with the active help of the Maharaja who sent large armies to fight the enemy at Vasudevanallur, Nellithankavila and many another places. However, the Maharaja was obliged to recognise the formal precedence of the Nawab through the persuasion of the Company'’ officers. The participation of Travancore in the war between the East India Company and Mysore is described in the older books. But the magnitude of her services and her sacrifices, and the value of the assistance which she rendered to the English in the consolidation of their power in South India have not hitherto been adequately treated or clearly explained. An attempt to fill up the gap is made in this Volume.
As regards the success of Travancoreans in the defense of the Travancore Lines ion the northern frontier against Tipu Sultan and the subsequent happenings, all sources of information have been explored. It has been shown that the credit of driving Tipu and baggage goes not to adventitious natural phenomena like the flood in the Periyar, but to the organization, bravery and fighting skill of the Travancoreans who, despite the failure of hopes of help from without which were legitimately expected, offered wonderful resistance in defence of their king and country, and stemmed the tide of destruction until Lord Cornwallis came down to Madras to correct the mistake committed by an inefficient Governor. The triumphs of peace achieved by Maharaja Karthika Tirunal, his contribution to the cause of culture and awakening of a sense of friendliness and a spirit of solidarity among the various sections of his people have also been described.
The reign of Bala Rama Varma was a temporary set-back to the progress of the State. The “innocence” of the ruler and the weakness of a Government dominated by favourites brought about an organised opposition by his subjects. The Maharaja was obliged to send away his favourites and even hand them over to the leaders of the people for such punishment as they deemed fit. No Travancore minister exercised such vast unlimited and undefined authority as Velu Thampi who rose to power on the crest of popular support. At first he strengthened his position with the help of the British Resident, and lent his aid to the acceptance by Travancore of an agreement by which the East India Company came to exercise certain powers of intervention in the affairs of this State. The records show that the Dalawa was ultimately alienated from the East India Company by the impolitic course of conduct pursued by Col. Macaulay, the Resident. An insurrection in the face of the political relationship with the English which had come into being was indefensible. However, a miscalculation of their strength cost the minister his life, besides exposing the State to great difficulties and dangers. An effort has been made to narrate the events gatherable from all the existing sources, to present both sides of the picture, and give a caution to the student of that period of Travancore history not to allow himself to be operated upon by the current accounts which bear sentimental colourings which mar the light of truth.
In regard to later history it may be stated that the general trend of events which shaped the progress of Travancore during the reigns of the Ranis, Gauri Lakshmi Bayi and Gauri Parvathi Bayi has been described in sufficient detail to enable a correct understanding of the rapid strides made by the Government and the people in progressive administration and legislation. The reign of the Rain paved the way top the intervention of the Resident in important matters of internal administration, an intervention which was destined to cause misunderstandings between Swathi Thirunal Maharaja and the representative of the Government of Madras. The account of the reigns of the Maharajas who ruled from 1004 to 1061 M.E., had also to be so greatly amplified that they had to be substantially re-written in the light of additional materials laid under contribution. The growth of institutions and the development of policies are explained in detail.
The reign of Maharaja Sri Mulam Thirunal, one of the longest in the annals of the State and one highly beneficial to the people, is treated with the necessary fullness. The Maharaja lived for twenty years after the publication of the former State Manual. The development of new institutions and the delegation of power in certain matters to the representatives of the people rendered it necessary to wholly rewrite the history of the reign with a new perspective and a much larger scope. The eight years of the reign of His Highness Maharaja Sri Chithra Tirunal have been prolific of events of a momentous character in all departments of public activity. The measures of policy are so numerous and so far reaching in their effect that their immensity and comprehensives baffle description. The work of contemporary evaluation is also delicate. The appreciation recorded by eminent statesmen and thinkers of the empire have been of great assistance in the evaluation of the great achievements of His Highness Sri Chithra Thirunal Maharaja.
From the foregoing exposition it will be seen that what has been attempted in this Volume is an account of the continuous progress of the State from the ancient times in which the Chera kings of Travancore shared the sovereignty of South India with the Pandyas and Cholas and helped the preservation and strengthening of the ancient culture of India at the same time taking full advantage of the methods of government and adopting the administration of justice according to the western standards. In tracing the course of this progress the main lines of the development of social economic and religious life have been kept in view in addition to the political. I claim that I have taken full advantage of the opportunity afforded by His Highness Government to discover the true facts of history so far as it was possible in the present state of knowledge and of research. In view of the numerous mistakes found in the older books it has been necessary to assign detailed reasons in support of conclusions different from those usually accepted.
A comparative study of the books, inscriptions, records in the archives of Government, literary works and relevant traditions, accounts of travellers, and the records of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the English has as detailed above, resulted in a new perspective as well as the discovery of new facts. Some of the main conclusions arrived at are:- (1) That Travancore is one of the oldest of the Indian States and possesses a continuous history of over two thousand years. (2) That the ruling dynasty of Travancore belongs to the original Chera stock; (3) That there never have been in Travancore any serious dynastic troubles, or any change of dynasty; (4) That Travancore has been an independent kingdom from very early times extending normally from Nanjanad in the south to Kannetti in the north; (5)That from early times the people of the whole of Malabar looked upon the king of Travancore as Kulasekhara Perumal, the premier ruler in this part of the country. (6) That the territory of Travancore during certain periods covered portions of South India beyond the Sahyadris; (7) That the theory of its subordination to Bhaskara Ravi, Sthanu Ravi and other Perumals of Thiruvanchikkulam is incorrect. (8) That the Pandyas or the Cholas were never able to subjugate this kingdom; (9) That one of her kings, Ravi Varma Kulasekhara, subdued the whole of the West Coast, pushed his conquests as far north-east as Nellore, and proclaimed his imperial authority in three different places in South India. (10) At one time even Ceylon paid tribute to Travancore. (11) That the collision between Travancore and Vijayanagar generally interpreted as having led to successive defeats of Travancore really resulted in the defeat of the invaders and the decimation of their forces; (12) That the alleged payment of tribute by Travancore to Vijayanagar and later on to Madura is a myth; (13) That the Portuguese were never able to exercise any influence, much less any authority in Travancore as they did in other parts of Malabar and South India; (14) That the stories found in the books about the conflict between royalty and the people in Travancore leading to the burning of the king’s palace, the poisoning of Adithya Varma, and the cold-blooded murder of Umayamma Rani’s five children at Kalippankulam are entirely false; (15) That the statements found in the older books such as of Shungoonny Menon, Nagam Aiya and others that the king did not exercise any effective control or authority over the affairs of the Sri Padmanabhaswami temple, Trivandrum, are baseless; (16) That the statements regarding the dominating position attributed to the Ettuvittil Pillamar in the government of the country and their alleged endeavours to establish a republic are nothing more than figments. (17) That the Dutch who subordinated the other rulers of Malabar were defeated in successive battles by Maharaja Marthanda Varma and ultimately obliged to abandon their political ambitions in this part of the country. (18) That the accounts of the ‘flights’ said to have been made by Maharaja Marthanda Varma to escape death at the hands of his subjects are not founded upon fact; (19) That Marthanda Varma established strong government with the active co-operation of his own subjects and not with the assistance of foreign mercenaries; (20) That Attingal was never a “queendom” in itself as generally stated, but was nothing more than an estate from the revenues of which the members of the Ruling Family, especially females, were permitted to maintain themselves; and that the intervention of Marthanda Varma in the affairs of Attingal was neither an act of annexation nor one of amalgamation. The power so exercised was that possessed by the Karanavan of the family, the king of Travancore. (21) That Quilon, Kottarakkara and Nedumangad were not distinct political entities but formed part of Travancore, though local affairs were looked after by the members of the Ruling Family residing in those places; (22) That Maharaja Marthanda Varma not only enlarged Travancore by his wars and conquests but also established a strong kingdom with adequate military forces and civil government that it was possible within a few years of his demise for his nephew and successor Rama Varma, Dharma Raja, to withstand invasions from the east organised by the subordinates of the Nawab of the Carnnatic and the Poligars of Tinnevelly; (23) That the indigenous system of administration in Travancore at the time elicited the admiration of westerners; (24) That it was the far-sighted statesmanship of Marthanda Varma followed by that or Rama Varma which enabled Travancore to give military aid to the English East India Company in their wars with Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan; (25) That Travancore was able to resist the vast armies of Tippu Sultan unaided for a time; and that Tippu’s army was ultimately turned back by defeat and not by a sudden flood as stated by the historians. (26) That the treaty between Travancore and the English East India Company had its origin in a desire for mutual assistance, and was at the time of its inception on a footing of complete equality. (27) That the alliance between the two powers has grown into a strong bond despite the insurrection of 1809 which was the outcome of personal pique between the Resident and the Dalawa. (28) That the state has benefited itself by the adoption of administrative and legislative policies and the organisation of representative institutions in accordance with British ideals though the frame work of the administrative machinery is Indian and monarchical; (29) That Travancore has always been a land of religious toleration and that the votaries of faiths other than the State religion have received kindness and encouragement at the hands of the rulers and the people. (30) That Travancore was able to preserve its culture and its traditions unimpaired and unaffected by invasions from without developing and expanding the distinctive culture of Malabar, and maintaining a common bond for the people of the whole of Kerala despite political separation; (31) That under His Highness the Maharaja Sri Chithra Thirunal the State is making a steady contribution to the wider public life of India and the Empire.
The work has involved an enormous amount of time and the expenditure of continuous energy. In addition to numerous books and published documents whose number is legion, I have had the opportunity to study the records in the Sri Padmanabhaswami temple, His Highness the Maharaja’s palace, and the Huzur Central Records office. In Mathilakam and the Huzur Records thousands of bundles were laid under contribution. The large staff appointed at my instance to list, index and make copies of the old documents in the Mathilakam, the Palace and the Huzur Central Records did their work in a prompt, methodical and efficient manner under the supervision of Mr. P.N. Kunjan Pillai, my Assistant in the State Manual office, who was appointed a Superintendent and placed in charge of the record rooms. The scheme thus put into operation was for general purposes as well as for the discovery of materials for the State Manual. As the Government was pleased to issue instructions that the search for the records useful for the State Manual should be given preference, the work was done with all possible expedition. Numerous documents of very great value as authentic material for history have thus been brought to light. The superintendent made it a point to sit with me for several hours every day before and after working hours in the Central Records Office, so that we might read the documents together, discuss them in all their bearings and settle new avenues of search, a task which was particularly difficult and laborious. The relative value of the documents from the archives was ascertained by comparison with epigraphic records, account of travelers, literary compositions and the information obtainable from numerous books on South Indian history. The time originally fixed for “the revision of the Manual” was seven months only. If the scope of the revision had been confined to bringing the book up-to-date as was originally intended, the drafting might have been completed within the period of seven months. But when the preliminaries were fixed and the work was started it was decided that the whole book should be rewritten. The reasons are stated in the Preface to Vol.I. The staff appointed for one year at my instance to list, index and copy the old records in the Mathilakam, the Palace and the Huzur Central Records was continued for three years. From the commencement of the work of that special staff to its termination I had been getting important documents of great historical value furnishing information which could not be obtained from any other source.
The records, as may be expected in a search of this kind, were discovered not in the chronological sequence of overtness recorded in them, but in a fortuitous manner. Frequently a single document made it imperative to reopen a concluded inquiry and rendered it a matter of unavoidable necessity to revise views accepted as correct in the former draft. In fact, such revision and rewriting were necessitated so frequently that I was obliged to be always at work on all parts of the subject checking, verifying, amplifying and rewriting the matter for the press. In some cases sheets once printed had to be abandoned when conclusive documents, which came into my hands subsequently, warranted a new opinion and a fresh narrative.
His Highness Government very kindly gave me every facility for the collection of materials, permitting me and my staff to proceed to Madras, Malabar and other places. At Madras I was able to use the valuable collections of books and papers in the Connemara Library, the Madras University Library and other institutions. In Malabar I was able to collect many details which throw light on the dynastic relationship of the Ruling Family of Travancore with the original Chera stock. My Assistant stayed in Malabar for several days interviewing many people from whom valuable information was obtained. The altered scope, the changed character, and the greater proportions of the work, as I have already stated, made it necessary that the time should be greatly extended and that the total period should be many times that which was contemplated at first. Instead of seven months originally sanctioned the Government were pleased to allow me four years in all. They sanctioned the extensions of time after fully apprising themselves of the work already done and taking into account what remained to be done. In the preface to Vol. 1,9 stated that Mr. Kunjan Pillai worked with me for a period of two years. The discovery of valuable historical documents from among the records consigned to the limbo and deposited among thousands of old and apparently useless cadjan bundles made it necessary that he should continue as part time Assistant in my office for four years. The Government was pleased not only to extend the time for the completion of the work but also to permit me and my Assistant to proceed to Madras a second time to collect the information necessary for a critical examination and study of the newly discovered documents and such other material as should be available. Contemporary events, particularly the great changes in the administrative and legislative policy of the state, also made it imperative that the plan of some of the sections should be modified, and facts which were considered as only remotely germane and narrated in that view in the original draft had to be stated afresh and explained with necessary fullness so that the import of the changes might be clearly understood. The extension of the period also enabled me to make certain additions and improvements in the matter of Vols. III and IV as well, notwithstanding that some of the Chapters had already been printed. It is due to the government as well as to me that I should say that the extensions of time were unavoidable in the nature of wholesale change in the character and quantity of the work from what was contemplated at the time of my appointment as Special Officer.
My obligation to the previous State Manual is considerable. It served as a convenient basis for historical studies as well as for preparing the chapters on several other subjects comprised in the present Manual. Mr. Nagam Aiya wrote his book about thirty five years ago. On many matters of internal and external history he was obliged to rely on Shungoonny Menon. He also utilised numerous documents and books made available since Shungoonny Menon’s time. But the sources of historical information which were unearthed since his days, the wealth of literature, the numerous inscriptions made available by the patient industry of epigraphists and others, and the new aspects of old facts presented in recent books written by competent scholars, made it absolutely necessary to prospect for new lines of study, thought and presentation. Shungoonny Menon and Nagam Aiya were great pioneers whose labours have to be gratefully recognized and remembered. I have great pleasure to express my thanks to all those who assisted me in the preparation of the Manuel. They are especially due to the authorities of the Trivandrum Public Library which, I am glad to say, possesses numerous source books on South Indian history. The collections of books in the libraries of the College of Arts, Trivandrum and those in the Legislative Library have also been useful. Mr. R.V. Poduval placed the whole library of the Travancore Archaeological Department at my disposal and borrowed for me the Epigraphical Reports and other literature from Madras and other for me the Epigraphical Reports and other literature from Madras and other places beyond Travancore. My obligation to the authorities of the Connemara Library and the University Library, Madras, is very great. I am also obliged to Dewan Bahadur Dr.S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Dr. Chelanat Achyutha Menon, V.R. Ramachandra Dikshithar and other members of the research staff of the Madras University of their readiness to discuss with me certain topics of South Indian history. Mr. R. Krishna Rao, a grandson of the late Raja Sir. T. Madava Rao, was so good as to lend me a collection of Madava Rao papers. The manuscripts of the History of Travancore by Dewan Nanoo Pillai (unpublished) and the unpublished account of the reign of the late Maharaja Sri Mulam Thirunal complied by Mahakavi Rao Sahib Ullur S. Parameswara Aiyar have been very useful. Mr. Suranad P.N. Kunjan Pillai M.A. has been my Assistant in this work throughout the period. Even after his appointment as Superintendent in the Central Records Office he continued to assist me out of office hours during all this period. He was so good as to attend my office on all holidays as well and work with me from morning to evening. I take this opportunity to place on record my high and sincere sense of appreciation of his versatility of talent and his supreme devotion to duty. His association with me in the work has been a source of pleasure as well as of profit. I have been benefited not only by his industry, but also by his vast erudition, quick grasp, remarkable memory, broad outlook and his capacity to make relevant suggestions which enabled me to arrive at definite conclusions in several troublesome tangles. Hard work is his delight. I hope that the valuable experience gained by this young officer will be of advantage to the State in future. It is my pleasant duty to record that the great collection of documents in the Mathilakam, the Palace and the Huzur Central Records has been of immense value in dislodging errors, finding out explanations, and filling up gaps. This would not have been possible but for the gracious permission given to me by His Highness the Maharaja to use the old records in the Palace and the Mathilakam as well as those in the other archives of Government. As I have already stated in the Preface to Vol.I, the personal interest evinced by His Highness has been a great inspiration and encouragement. In the performance of this difficult and laborious task which His Highness’ Government commissioned me to do I had the inestimable advantage of frequent discussions with the Dewan, Sachivothama Sir C.P Ramaswami Aiyar, and the benefit of his valuable advice. I may be permitted to say that that advice has stood me in good stead in the preparation of this as well as the other volumes. To him I beg to express my sincere and respectful thanks.
Trivandrum 15th Oct 1940
T.K.VELU PILLAI
TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter XIII
I - ANCIENT HISTORY
Introductory .. .. 1 Kerla Traditions of its origin .. .. 2 Peopling of the new country .. .. 3 The four divisions .. .. 4 Privileges of the Namputhiris .. .. 4 Government .. .. 4 Some facts of ancient geography .. .. 6 The age of Kerala .. .. 7 Kerala in ancient literature .. .. 8 The land of trade .. .. 9 The earliest inhabitants .. .. 11 Kerala ethnologically similar to South India .. .. 13 The inhabitants .. .. 13 Namputhiris .. .. 14 Other immigrants .. .. 14 The Nagas and the Brahmanas .. .. 15 Friendly dealings .. .. 16 The story of Parasurama .. .. 16 Dravidian civilisation .. .. 17 The three great kingdoms .. .. 18 The Cheras .. .. 19 Early kings .. .. 19 Senkuttuvan .. .. 20 Apathy of the historians .. .. 21 Senkuttuvan’s conquests .. .. 22 Development of trade .. .. 23 Internal administration .. .. 24 After Senkuttuvan .. .. 24 Later history: The two branches .. .. 25 Kulasekhara Alwar .. .. 26 The Southern Cheras: Travancore .. .. 26 Political organisation .. .. 27 Travancore outside Perumals’ sway .. .. 28 No land tax in Kerala .. .. 30 Recapitulation .. .. 34 The antiquity of Travancore and Kolathunad .. .. 35 Jainism and Buddhism .. .. 36 Revival of Hinduism .. .. 37 Sankaracharya .. .. 38 Christians and Muhammadans .. .. 39
II EARLY HISTORY
Travancore rulers and Cheras .. .. 41 A wrong view corrected .. .. 43 Copper plate grants .. .. 46 An independent entity .. .. 49 Relations with the Pandyas .. .. 50 Kollam Era .. .. 51 The Thiruvati of the copper plate .. .. 52 Sri Vallabahan Kotha .. .. 56 Govardhana Marthanda .. .. 56 Relations with the Cholas and Pandyas .. .. 58 Nanjanad .. .. 60 Versions examined .. .. 61 Kanthalursala .. .. 68 Ramar Thiruvati .. .. 71 Vira Kerala Varma .. .. 78 Kotha Kerala Varma .. .. 78 Vira Ravi Varma .. .. 80 Udaya Marthanda Varma .. .. 80 The Gosala inscription .. .. 82 The extent of Venad .. .. .84 Rama Varma .. .. 84 Devadaran Kerala Varma .. .. 86 Ravi Kerala Varma .. .. 87 The Manalikkara edict .. .. 89 Some rulers .. .. 92 Kupaka is Venad .. .. 94
III MEDIAEVAL HISTORY
i. From Revi Varma Kulasekhara to the advent of the Portuguese .. .. 95-152 Ravi Varma Samgramadhira .. .. 95 Early activities .. .. 96 The condition of South India .. .. 99 Conquests and coronation .. .. 102 Inscriptions .. .. 106 Greatness suffered in its evaluation .. .. 107 Remarkable reign .. .. 111 Personal qualities .. .. 113 His morals .. .. 114 Date of his death .. .. 115 An Explanation .. .. 118 Adithya Varma .. .. 120 Rama Udaya Marthanda Varma and Kerala Varma .. .. 1`23 Kerala Varma’s successors .. .. 124 Ravi Varma .. .. 126 Chera Udaya Marthanda .. .. 127 Victory of Ravim Varma at Karuvelamkulam .. .. 127 Venad Mutha Raja and Rama Marthanda .. .. 128 Adithya Varma .. .. 130 The Varkala inscription .. .. 132 Ravi Ravi Varma .. .. 133 The Portuguese .. .. 137 First Voyage .. .. 137 Enmity with Zamorin .. .. 138 Alliance with Cochin .. .. 139 At Quilon .. .. 144 Struggles with the Zamorin .. .. 146 The vengeance of the Moors of Quilon .. .. 147 Treaty with Quilon .. .. 148 Kings and Co-regents .. .. 149 Jayasimha Deva ii .. .. 149 The Portuguese again .. .. 152
ii Travancore and Vijayanagar .. .. 156-174 Udaya Marthanda Varma .. .. 156 A claim examined .. .. 157 The nature of conquests .. .. 158 Travancore outside its sway .. .. 160 Battle of the Thamraparni .. .. 164 Inscriptional evidence .. .. 166 Rajanatha unreliable .. .. 166 Udaya Marthanda a great king .. .. 171 The Second Bhuthalavira and his successors .. .,. 172 Travancore and foreigners .. .. 173 Portuguese plunder temples .. .. 174 iii Vijayanagar again .. .. 175-196 BaDAGAS DEFEATED .. .. 175 Xavier’s part .. .. 176 Travancore independent .. .. 177 Vithala’s second invasion .. .. 179 Rama Varma and his successors .. .. 180 The Portuguese again .. .. 182 Ravi Varma .. .. 184 Ravi Varma and Unnikkerala Varma .. .. 185 Thirumala Nayak’s invasion .. .. 187 Thirumala’s project .. .. 191 The death of Iravikuttipillai .. .. 191 Travancore not defeated .. .. 192 The English and the Dutch .. .. 192 Ravi Varma .. .. 195 The Dutch .. .. 196 iv. The temple and the State .. .. 202-231 Rama Varma and Adithya Varma .. .. 202 Temple affairs .. .. 203 The Yogam .. .. 205 Disputes .. .. 213 The closing years of Adithya Varma .. .. 213 Wrong version .. .. 214 Poisoning untrue .. .. 217 Adithya Varma died at kalkulam .. .. 219 Ravi Varma and Umayamma Rani .. .. 219 The Kalippankulam incident untrue .. .. 220 Proof by omission .. .. 224 Correct history .. .. 225 All invasion .. .. 228 Kerala Varma of Malabar .. .. 229 English at Anjengo .. .. 231 v. The Last Phase of Medieval history .. .. 232-291 Ravi Varma .. .. 232 Kerala Varma killed .. .. 233 An alleged invasion .. .. 235 Popular rights asserted .. .. 238 Reforms of Ravi Varma .. .. 241 Adithya Varma and Rama Varma .. .. 241 Incident at Anjengo .. .. 244 The truth about it .. .. 249 Agreement with the English .. .. 252 Rama Varma and Madura .. .. 256 Rani’s escape .. .. 259 Marthanda Varma .. .. 262-357 Introductory .. .. 262 Political divisions of Malabar .. .. 266 Commencement of reign .. .. 268 The army .. .. 269 The Kunchu Thampis .. .. 271 War with Quilon 274 War with Kayamkulam .. .. 278 A conspiracy .. .. 280 Change of Dalawaship 281 Attingal .. .. 282-300 Assumption of direct control .. .. 282 Views of Van Rheede and Hamilton .. .. 282 Foreign writers ignorant .. .. 283 Later views .. .. 285 Current versions examined .. .. 286 Hamilton’s viewe examined .. .. 288 Position of the Ranis .. .. 289 Origin in adoption .. .. 289 Views of Sundaram Pillai .. .. 290 Kilpperur .. .. 293 Result of the investigation .. .. 294 Chirava .. .. 296 Marthanda Varma’s act explained .. .. 299 Position of the sovereign .. .. 300 Events in Kottarakkara .. .. 301 Amalgamation of Kotarakkara .. .. 302 The Dutch war .. .. 303 Battle of Colachel .. .. 304 Troubles in the eastern frontier .. .. 306 Treaty of Mannar .. .. 309 The Dutch peace conferences .. .. 310 Defeat of the Kayamkulam Raja .. .. 316 Annexation of Ampalappula .. .. 317 Annexation of Thekkumkur .. .. 318 Annexation of Vadakkumkur .. .. 319 Treaty of Mavelikkara .. .. 320 War with Cochin .. .. 324 Battle of Purakkad .. .. 325 Advance towards Cochin .. .. 325 Treaty with Cochin .. .. 325 Dutch views of the treaty with Cochin .. .. 326 Rebellion in the north .. .. 328 Defeat of the Zamorin .. .. 329 Cochin seeks help from Travancore .. .. 331 Relations with the Carnatic .. .. 332 Relations with the English .. .. 334 Reforms .. .. 337 IV MODERN HISTORY
Temple .. .. 337 Public works .. .. 339 Military administration .. .. 340 Land Revenue .. .. 344 Other sources of revenue .. .. 345 Village and district administration .. .. 347 Dedication of the State to Sri Padmanabha .. .. 347 Death of Ramayyan Dalava .. .. 349 Last days of Maharaja .. .. 350 Estimate of his work .. .. 353 Rama Varma .. .. 357-346 Commencement of the reign .. .. 357 War with the Zamorin .. .. 358 Conclusion of the war .. .. 360 The Zamorin’s visit and treaty .. .. 361 The Travancore lines .. .. 361 Ayyappan Marthanda Pillai .. .. 363The eastern frontier .. .. 364 Kalakkad .. .. 365 Fall of Yusuf Khan .. .. 367 Changing fortunes .. .. 369 Disputes settlee .. .. 370 The Nawab’s Cowlenamah .. .. 371 Its significance .. .. 373 The position of the English .. .. 374 The rise of Hjyder Ali .. .. 376 His scheme against Travancore .. .. 378 Invasion of Malabar .. .. 378 The resistance quelled .. .. 379 Overtures with the Dutch .. .. 380 Tactics of the Dutch .. .. 381 Hyder Ali’s demands .. .. 381 Project invasion of Travancore .. .. 383 Events elsewhere .. .. 383 Travancore in the treaty of Madras .. .. 385 Mysore forces in Malabar .. .. 386 Hyder and the Dutch .. .. 388 Death of D’ Lannoy .. .. 389 Travancore and the Dutch .. .. 390 Hyder’s difficulties .. .. 392 His renewed efforts .. .. 392 The success of the English .. .. 394 Tipu sultan .. .. 395 Treaty of mangalore .. .. 398 The Maharaja’s pilgrimage .. .. 398 Domestic events .. .. 399 The War brewing .. .. 39 Kesavan Pillai becomes the Dewan .. .. 400 Affairs in Malabar .. .. 401 Tipu descends upon Malabar .. .. 402 Tipu’s diplomacy .. .. 403 Tipu and the English .. .. 405 Cranganore and Ayakkotta .. .. 407 Disputes regarding the transaction .. .. 410
Tipu defeated .. .. 413 Further plans .. .. 415 Tipu enters Travancore .. .. 416 Tipu compelled to retreat .. .. 421 Glorious part played by Travancore .. .. 422 Lord Cornwallis takes the field .. .. 426 Treaty of Seringapatam .. .. 427 Settlement of Malabar .. .. 430 The Expenses of the war .. .. 432 Reforms .. .. 437 Estimate of maharaja .. .. 441 Balarama Varma (978-936 ME) .. .. 446-501 Introductory .. .. 446 Betrayal of State interests .. .. 447 Death of Raja Kesava Das .. .. 448 The Nampuri Valiya Sarvadhikaryakkar .. .. 448 The rising of the people .. .. 449 Execution of Kumaran Thampi and Irayimman Thampi .. .. 454 Velu Thampi appointed Dalava .. .. 455 Intrigues against Velu Thampi .. .. 456 Mutiny of the troops .. .. 458 Modification of the treaty .. .. 459 Endeavours for the remission of increased subsidy .. .. 469 Trial of strength with Col. Macaulay .. .. 471 The storm gathers .. .. 473 The rebellion .. .. 476 The incident at Alleppey .. .. 477 The Kuntara Proclamation .. .. 481 Attack in Cochin .. .. 483 Further stages .. .. 485 Velu Thampi kills himself .. .. 491 Macaulay condemned .. .. 493 Rebellin explained .. .. 495 The new minister .. .. 497 Close of the reign .. .. 500 Gauri Lakshmsi Bayi (986-990 M.E.) .. .. 501-526 Succession settled .. .. 501 Thampi Iravi dismissed .. .. 503 Resident-Dewan .. .. 505 Reforms .. .. 506 Revenue .. .. 511 Trade .. .. 512 Judicial .. .. 514 Establishment of courts .. .. 515 Police .. .. 517 Munro’s work .. .. 521 Birth of the princes .. .. 524 Gauri Parvathi Bayi (990-1004 M.E) .. .. 526-545 Ministerial changes .. .. 527 Reforms .. .. 531 Civic rights .. .. 531 Social improvement .. .. 535 Judicial .. .. 535 Revenue .. .. 535 Religious toleration .. .. 537 The Nayar Brigade .. .. 540 Foreign relations .. .. 541 Edappalli .. .. 542 Punjar .. .. 543 Panthalam .. .. 544 Close of the regency .. .. 545 Rama Varma Swathi Thirunal(1004-1022 M.E) .. .. 545-564 Accession .. .. 545 Change of Dewanship .. .. 546 Withdrawal of subvsidiary force .. .. 547 Solid work .. .. 549 Reforms .. .. 550 Administration of justice .. .. 550 Other reforms .. .. 552 Troubles with the Resident .. .. 553 Resignation of Reddy Rao .. .. 559 Last years .. .. 560 An estimate .. .. 561 Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma (1022-1036 M.E) .. .. 564-592 Accession .. .. 564 Krishna Rao appointed Dewan .. .. 565 Poverty of public fisc .. .. 566 Amelioration of slaves .. .. 567 Travancore ivory work praised .. .. 569 Tinnevelly – Travancore boundary .. .. 570 Financial strain .. .. 570 Demise of Parvathi Bayi .. .. 571 Administrative divisions .. .. 571 Attacks on the administration .. .. 572 Steps taken to improve the administration .. .. 577 Miscellaneous .. .. 578 The pepper monopoly .. .. 579 Madava Rao appointed Dewan .. .. 582 Disturbances in South Travancore .. .. 583 General Cullen’s death .. .. 589 Demise of the Maharaja .. .. 591 Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma (1036-1055 M.E) .. .. 592-633 Accession .. .. 592 Famine relief .. .. 593 Fiscal reform .. .. 593 Interportal convention .. .. 595 The improvement of Travancore ports .. .. 600 Judicial reform .. .. 601 Sircar pattam lands enfranchised .. .. 602 Jenmi Kudidyan Proclamation .. .. 602 Means of communication .. .. 604 Education .. .. 605 Medical aid .. .. 606 Miscellaneous events .. .. 607 Appreciation of the administration .. .. 610 Retirement of Madava Rao .. .. 614 Seshiah\Sastri .. .. 616 Reforms .. .. 616 Jurisdication over European British subjects .. .. 619 Important events .. .. 624 Imperial Banner to Travancore .. .. 625 Retirement of Seshiah Sastri .. .. 627 Dewan Nanoo Pillai .. .. 628 Public works .. .. 629 Survey .. .. 630 Medical and Sanitary .. .. 630 Trade and Commerce .. .. 630 Legislation .. .. 631 Judicial .. .. 631 Land Revenue .. .. 632 Events in the Royal Family .. .. 632 Demise of Maharaja .. .. 633 Rama Varma Visakham Thirunal (1055-1060 M.E.) .. .. 634-646 Accession .. .. 634 Attainments and early life .. .. 634 Relesse of the Valiya Koyil Thampuran .. .. 637 Retirement of Dewan Nanoo Pillai .. .. 637 The new Dewan .. .. 637 Reforms .. .. 638 Travancore Cochin boundary .. .. 641 Important events .. .. 642 The Maharajas personal traits .. .. 644 The Maharajas demise .. .. 645 Sri Mulam Thirunal Rama Varma (1061-1099 M.E) .. .. 647-710 Early years .. .. 647 Accesssion .. .. 648 Land policy .. .. 651 Viruthi service .. .. 653 Puthuval lands .. .. 654 Kulachukututhal .. .. 658 Agriculture .. .. 659 Agricultural loans .. .. 660 Irrigation .. .. 661 Forests .. .. 663 Salt .. .. 665 Excise .. .. 666 Administration of justice .. .. 669 Education .. .. 673 Public works .. .. 675 Anchal .. .. 677 Public Health .. .. 678 Ayurveda .. .. 679 Sanitation .. .. 679 Legislature .. .. 681 Registration .. .. 687 Public service .. .. 688 Foreigners and public service .. .. 690 Devaswam .. .. 693 Miscellaneous Departments .. .. 694 Population and progress .. .. 694 The Maharaja and his Dewans .. .. 695 Leading events .. .. 702 Title to His Highness .. .. 703 Kulasekhara Perumal .. .. 703 Distinguished visitors .. .. 703 Royal tours .. .. 704 The King Emperors coronation .. .. 705 Events in the Royal Family .. .. 705 Riots .. .. 706 Silver Jubilee .. .. 707 Delhi Durbar .. .. 707 Princes and Princesses .. .. 707 The Great War . .. 708 Shashtyabdapurthi .. .. 708 Domestic life .. .. 709 Literature .. .. 710 Demise .. .. 710 Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi (Regent 1100-1107 M.E) .. .. 711-726 Commencement of the administration .. .. 711 Dewan M.E Watts .. .. 711 Revenue .. .. 712 Panchayats .. .. 713 The improvement of communication .. .. 714 Education and Public Health .. .. 715 Devaswams .. .. 716 Important legislations .. .. 717 The new Dewan .. .. 721 Munro Island resumed .. .. 721 Special Committee .. .. 722 Public works .. .. 723 Judicial .. .. 723 Devadasis discontinued .. .. 724 Title to the Maharani .. .. 724 Visit of Lord Irwin .. .. 724 Other events .. .. 725 Round Table Conference .. .. 726 Close of the Regency .. .. 726 Maharaja Bala Rama Varma Sri Chithra Thirunal .. .. 727-804 Ideals .. .. 727 Installation .. .. 728 Education .. .. 729 Investiture .. .. 731 More privileges .. .. 737 Indian States Committee .. .. 738 New Dewan .. .. 738 The Legislature .. .. 739 Powers .. .. 741 Constituencies .. .. 744 His Highness message .. .. 746 His Highness European tour .. .. 747 Distinguished visitors .. .. 750 Pallikkettu .. .. 752 Change of Dewan .. .. 753 Franchise reform .. .. 754 Public service .. .. 755 Salaries standardised .. .. 758 Reorganisation of the State Forces .. .. 759 Silver Jubilee celebration .. .. 759 Title of the Maharja .,. .. 760 Visit of the Ruler of Cochin .. .. 761 Epidemics .. .. 761 Fire in the Sri Padmanabhaswami temple .. .. 762 Pallivasal Scheme .. .. 762 His Highness’ tours .. .. 763 Sachivothama .. .. 766 Temple Entry .. .. 766 Tour to Madras .. .. 70 Tour to the East Indies .. .. 770 Travancore and Federation .. .. 773 Degrees to their Highness .. .. 775 Educational policy .. .. 777 The Travancore University .. .. 778 Birth of the First Prince .. .. 780 Pallikkettu .. .. 780 Viceregal visit .. .. 780 Visit of the Maharaja of Bikaner .. .. 781 Thirumatampu .. .. 782 Maqterial progress .. .. 782 Industries .. .. 784 Labour question .. .. 785 Land Mortgage Bank .. .. 786 The Credit Bank .. .. 787 State Transport .. .. 788 Public works .. .. 789 Sports and Games .. .. 790 The Scout movement .. .. 791 Uplift of backward communities .. .. 792 Poor Home .. .. 792 Award of titles .. .. 793 Coinage .. .. 793 Political agitation .. .. 794 Birth of Princess .. .. 796 Franchise reform .. .. 796 Finance .. .. 797 War efforts .. .. 802 A remarkable period .. .. 804 Bibliography .. .. 805-820 Index .. .. 821-900
ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOL. II
1. H.H. Maharaja Sri Chithra Thirunal Statue in Madras .. Frontispiece 2. Chitharal, Jaina sculpture .. 15 3. Image of the Buddha-Mavelikkara .. .. 37 4. Chera Coat of Arms (ancient) .. .. 43 5. King Udaya Marthanda Varma .. .. 171 6. Iravikutti Pillai .. .. 191 7. Nieuhoffs audience with the Queen of quilon .. .. 199 8. Padmanabhapuram palace (old) .. .. 219 9. Surrender of the Dutch at Colachel .. .. 305 10. Tippu at the Travancore Lines .. .. 415 11. Fortified Hill, Aramboly .. .. 487 12. Maharaja Sri Mulam Thirunal .. .. 649
MAPMap of Travancore to explain Marthanda Varma’s conquests .. 267
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