ഉത്രാടം തിരുനാള് ഓര്മ്മയായി
തിരുവനന്തപുരം: തിരുവിതാംകൂര് രാജവംശത്തിലെ മഹാരാജാവ് ഉത്രാടം തിരുനാള് മാര്ത്താണ്ഡ വര്മ്മ (91) നാടുനീങ്ങി. ഹൃദയാഘാതത്തെ തുടര്ന്ന് തിങ്കളാഴ്ച പുലര്ച്ചെ 2.20 ന് തിരുവനന്തപുരം എസ്യുടി ആശുപത്രിയിലായിരുന്നു വിയോഗം. വാര്ദ്ധക്യ സഹജമായ അസുഖങ്ങളെ തുടര്ന്ന് ഈ മാസം ആറു മുതല് ആശുപത്രിയില് ചികിത്സയിലായിരുന്നു. ഭൗതികദേഹം രാവിലെ മുതല് കോട്ടയ്ക്കകം ലെവി ഹാളില് പൊതുര്ശനത്തിന് വച്ചിരിക്കുകയാണ്. 2.30 വരെ പൊതുദര്ശനം തുടരും. സൂര്യസ്തമയത്തിനു മുന്പ് ഓടെ കവടിയാര് കൊട്ടാരത്തില് സംസ്കാരം നടക്കും. തിരുവിതാംകൂര് രാജകുടുംബത്തിലെ കാരണവരും ശ്രീപത്മനാഭ സ്വാമി ക്ഷേത്രത്തിന്റെ രക്ഷാധികാരിയുമായിരുന്നു. പട്ടം പാലസില് (തുളസി ഹില് പാലസ്) ആയിരുന്നു ഇത്രാടം തിരുനാളിന്റെ താമസം.
മരണസമയത്ത് മകള് പാര്വതീവര്മ്മ, മകന് പത്മനാഭവര്മ്മ പൂയം തിരുനാള് ഗൗരി പാര്വതീ ഭായി, അശ്വതി തിരുനാള് ഗൗരി ലക്ഷ്മീ ഭായി, മൂലം തിരുനാള് രാമവര്മ (അടുത്ത അനന്തരാവകാശി) തുടങ്ങി കുടുംബാംഗങ്ങളെല്ലാം ഒപ്പമുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. കാര്ത്തിക തിരുനാള് തമ്പുരാട്ടിയാണ് സഹോദരി. 2005ല് പരേതയായ രാധാദേവിയാണ് ഭാര്യ. ലഫ്.കേണല് കൃഷ്ണ ഗോപിനാഥന്റെ മകളായിരുന്നു രാധാദേവി.
തിരുവിതാംകൂര് ഭരിച്ച അവസാനത്തെ രാജാവായ ചിത്തിര തിരുനാള് ബാലരാമവര്മയുടെ അനുജനാണ് ഉത്രാടം തിരുനാള്. ഇളയരാജാവ് എന്നാണ് അദ്ദേഹം അറിയപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു. 1922 മാര്ച്ച് 22ന് (മീനമാസത്തിലെ ഉത്രാടം നാള്)തിരുവനന്തപുരത്തെ കവടിയാര് കൊട്ടാരത്തില് മഹാറാണി സേതു പാര്വ്വതി ഭായിയുടെയും കിളിമാനൂര് കൊട്ടാരത്തിലെ രവി വര്മ്മ കോച്ചുകോയിക്കല് തമ്പരാന്റെയും മകനായി ജനനം. രണ്ടാം വയസ്സില് മാതാപിതാക്കള്ക്കൊപ്പം മദ്രാസിലേക്ക് താമസം മാറ്റി. അഞ്ചാം വയസ്സില് വിദ്യാരംഭം. തിരുവിതാംകൂര് സര്വകലാശാലയില് നിന്ന് ബിരുദം നേടിയ ശേഷം പ്ലൈമൗണ്ട് കമ്പനിയില് ജോലിക്കു ചേര്ന്നു. പിന്നീട് ഉന്നത വിദ്യാഭ്യാസത്തിനായി ഇംണ്ടിലേക്ക് പോയി. പഠനശേഷം 1956ല് ബംഗലൂരുവില് വ്യവസായ സ്ഥാപനം തുടര്ന്നി. പിന്നീട് വളരെക്കാലം ബംഗലൂരുവിലായിരുന്നു താമസം. 1991ല് ചിത്തിര തിരുനാള് നാടുനീങ്ങിയതോടെ തിരുവനന്തപുരത്തേക്ക് താമസം മാറ്റി.
വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ കാലത്തും തുടര്ന്നും കൊട്ടാരത്തിലെ മുറജപങ്ങളും മുറയ്ക്ക് നടന്നു. കായികരംഗത്തും കുതിരസവാരിയിലും യാത്രയിലും ഫൊട്ടോഗ്രഫിയിലും ഏറെ തത്പരനായിരുന്നു ഉത്രാടം തിരുനാള്. ലോകയാത്രകളിലുടനീളം ചിത്രങ്ങള് ഒപ്പിയെടുത്തു. തിരുവിതാംകൂര് കൊട്ടാരത്തിലെ ചരിത്രമുഹൂര്ത്തങ്ങളും ആകാശകാഴ്ചകളും അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ചിത്ര ശേഖരത്തിലുണ്ട്. ശ്രീപത്മനാഭന്റെ ദാസനായ അദ്ദേഹം ആരോഗ്യം അനുവദിക്കുന്നതുവരെ ക്ഷേത്രദര്ശനംമുടക്കിയിരുന്നില്ല. ശ്രീപത്മനാഭയെ കണ്ടശേഷമായിരുന്നു ജലപാനം പോലും. ശംഖുമുരദയുള്ള കാറില് ശ്രീപത്മനാഭനെ വണങ്ങാനുള്ള ബെന്സ് കാറിലെ അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ യാത്ര തലസ്ഥാന നഗരത്തിലെ പതിവ് കാഴ്ചയായിരുന്നു. പ്രൗഡോജ്വലമായ ആ യാത്ര ഇനി തലസ്ഥാനവാസികള്ക്ക് നിറമുള്ള ഓര്മ്മയാകും. കഴിഞ്ഞ വര്ഷം നവതിയാഘോഷത്തിന് സമ്മാനമായി ലഭിച്ച റോല്സ് റോയ്സ് കാറില് അദ്ദേഹം ക്ഷേത്ര ദര്ശനത്തിന് എത്തിയെങ്കിലും ആ കാര് പിന്നീട് ഉടമയ്ക്കു തന്നെ മടക്കി നല്കി.
രാജഭരണത്തിന്റെയും ബ്രീട്ടീഷ് കോളനി വാഴ്ചയുടെയും ജനാധിപത്യത്തിന്റെയും ഭരണാനുഭവങ്ങള്ക്ക് സാക്ഷ്യം വഹിച്ച വ്യക്തിയായിരുന്നു. യൗവനകാലത്ത് കോളനിവാഴ്ച അവസാനിച്ച് നാട് ജനാധിപത്യത്തിലേക്കും കടന്നപ്പോഴും പിന്നീട് രാജഭരണത്തിന് പ്രസക്തി നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടപ്പോഴും അദ്ദേഹം എല്ലാത്തിനും സാക്ഷിയായി. വോട്ട് ചെയ്യാന് ഇഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടില്ലെങ്കിലും ജനാധിപതര്യത്തെ തള്ളിപ്പറഞ്ഞില്ല. ഏതെങ്കിലും രാഷ്ട്രീയ പാര്ട്ടിയോട് പ്രത്യേക ആഭിമുഖ്യം കാട്ടാനോ ആരെയെങ്കിലും തള്ളിപ്പറയാനോ അദ്ദേഹം തയ്യാറായില്ല. തന്നെ കാണാനെത്തിയ ഗുജറാത്ത് മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി നരേന്ദ്രമോഡിയെ രാജകീയമായി തന്നെ അദ്ദേഹം സ്വീകരിച്ചു. നവംബര് 11ന് കേരള സന്ദര്ശനത്തിനെത്തിയ ചാള്സ് രാജകുമാരനുമായി അനാരോഗ്യങ്ങള് മാറ്റിവച്ച് കൊച്ചിയില് എത്തി അദ്ദേഹം നടത്തിയ കൂടിക്കാഴ്ച ചരിത്രത്തിന്റെ ഓര്മ്മപുതുക്കലായിരുന്നു. കൂടിക്കാഴ്ചയില് തിരുവിതാംകൂര് പവന് ചാള്സിന് സമ്മാനിക്കാനും അദ്ദേഹം പറന്നില്ല.
എളിമയുടെയും പാണ്ഡിത്യത്തിന്റെയും പ്രതീകമായിരുന്ന ഉത്രാടം തിരുനാള് നാടുനീങ്ങിയതോടെ രാജവംശത്തിലെ ഒരു കാലഘട്ടമാണ് അവസാനിക്കുന്നത്. 'തൃപ്പടിദാനം' അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ആത്മകഥയാണ്. 2010 ജുണില് ശ്രീപത്മനാഭസ്വാമി ക്ഷേത്രത്തിലെ നിധിശേഖരത്തെ കുറിച്ച് ലോകമറിഞ്ഞതോടെയാണ് ചേരവംശത്തിലെ അന്പത്തിയഞ്ചാമത് ശ്രീപത്മനാഭ ദാസനായ അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ മഹത്വം ലോകമെമ്പാടും അറിയപ്പെട്ടത്.
Reports Mangalam Daily,December 16, 2013
Features
രാജഹൃദയത്തിലെ ഉത്സവങ്ങള്....
എപ്പോഴും ചുറ്റുമുള്ളവരുടെ സ്നേഹവും ആദരവും നേടിയെടുക്കുന്ന ലാളിത്യമാണ് തിരുവിതാംകൂറിലെ പത്മനാഭദാസനായ ഉത്രാടം തിരുനാള് മാര്ത്താണ്ഡവര്മ്മയ്ക്ക്. രാജ്യഭരണമില്ലെങ്കിലും യുവതലമുറയ്ക്കു ആദരണീയനായ രാജാവു തന്നെയാണ്. നവതി പിന്നിട്ട വേളയില് ഉത്രാടം തിരുനാള് 2012ലെ വിഷുക്കാലത്ത് 'കന്യക'യ്ക്ക് നല്കിയ അഭിമുഖത്തില് നിന്ന്.
തിരുവന്തപുരം പട്ടം ജംഗ്ഷന്റെ തിരക്കില് നിന്ന് വിളിപ്പാടകലെ പട്ടം പാലസ്. മഞ്ചാടിക്കുരു വീണു ചിതറിയ പറമ്പ്. സുന്ദരമായ വെണ്ശംഖ്, ആ രാജമുദ്ര രേഖപ്പെടുത്തിയ കൊട്ടാരവാതില് തുറക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.രാജകീയവും ലാളിത്യവും ഒരു സ്വപ്നം പോലെ കണ്തുറന്നു നമ്മെ വിസ്മയിപ്പിക്കുന്നുവോ.? എവിടെയും രാജഭരണത്തിന്റെ ഉള്ത്തുടിപ്പു നമ്മെ വന്നു തൊടുന്നു. അമ്പലവും പെയിന്റിംഗുകളും പഴയ കാറുകളും വിളക്കുകളും. ..
സാധാരണ പ്രജയ്ക്ക് എല്ലാം കാഴ്ചകളാണ്. തന്റെ മുന്ഗാമികളുടെ വലിയ എണ്ണച്ചായാ ചിത്രങ്ങള് നിരന്ന സ്വീകരണമുറിയിലേയ്ക്ക് ഉത്രാടം തിരുനാള് മഹാരാജാവ് കടന്നുവരുമ്പോള് പിന്നേയും പിന്നേയും തെളിഞ്ഞു വരുന്നു ആ രാജപ്രതാപം.
എപ്പോഴും ചുറ്റുമുള്ളവരുടെ സ്നേഹവും ആദരവും നേടിയെടുക്കുന്ന ഒരു ലാളിത്യമാണ് താനെന്നു പറയും പോലെയാണ് രാജാവ്. ആ സാമീപ്യം ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവര്ക്കിടയില് താനുണ്ടാകുമെന്ന് സ്വന്തം ജീവിതം കൊണ്ട് കാട്ടിത്തന്നുവോ.
''എനിക്ക് മറ്റൊന്നും വേണ്ട. എന്റെ നാടിന്റെ സ്നേഹം മതി. എന്നും അവരുടെ സ്നേഹം കൊട്ടാരത്തിന് ലഭിച്ചിരുന്നു.എനിക്ക് മുമ്പേ കടന്നുപോയവര്ക്ക് ശേഷം എനിക്കും. പറയുമ്പോള് ഇപ്പോള് എല്ലാം 'എക്സ്' ആണ്. അതായത് മുന് രാജാവ്..മുന് രാജകാലം....എനിക്ക് എല്ലാവര്ക്കുമൊപ്പം നില്ക്കാനാണ് ഇഷ്ടം. പൊതു പരിപാടികളില് പങ്കെടുക്കുമ്പോള് ആ സ്നേഹം ഞാനറിയുന്നു. അവരില് ഒരാളാണ് ഞാന്.അവര് എന്നെ സ്നേഹിക്കുന്നു. അതുകൊണ്ട് അവര്ക്കിടയിലേയ്ക്ക് ഞാന് പോകുന്നു.''
ആത്മീയതയില് മനസര്പ്പിച്ചതുകൊണ്ടാവണം സംസാരത്തിലൊക്കെയും ജീവിതത്തില് നിറയേണ്ട ലാളിത്യത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് എപ്പോഴും ഓര്മ്മിപ്പിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരുന്നു. ഉത്സവം പോലെ ആരുടെ മനസിലും നിറഞ്ഞു നില്ക്കുന്ന കൊട്ടാര ഓര്മ്മകളിലേക്ക് കൂട്ടിക്കൊണ്ടുപോകുമ്പോള് വിഷുവും... കുട്ടിക്കാലവും കളികളും യാത്രകളും പത്മനാഭ ഭക്തിയും...ഒക്കെ മാറിമറിഞ്ഞു തെളിഞ്ഞുവന്നു.
വിഷുക്കാലമാണ് .. കുട്ടിക്കാലത്തെ വിഷു ഓര്ത്തെടുത്താല്?
വളരെ ലളിതമാണ്. രാവിലെ എഴുന്നേല്ക്കണം. തലേന്ന് കണി തയാറാക്കും. ഒരു മേശയുടെ മുകളിലാണ് കണി തയാറാക്കുന്നത്. അല്പം വലുപ്പത്തിലുള്ള ദന്തത്തില് തീര്ത്ത ഇരിക്കുന്ന രീതിയിലുള്ള പത്മനാഭസ്വാമിയുടെ രൂപം വയ്ക്കും. ഒരുവശത്തു ലക്ഷ്മീദേവിയുടേതും മറുവശത്ത് മഹാലക്ഷ്മിയുടേയും രൂപം. അതിന്റെ മുന്നില് ഒരു വെള്ളി വിളക്ക്. ചുറ്റും തേങ്ങ, വെള്ളരി, മാങ്ങ... കണിക്കൊന്ന... രാവിലെ വിളക്കും കര്പ്പൂരവും കത്തിച്ച് കാരണവര് എല്ലാവരേയും വിളിച്ചുണര്ത്തി കണി കാണിക്കും. എന്നിട്ട് അമ്പലത്തില് പോകും. പത്തുമണി മുതല് കാരണവര് എല്ലാവര്ക്കും കൈനീട്ടം കൊടുക്കും. ഉച്ചയ്ക്ക് സാധാരണ ഒരു സദ്യ.
വിഷുവിന് കാലം വരുത്തിയ മാറ്റം?
പണ്ട് നാലു കൂട്ടരാണ് വിഷു കൊണ്ടാടിക്കൊണ്ടിരുന്നത്.മലയാളി..തമിഴന്,തെലുങ്കന്, കര്ണാടകക്കാരന്. പുതുവര്ഷമായിട്ടാണ് വിഷു ആഘോഷിച്ചിരുന്നത്. ഇന്നു മലയാളി ഇതൊരു വിശേഷദിവസം മാത്രമാക്കി. ഇംീഷില് വിഷു എന്നു എഴുതുന്നതിനിടയിലെ 'എച്ച് ' എന്ന അക്ഷരം കഴിഞ്ഞാല് 'എന്' എന്നു കൂടിചേര്ത്തു ചിന്തിച്ചാല് നന്നായിരുന്നു.അപ്പോള് 'വിഷ്ണു'.കോവിലില് പോകണം. ആളുകള്ക്ക് നമ്മുടെ സന്തോഷം കാട്ടാന് വിഷ്ണൂനീട്ടവും സദ്യയും കൊടുക്കുക.
സദ്യയ്ക്ക് ഒരു പ്രാധാന്യമുണ്ട്..?.
തീര്ച്ചയായും.ഒരാള്ക്ക് മതിയാവോളം കൊടുക്കാന് കഴിയുക ആഹാരമാണ്. സുഭിക്ഷിതയ്ക്ക് എളുപ്പമുണ്ട് ആഹാരം കൊടുത്താ ല്. ഇപ്പോള് ആഹാരത്തിലെ സുഭിക്ഷിതയും നഷ്ടമാകുകയാണ്. ക്യഷി ഇല്ലാതാകുന്നു.. പുഴ വറ്റുന്നു... പക്ഷേ മറ്റു ദേശക്കാര് ക്യഷി ചെയ്യുന്നുണ്ട്. നമുക്ക് ശീഘ്രം പണം കിട്ടണം എന്നാണ് ചിന്ത. നമ്മുടെ കാരുണ്യം കൊണ്ടും ഈ തമ്പുരാന്റെ ആലോചന കൊണ്ടും (ഭിത്തിയില് തൂക്കിയിരിക്കുന്ന വി ശാ ഖം തിരുനാളിന്റെ ചിത്രം ചൂണ്ടിക്കാട്ടുന്നു) മുല്ലപ്പെരിയാറിലെ വെള്ളം തമിഴന്മാര്ക്ക് കൊടുത്തു.അത് കൊണ്ട് കമ്പം, തേനി.. എന്നിവിടങ്ങളില് ക്യഷിയായി. നമ്മളത് ചെയ്യുന്നില്ല. കുട്ടനാട് പോലും ചുരുങ്ങി. ജപ്പാനെ കണ്ടു പഠിക്കണം. കൊച്ചു ദ്വീപുകളാണ്. എന്നിട്ടും അവര് സുന്ദരമായി ക്യഷി ചെയ്യുന്നു.
പല രാജ്യങ്ങള് സന്ദര്ശിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടാവില്ലേ?
പല രാജ്യങ്ങളില് പോയിട്ടുണ്ടെങ്കിലും അമേരിക്കയില് പോകണമെന്ന് തോന്നിയിട്ടേയില്ല. കാരണം അവരുടേതായ സംസ്ക്കാരമില്ലാത്ത രാജ്യമാണത്. ഒരു കാലത്ത് ഇംഗ്ലണ്ട്,ഇറ്റലി, ഫ്രാന്സ്, തുടങ്ങി പല രാജ്യങ്ങളില് നിന്ന് മുക്കാല്ി ഗുണ്ടകളായ ആള്ക്കാരാണ് ആദ്യം അവിടെ എത്തിപ്പെട്ടത്. മുന്നോട്ടുള്ള ജീവിതത്തില് അത് തിരുത്താനും കഴിഞ്ഞില്ല. അവിടെ ഒരു പാട് ഭൂമിയുണ്ട്... എണ്ണയുണ്ട്.എന്നിട്ടും അവര് പലര്ക്കും രോഗങ്ങള് അടക്കം മോശം കാര്യങ്ങളേ പകര്ന്നു നല്കിയുള്ളൂ. കുട്ടികളും ഇത് കണ്ടാണ് വളരുന്നത് .അതു കാരണം മാറ്റം ഉണ്ടാകുന്നില്ല.
നമുക്ക് കേരളത്തിലേക്ക് വരാം. ഇവിടെ കുട്ടികളുടെ കാര്യമെടുത്താല്?
ഇവിടെ കുട്ടികള്ക്ക് കുട്ടിക്കാലം ഇല്ല. കാളകളെ പോലെ ചുമടുതാങ്ങികളാണ് കുട്ടികള്.അവര് ആവശ്യമില്ലാത്ത കാര്യങ്ങള് എന്തൊക്കെയോ പഠിച്ചെടുക്കുന്നു.പണമുണ്ടാക്കുകയാണ് പഠനത്തിന്റെ ലക്ഷ്യമെന്ന് തോന്നിപ്പോകും.ജീവിതമെന്തെന്ന് പഠിക്കുന്നില്ല. വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം കച്ചവടമാകുന്നു.പുസ്തകം അച്ചടിക്കുന്നത് ബിസിനസിനപ്പുറം ഒന്നുമല്ല. സാംസ്ക്കരികമായി ഒന്നും പഠിക്കപ്പെടുന്നില്ല.
തിരുമനസിന്റെ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം?
ഞാന് സ്കൂളിലോ കോളജിലോ പോയിട്ടേയില്ല.14 അധ്യാപകര് കൊട്ടാരത്തില് വന്നു പഠിപ്പിക്കുകയായിരുന്നു.ഇപ്പോള് ചില സ്കൂളുകളിലൊക്കെ പോകുമ്പോള് സ്കൂളില് പോകാന് പറ്റാത്തതില് വിഷമം തോന്നാറുണ്ട്.
കളികള്?
വൈകുന്നേരങ്ങളില് എന്റെ സമപ്രായക്കാരായ ബന്ധുക്കളെ കൊട്ടാരത്തില് വരാന് അനുവദിക്കുമായിരുന്നു.ക്രിക്കറ്റ് ഒഴിച്ച് എല്ലാ കളികളും കളിക്കും.
ഇന്ന് ക്രിക്കറ്റാണ് ജനപ്രിയ കളി...?
അതില് അര്ത്ഥമില്ലെന്നാണ് തോന്നിയിട്ടുള്ളത്.ക്രിക്കറ്റില് ഏറ്റവും നല്ല കളിക്കാരനും കളിക്കിടയില് ജയമെന്നത് വെറും ചാന്സാണ്. ഒരു പാകപ്പിഴ പറ്റിയാല് പുറത്താക്കപ്പെടുന്നത് ക്രിക്കറ്റില് മാത്രമേയുള്ളൂ. ടെന്നീസിലൊക്കെ ഇടയ്ക്ക് ഒരു തെറ്റ് പറ്റിയാല് അത് തിരുത്തി മുന്നേറാം.
ഇന്ന് സമൂഹത്തില് സ്ത്രീ വല്ലാത്ത സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം അനുഭവിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്....പണ്ട് കൊട്ടാരങ്ങളിലെ സ്ത്രീകള്ക്ക് ഈ സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം ഇല്ലായിരുന്നൂവെന്ന് തോന്നിയിട്ടുണ്ടോ?
മറിച്ചാണ് തോന്നിയിട്ടുള്ളത്. ഇന്നാണ് സ്ത്രീകളെ അടക്കിവച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്. അന്ന് കേരളം ഒരു സ്ത്രീ രാജ്യമായിരുന്നൂവെന്ന് പറയാം. ഞങ്ങളുടെ തലമുറയില് മരുമക്കത്തായമാണ്. സ്ത്രീക്ക് വിവാഹശേഷവും തന്റെ സാമ്പത്തികനില സ്വന്തമായി നിലനിര്ത്താന് കഴിഞ്ഞിരുന്നു. സാമ്പത്തികസുരക്ഷി തത്വമാണ് സ്ത്രീക്ക് ധൈര്യം നല്കുന്നത്. ഇന്ന് വിവാഹം കഴിഞ്ഞാല് സ്വത്ത് സ്ത്രീക്കുള്ളതല്ല. വിവാഹം കഴിച്ച പുരുഷനും കുടുംബത്തിനുമുള്ളതാണ്. അങ്ങനെ വരുമ്പോള് സ്ത്രീ നിസഹായരാകുന്നു. കൊട്ടാരത്തിലെ സ്ത്രീകള് അങ്ങനെ നോക്കുമ്പോള് എത്രയോ സ്വതന്ത്ര്വയായിരുന്നു.
ആ സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം അവര്ക്ക് നല്കിയ ആഡംബരത എന്തായിരുന്നു?
കൊട്ടാരത്തില് എല്ലാക്കാര്യത്തിലുമുള്ള ലാളിത്യം അവരുടെ ജീവിതത്തിലുമുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. മഹാത്മാഗാന്ധി തിരുവന്തപുരത്ത് വന്നപ്പോള് കൊട്ടാരത്തിലും വന്നു. അന്ന് അമ്മമഹാറാണി എന്റെ അമ്മയുടെ ചേച്ചിയാണ്.അമ്മമഹാറാണിയെ കണ്ടതും ഗാന്ധിജിക്ക് അത്ഭുതമായി. കറുത്ത കരയുള്ള മുണ്ടാണ് ഉടുത്തിരുന്നത ്. കാതില് ചെറിയ മാല... കൈയില് കനം കുറഞ്ഞ വള. മഹാത്മാഗാന്ധി ചോദിച്ചു: ''എവിടെ പട്ടുസാരിയും സ്വര്ണാഭരണങ്ങളും''വടക്കേന്ത്യയിലെ രാജകൊട്ടാരത്തിലെ ആര്ഭാടം കണ്ടിരിക്കുന്ന ഗാന്ധിജിക്ക് അത് തികച്ചും അത്ഭുതമായി.റാണിയോട് കൂടുതല് സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം തോന്നിയ അദ്ദേഹം ചോദിച്ചു ''വൈക്കം ക്ഷേത്രത്തില് പട്ടിക്കും പൂച്ചയ്ക്കും വരെ കയറാം.പക്ഷേ മനുഷ്യന് പറ്റില്ല.ഇത് അനീതിയല്ലേ.''മഹാറാണി പറഞ്ഞു ''അതെ''.എങ്കില് പിന്നെ പ്രവേശനം കൊടുത്തു കൂടേയെന്നായി ഗാന്ധിജി.അമ്മമഹാറാണി പറഞ്ഞു:''ചിത്തിരതിരുനാള് മുതിരും വരെ ഔദ്യോഗികകാര്യങ്ങള് നടത്തിക്കൊണ്ടുപോകുന്നൂവെന്നേയള്ളൂ.തീരുമാനം ിചിത്തിരതിരുനാളിനോട് ചോദിച്ചോളൂ.''ചോദിച്ചപ്പോള് കുട്ടിയായ ചിത്തിരതിരുനാള് തിരുമനസ് പറഞ്ഞു''തീര്ച്ചയായും''.ആ വാക്ക് പാലിച്ചു അദ്ദേഹം. അധികാരത്തിലേറി അധികംകഴിയും മുമ്പേ ക്ഷേത്രപ്രവേശനം അനുവദിച്ചു.
പല മാറ്റങ്ങള്... വിഷു പോലെയുള്ള ആഘോഷങ്ങളിലും മാറ്റം ?
ഈദും ക്രിസ്മസും നന്നായി ആഘോഷിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.പല കാര്യങ്ങളിലും ചിട്ട നഷ്ടമായത് ഹിന്ദുക്കള്ക്കാണ്.ഓണവും വിഷുവുമൊന്നും ചിട്ടയായി ആഘോഷിക്കപ്പെടുന്നില്ല. കടയില് പോയി പണം ചെലവാക്കുന്നതിനപ്പുറം ആത്മീയമായോ മതപരമായോ ഒരു ചിന്തയും അവര്ക്കില്ലാതാകുന്നു.
ഒരു മാറ്റം എങ്ങനെ വരുത്താന് കഴിയും?
കുട്ടികളിലെ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസത്തിലൂടെ മാത്രമേ സാധിക്കൂ. കുട്ടിക്കാലത്ത് മനസിലാക്കുന്നതൊന്നും മറക്കാന് പറ്റില്ല.എനിക്ക് 12 വയസുള്ളപ്പോള് കൊട്ടാരത്തില് ഒരാള് വന്നു.അദ്ദേഹം സംസാരിക്കാന് തുടങ്ങി. അദ്ദേഹം പറഞ്ഞു തുടങ്ങിയത് ബ്രഹ്മാവില് നിന്നാണ്. ബ്രഹ്മാവ് എല്ലാവര്ക്കും ഒരു വയസു കൊടുത്തു.മനുഷ്യനും പട്ടിക്കും കാളയ്ക്കും മൂങ്ങയ്ക്കും.എല്ലാവര്ക്കും 25 വയസ്.20 വയസില് എത്തിയപ്പോള് മനുഷ്യന് ഒരാഗ്രഹം.വയസൊന്നു കൂട്ടിക്കിട്ടണം. ബ്രഹ്മാവ് പറഞ്ഞു: ''മറ്റുള്ളവര് തരാം''. മനുഷ്യന് കാളയുടെ അടുത്ത് ചെന്നു. ''നിനക്ക് വലിയ കഷ്ടപ്പാടല്ലേ എനിക്ക് തന്നൂടെ? അഞ്ച് വര്ഷം'' കാള കൊടുത്തു. പിന്നെ പട്ടിയുടെ അടുത്ത് പോയി; ''നീ വെറുതെ കാവലിരുന്നു മടുക്കില്ലേ'' യെന്നായി മനുഷ്യന്.
പിന്നെ മൂങ്ങയുടെ അടുത്ത് പോയി ''നീ ഇങ്ങനെ മൂളി എത്ര നാള്. അഞ്ചുവര്ഷം തന്നൂടെ.'' 25 വര്ഷം സുഖമായി കഴിഞ്ഞ മനുഷ്യന് പിന്നെ കുറേനാള് കാളയെപ്പോലെ കുടുംബത്തിന്റെ ബുദ്ധിമുട്ടുകള് ഏറ്റെടുത്തു. പ്രായമായപ്പോള് പട്ടിയെ പോലെ കുരച്ചു ക്രൗര്യം കാണിക്കാന് തുടങ്ങി. അവസാനം മൂങ്ങയെ പോലെ മൂളിയിരിക്കുന്ന അവസ്ഥയാണ് ഇന്ന് മനുഷ്യനുള്ളത്.
തിരുമനസിന് പാമ്പുകളില് വലിയ വിശ്വാസമെന്ന് എവിടെയോ വായിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു?
പാമ്പ് ഒരു സൂചനയാണ്. സായിപ്പും നമ്മളും വൈദ്യശാസ്ത്രത്തിന്റെ മുദ്രയായി ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നത് പാമ്പിനെയാണ്.എന്തുകൊണ്ട്. നമ്മുടെ തല മുതല് നട്ടെല്ലിന്റെ ഭാഗം വരെയാണ് സുഷ്മനാനാഡി.ഈ ഭാഗം ഉണര്ത്തിക്കഴിഞ്ഞാല് നമ്മള് കൂടുതല് ബുദ്ധിമാനാകും. ജീനിയസാകും. രണ്ട് മാതിരി പാമ്പുണ്ട്.ഒന്ന് നാഗം. പോകില്ല. സര്പ്പം.വേഗത്തില് പോകുന്നത്. പലപ്പോഴും ചില മുന്നറിയിപ്പ് തരാന് നാഗം കാരണമായിട്ടുണ്ട്.കൊട്ടാരംവക നാഗക്ഷേത്രത്തില് ഒരു രാത്രി വിളക്ക് കൊളുത്തിയില്ല. അന്നു സന്ധ്യാനേരം ഒരു പാമ്പ് എനിക്ക് ദര്ശനം തന്നു. അപ്പോഴേ എനിക്ക് കാര്യം പിടികിട്ടി. വിളക്ക് കത്തിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടാവില്ല.
ഇന്ന് വൈദ്യുതിയും കുറയുന്നു. ആദ്യമായി കൊട്ടാരത്തില് വൈദ്യുതി എത്തിയത് ഓര്ക്കുന്നുവോ?
ആദ്യമൊക്കെ മെഴുകുതിരിയും വിളക്കുമാണ് ഉപയോഗിച്ചിരുന്നത്. ഒരിടയ്ക്ക് ഒരു പ്രത്യേകതരം ഗ്ളാസില് വിളക്ക് കത്തിക്കുമായിരുന്നു.ആ ഗ്ളാസില് പാതി എണ്ണയും പാതി വെള്ളവും നിറച്ച് അതിലാണ് തിരി കത്തിക്കുന്നത്.അതെങ്ങനെ കത്തിയെന്ന് ചോദിച്ചാല് എനിക്കിന്നും അറിയില്ല.
പഴയ ചര്യകളില് തെറ്റാതെ ഇന്നും പത്മനാഭസ്വാമിക്ഷേത്രത്തില് പോകുന്നു... പ്രഭാതഭക്ഷണമായ'ചടങ്ങും' ഉച്ചഭക്ഷണമായ 'അമ്യതേത്തും' എങ്ങനെ ആണ്?
ചിട്ടകള് ഒന്നും തെറ്റിക്കാറില്ല..രാവിലെ നാലുമണിക്ക് എഴുന്നേല്ക്കും. യോഗ ചെയ്യും. ദിവസവും രാവിലെ പത്മനാഭസ്വാമിക്ഷേത്രത്തി ല് പോകും. തേവാരത്തില് നിത്യപൂജ മുടക്കില്ല. പത്രം വായിക്കും.വേദം വായിക്കും.മിതമായേ ആഹാരം കഴിക്കൂ.പാലും പച്ചക്കറികളും ഉപയോഗിക്കും.രാവിലെ പ്രഭാതഭക്ഷണത്തിന് ഇഡ്ഡലി, എരിവില്ലാത്ത ചമ്മന്തി.തേന്തുള്ളി നിറച്ച ബ്രെഡ് ടോസ്റ്റ്. അല്പം ചോറ്,പരിപ്പ്,നെയ്യ്,സംഭാരം, ഒക്കെക്കൂട്ടി ഉച്ചയൂണ്. മുട്ട,ചായ,കാപ്പി ഒന്നും കഴിക്കില്ല.
പണ്ട് കൊട്ടാരത്തില് ബ്രിട്ടീഷുകാര്ക്ക് രുചികരമായ സല്ക്കാരങ്ങള് നടത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. അവര്ക്കുംമാംസാഹാരമില്ലാത്ത വിഭവങ്ങളോ?
അവര്ക്ക് സല്ക്കാരങ്ങള് നടത്തിയിരുന്നത് കവടിയാര് കൊട്ടാരത്തിലായിരുന്നില്ല. മാംസാഹാരം വേണമെന്നതു കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ സല്ക്കാരങ്ങള് കനകക്കുന്ന് കൊട്ടാരത്തിലാണ് നടത്തിയിരുന്നത്.അതിനായി പ്രത്യേകം ജോലിക്കാരേയും വച്ചിരുന്നു.
വിദേശയാത്രയില് ആഹാരകാര്യത്തില് ബുദ്ധിമുട്ടാറില്ലേ തിരുമനസും?
1933ലാണ് ഞാന് ആദ്യമായി ഇംണ്ടില് പോകുന്നത്.കപ്പലിലായിരുന്നു യാത്ര. 15 ദിവസമെടുത്തു എത്തിപ്പെടാന്. അന്ന് വെപ്പുകാരേയും കൂട്ടിയാണ് പോയത്. പിന്നീട് പോയത് 30 വര്ഷങ്ങള്ക്ക് ശേഷം. അന്നും ഇന്നത്തെ രാഞ്ജിയെ കണ്ടു. ഞാനെന്ന ആറുവയസുകാരനെ കണ്ടത് രണ്ടാം തവണയും ഓര്ത്തിരുന്നു രാജ്ഞി.
ക്ഷേത്രദര്ശനസമയത്ത് പച്ചക്കല്ലിന്റെ വലിയ ലോക്കറ്റുള്ള മാല അണിഞ്ഞു കണ്ടിട്ടുണ്ട് ... ആ മാല?
മാര്ത്താണ്ഡവര്മ്മയുടെ കാലത്ത് പണിയിച്ച മാലയാണ്.ഏകദേശം മുന്നൂറ് വര്ഷം പഴക്കമുണ്ട്.അമ്പലത്തിലെ ആറാട്ട്,പള്ളിവേട്ട..തുടങ്ങിയ വിശേഷ അവസരങ്ങളിലാണ് അതണിയുക.
സമ്പന്നമാണ് രാജകുടുംബം. എങ്കിലും പണത്തിന് ബുദ്ധിമുട്ടിയ ഒരു കാലം ?
എന്നും ചെലവുകള് നിയന്ത്രിച്ചേ പണം ചെലവാക്കിയിട്ടുള്ളൂ.അതുകൊണ്ടാവണം പണത്തിന് ഞെരുക്കം അനുഭവിച്ചിട്ടില്ല.പണ്ടൊക്കെ നിരവധി പേര്ക്ക് ജോലി നല്കാന് കഴിഞ്ഞിരുന്നു.ഇന്ന് അത്രയ്ക്ക് കഴിയാറില്ല. എങ്കിലും നാലോളം ട്രസ്റ്റുകള് ക്ക് രൂപം കൊടുത്ത് പലര്ക്കും സഹായം എത്തിക്കാന് കഴിയുന്നുണ്ട്.
അഭിമുഖത്തിലുടനീളം ഭക്തി നിറയുന്നു ആ തിരുമുഖത്ത്.
സത്യത്തില് ദൈവം ഉണ്ടോ?
ഒട്ടും സംശയം വേണ്ട ൈദവം ഉണ്ട്. എന്നോട് പലരും ചോദിക്കും.പണം, കാര്, സ്വത്തുക്കള്,സൗഹ്യദങ്ങള്.....ഇതൊക്കെയുള്ളപ്പോള് ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പ്രാധാന്യമെന്ത്.ഞാന്പറയും: മറ്റുള്ളതൊക്കെയും നശിക്കാം പക്ഷേ മനസിലെ ഭക്തി ഒരിയക്കലും കെടില്ല.
എങ്ങനെ അറിയും ആ സാന്നിധ്യം?
എപ്പോഴാണ് മനുഷ്യന് രോമാഞ്ചം ഉണ്ടാവുക. അത് നിര്വചിക്കാന് പറ്റുമോ. കോവിലില് പോകുമ്പോള് അതറിയാന് കഴിയും. എപ്പോഴും പത്മനാഭന് മനസിലുണ്ട്. ഒപ്പം വിരല്ത്തുമ്പിലുമെന്ന് ബോധ്യപ്പെടുത്തുന്നു അദ്ദേഹം. ഒരു വേള കൈയിലെ മോതിരം ഊരിക്കാട്ടുന്നു. മോതിരത്തിന്റെ ശംഖിന്റെ മുദ്ര പതിപ്പിച്ച അടപ്പ് തുറക്കുമ്പോള് കാലിഡോസ്പ്പിലെന്ന പോലെ ദൂരെ കാഴ്പയില് പത്മനാഭസ്വാമിയുടെ രൂപം. മനസിലും കാഴ്ചയിലും പത്മനാഭസ്വാമിയുടെ ഭക്തി നിറയുമ്പോ ള് അറിയാതെ നമ്മളില് രാജഭക്തി നിറയുന്നു. നമ്മുടെ ഹൃദയത്തില് അദ്ദേഹം നിറച്ചതെന്താണ്. രാജകാലത്തിന്റെ ഉത്സവങ്ങള് .
Article Credits,Mangalam Daily,16/12/2013
Showing posts with label Raja Ravi Varma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Raja Ravi Varma. Show all posts
Monday, December 16, 2013
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Monday, March 19, 2012
Uthradom Thirunal celebrates Navathy
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma,the head of Travancore Royal family had a rare, three-century-old gift on his 90th birthday.
It was the affectionate greetings from the members of Singapetti zamindari family near Kuttalam when they were paying back the gratitude of their clan to Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the founder of Modern Travancore, for his magnanimity that saved their forefathers from the invasion by a rival principality.Saturday had many similar gifts in store for the thirteenth head of the Travancore Royal family. It was a day with a little difference for Uthradom Thirunal. He came for the routine morning ‘darsan’ of his deity, Sree Padmanabha in a white Rolls Royce, a birthday gift. The ‘darsan’ lasted for nearly 30 minutes from 7.20 a.m.
�He was gifted with a memento by his personal staff at the temple before attending the ‘mrithyunjaya pooja’ at Bhajanappura. He had a simple breakfast at Krishnavilasom palace at Kottakkakam with some dignitaries including NRI businessman B R Shetty and singer G Venugopal. Then it was the turn of the staff members from all the palaces in the city to greet their master. More than a hundred of them stood in queue to gift him the twin rose bouquet. The lunch at Rengavilasom Palace was not as simple as his routine frugal meals, but sumptuous with ‘royal’ dishes. Nearly 400 people from various walks of life including bureaucrats, politicians,film stars and members of the royal family joined him for the ‘sadya’. Members of the erstwhile princely state of Puthukkotta also greeted the royal scion on his birthday. The city bestowed its gratitude in an affectionate manner at a meeting held at Nishagandhi open air auditorium at Kanakakkunnu. The year-long Navathy celebrations were inaugurated by Speaker G Karthikeyan.
It was attended by former Union Minister O Rajagopal, former Minister M Vijayakumar, Major Archbishop Baselios Mar Cleemis, Sivagiri Mutt president Swami Prakasananda, Bharatheeya Vichara Kendram director P Parameswaran, Additional Chief Secretary K Jayakumar and Shiv Sena leader M S Bhuvanachandran. Hariharan with his ghazals and U Sreenivas with his Mandolin flavoured the birthday fete. The birthday of the 55th Padmanbaha dasa in the Chera dynasty as per the Gregorian calendar would fall five more days later, on March 22.
Reports IBN
It was the affectionate greetings from the members of Singapetti zamindari family near Kuttalam when they were paying back the gratitude of their clan to Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the founder of Modern Travancore, for his magnanimity that saved their forefathers from the invasion by a rival principality.Saturday had many similar gifts in store for the thirteenth head of the Travancore Royal family. It was a day with a little difference for Uthradom Thirunal. He came for the routine morning ‘darsan’ of his deity, Sree Padmanabha in a white Rolls Royce, a birthday gift. The ‘darsan’ lasted for nearly 30 minutes from 7.20 a.m.
�He was gifted with a memento by his personal staff at the temple before attending the ‘mrithyunjaya pooja’ at Bhajanappura. He had a simple breakfast at Krishnavilasom palace at Kottakkakam with some dignitaries including NRI businessman B R Shetty and singer G Venugopal. Then it was the turn of the staff members from all the palaces in the city to greet their master. More than a hundred of them stood in queue to gift him the twin rose bouquet. The lunch at Rengavilasom Palace was not as simple as his routine frugal meals, but sumptuous with ‘royal’ dishes. Nearly 400 people from various walks of life including bureaucrats, politicians,film stars and members of the royal family joined him for the ‘sadya’. Members of the erstwhile princely state of Puthukkotta also greeted the royal scion on his birthday. The city bestowed its gratitude in an affectionate manner at a meeting held at Nishagandhi open air auditorium at Kanakakkunnu. The year-long Navathy celebrations were inaugurated by Speaker G Karthikeyan.
It was attended by former Union Minister O Rajagopal, former Minister M Vijayakumar, Major Archbishop Baselios Mar Cleemis, Sivagiri Mutt president Swami Prakasananda, Bharatheeya Vichara Kendram director P Parameswaran, Additional Chief Secretary K Jayakumar and Shiv Sena leader M S Bhuvanachandran. Hariharan with his ghazals and U Sreenivas with his Mandolin flavoured the birthday fete. The birthday of the 55th Padmanbaha dasa in the Chera dynasty as per the Gregorian calendar would fall five more days later, on March 22.
Reports IBN
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Thrippadidanam, the autobiography of Uthradam Thirunal released
Thiruvananthapuram: Thrippadidanam, the autobiography of Uthradam Thirunal Marthandavarma, which also details history and rituals of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, is now an asset to Malayalam literature, as the book published by Mathrubhumi Books, was released on Wednesday 21 Dec. Uthradam Thirunal released the book by presenting the copy to writer and Kerala Sahithya Akademi president Perumbadavom Sreedharan. Uthradam Thirunal said that a secret, which was hidden in mind for the last 82 years, is out now.
Mathrubhumi managing editor PV Chandran presided and Aswathi Thirunal Gowrilakhsmibhai, former chief secretary CP Nair, history researcher and journalist Malayinkeezhu Gopalakrishnan, Mathrubhumi books assistant manager Georgy Thomas, Kshthriya Khsema Sabha leader M Ravivarmaraja and Umamaheshwari, who prepared the book, were present
Mathrubhumi managing editor PV Chandran presided and Aswathi Thirunal Gowrilakhsmibhai, former chief secretary CP Nair, history researcher and journalist Malayinkeezhu Gopalakrishnan, Mathrubhumi books assistant manager Georgy Thomas, Kshthriya Khsema Sabha leader M Ravivarmaraja and Umamaheshwari, who prepared the book, were present
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Sri Padmanabha Swami temple - Story
The History narrated is not authenticated but more or less known as per the reserch done by some enthusiast
Saturday, October 29, 2011
“The royal family must be complimented and praised”, L.K.Advani
The royal family had shown great responsibility, honesty and uprightness in looking after such a huge wealth, estimated to be worth Rs one lakh crore, he said.
Mr. Advani, in Kerala as part of his yatra, said it was all the more significant that the royal family preserved the treasures at a time when the country was concerned with the issue of corruption.
BJP leader L K Advani on Saturday said tradition should be maintained with regard to the huge treasures found in the vaults of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple here and praised the Travancore Royal family for keeping such an enormous wealth intact for centuries.
On suggestion from certain quarters that part of the wealth should be utilised for public welfare, Mr. Advani said, “Tradition of the state and the temple should be maintained in the matter.”
An inventory by a Supreme Court appointed panel a few months ago had found huge treasures in the vaults of the temple, managed by a trust under control of the Travancore royal family, erstwhile rulers of south Kerala.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Devaprasnam warns against opening B vault
The four-day Devaprasnam at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, which concluded on Thursday the July 14th, said that the B vault should not be opened under any circumstances. The Devaprasnam also warned of serious consequences, including total extinction of the family of the person who opens the vault, citing wrath of the God.
Madhur Narayana Rangabhattu, the chief astrologer, said that the B vault was located in a place with divine presence.
The Devaprasnam also revealed financial irregularities in the day-to-day affairs carried out by the temple administrations. The Lord is unhappy because there were lapses in carrying out many age-old traditional poojas by the temple priests.
The astrologers, in the morning session, also came down heavily on the temple administration and the Travancore Royal Family for the lackadaisical attitude shown in managing the affairs of the temple and failure to carry out the traditional poojas.
On Wednesday, the Thamboola Prasnam revealed that the idol of the Lord that is used in the ‘Aarat’ (procession) was broken and there was also a crack in the main idol of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy which had to be immediately rectified.
On the third day of the Devaprasnam, which was held under the supervision of temple thantri� Tharananelloor Parameswaran Namboothiripad, it was also predicted that inauspicious signs related to the temple would seriously affect the Travancore Royal Family.
It said that if proper care was not given then it would even end the Travancore Royal dynasty, which will be left without a heir.
Prashnacharthu handed over
The team of astrologers who conducted the devaprasnam handed over the prashnacharthu to the members of the Travancore royal family.
The remedial measures suggested include twelve-day consecutive Thrikala Bhagavathi Seva, 24,000 Mahasudarshana Homam, Laghu Sudarshanahomam, veda recitals thrice in a year and Chakrabja pooja once in a year.
Priests warn against opening Kerala temple's vault
A group of priests who conducted an astrological examination or 'devaprasnam' at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple here has concluded that family members of those who open its yet untouched vault B would die, said an expert on Thursday. They also warned against videography of the treasure discovered so far.
Speaking to reporters late night after the conclusion of the four-day 'devaprasnam', lead priest K. Padmanabha Sharma said that no videography of the temple's unearthed treasure trove should take place.
"Of the treasure troves that are in the temple, vault B should not be opened and of the remaining five vaults, there should be no valuation done, besides there should be no exhibition of the treasure that has been found," said Sharma.
Madhur Narayana Rangabhattu, the chief astrologer, said that the B vault was located in a place with divine presence.
The Devaprasnam also revealed financial irregularities in the day-to-day affairs carried out by the temple administrations. The Lord is unhappy because there were lapses in carrying out many age-old traditional poojas by the temple priests.
The astrologers, in the morning session, also came down heavily on the temple administration and the Travancore Royal Family for the lackadaisical attitude shown in managing the affairs of the temple and failure to carry out the traditional poojas.
On Wednesday, the Thamboola Prasnam revealed that the idol of the Lord that is used in the ‘Aarat’ (procession) was broken and there was also a crack in the main idol of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy which had to be immediately rectified.
On the third day of the Devaprasnam, which was held under the supervision of temple thantri� Tharananelloor Parameswaran Namboothiripad, it was also predicted that inauspicious signs related to the temple would seriously affect the Travancore Royal Family.
It said that if proper care was not given then it would even end the Travancore Royal dynasty, which will be left without a heir.
Prashnacharthu handed over
The team of astrologers who conducted the devaprasnam handed over the prashnacharthu to the members of the Travancore royal family.
The remedial measures suggested include twelve-day consecutive Thrikala Bhagavathi Seva, 24,000 Mahasudarshana Homam, Laghu Sudarshanahomam, veda recitals thrice in a year and Chakrabja pooja once in a year.
Priests warn against opening Kerala temple's vault
A group of priests who conducted an astrological examination or 'devaprasnam' at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple here has concluded that family members of those who open its yet untouched vault B would die, said an expert on Thursday. They also warned against videography of the treasure discovered so far.
Speaking to reporters late night after the conclusion of the four-day 'devaprasnam', lead priest K. Padmanabha Sharma said that no videography of the temple's unearthed treasure trove should take place.
"Of the treasure troves that are in the temple, vault B should not be opened and of the remaining five vaults, there should be no valuation done, besides there should be no exhibition of the treasure that has been found," said Sharma.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
A Kingdom and a Temple
Interview with Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma.
Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma, 89, is the seniormost member of Travancore's erstwhile royal family, yet simple and unassuming in his manner. He met A. Srivathsan, Deputy Editor of The Hindu on July 17 at the Pattom Palace in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram and answered questions regarding the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple — which is in the news in the context of valuable finds in its underground vaults in recent weeks — and his family's association with it. For reasons to do with the ongoing legal proceedings, he expressed his inability to answer any questions relating to the opening of the temple vaults. Excerpts from the interview:
The Travancore royal family took a different approach to ruling its territories and managing the properties of the State. The king served as Padmanabha Dasa — [who] ruled on behalf of god and swore allegiance only to god. In 1949, Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma came close to refusing the post of Rajpramukh because he could not “give oath to the Indian government.” What led the Travancore kings to take to the idea of dasa? In what way is this concept different from the modern idea of trusteeship?
There are two things to the idea of Padmanabha Dasa. One is the A to Z of the concept, which is new, and the other is the corollary, which is ancient. Let me explain the A to Z first. There was a king in England called Henry VIII. He had two passions: one, he wanted to change his wife, get a second one; and two, he wanted to impose a new faith. He asked his Cardinal to find a way to achieve this. When his Cardinal suggested that he start a new faith, the Church of England, the king asked how and why people would listen to him. The Cardinal had a simple answer. He advised him to add one more to his catalogue of names: Defender of the Faith. And then, if anyone goes against it, ‘your defence will be to go offensive,' he advised. That is Defender of the Faith, but we [the Travancore kings] are attendants of faith. That is a dasa.
The corollary of this concept is in the story of Bharata in the Ramayana. When Bharata refused to rule Ayodhya by himself, he took Rama's sandals, placed it on the throne, wore the robe of an ascetic and ruled on his brother's behalf. The god is the master.
When you are trustee, chairman, benefactor or president, your personality is still there. In this [dasa] nothing is there, you are nobody. You carry on your duty.
Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma was the first maharaja to usher in this concept of Padmanabha Dasa in the 18th century. What historical reasons led him to this principle?
His actions were not political but dharmic. How did Fleming discover penicillin? The idea was always there, but hidden. He only discovered it. The dasa concept was always there. It came to him [Anizhom Thirunal] as the conductor.
Was ruling the kingdom as a dasa one of the main reasons for the safety and stability of Travancore and the temple? Did it in any way change the attitude of other rulers towards Travancore?
History is there to prove it. It [ruling as a dasa] was driving that. Unfortunately the concept of dasa was not copied by other rulers. You may find it in Puri where the king sweeps the street with the silver broomstick before the car festival, or in Mewar where the king goes to the Eklangi temple as a Maharana, but enters the shrine as a servant. But nothing is as total as this.
Kalkulam, which was renamed as Padmanabhapuram by Anizhom Thirunal, was the capital before the capital was moved to Trivandrum. The Tiruvattar temple near Padmanabhapuram is ichnographically and architecturally similar to the Padmanabhaswamy temple. Is there any relation between the two temples?
Both are Padmanabhas and are equally venerated. However, there are some differences between the two temples. In Trivandrum, the reclining Vishnu is in yoga nidra and at Tiruvattar, the eyes are fully awake. His feet is on the right side here and there at Tiruvattar it is to the left. Here there is a Shiva icon below the arm of Vishnu but it is not this way there. Though the main deity in Tiruvattar is known as Adikesava [Adi meaning ancient], Trivandrum is also ancient. There is a bond between the two temples, but there are no temple traditions as of now that recall the shifting from Padmanabhapuram.
Raja Ravi Varma, another member of the Travancore royal family and renowned painter, spent an important part of his lifetime in Trivandrum. While he painted many gods and even printed them as oleographs, he never painted Padmanabha or the temple. How can we understand this conspicuous absence?
Certain things have to come from inside. It [painting] cannot be visualising norms. He probably felt Padmanabhaswamy was beyond his brush. Ravi Varma did a great service by not painting Padmanabha.
Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma, your elder brother, was the last ruler of Travancore. He is compared to Anizhom Thirunal in terms of devotion to the temple. You must have been a boy when his investiture ceremony took place. Can you recall your visits to the temple with him?
All of us were ardent devotees. My brother was elder to me by 10 years. I could not have gone with him to the temple.
His visits were his personal audience with the god as the king. But I have been going to the temple since I was eight years old and have attended various festivals along with family members.
Since 1991, after the demise of your elder brother, you've been going to the temple in his place. The respect and affection the people have for you and your family must be unchanged and quite visible.
Even before, they had affection. Even now, when everything is ex-, ex-… I'm still wanted in public functions. I do about 200 [functions] a year, [although] I'm nobody. No different from other people. They like, and I go.
The Travancore State and the Padmanabhaswamy temple witnessed momentous changes during Maharaja Chithira Thirunal's time. In 1936, the Padmanabhaswamy temple was the first in India to proclaim temple entry for all, which made Gandhiji describe Chithira Thirunal as a ‘Modern Ashoka.' In 1949 the princely states were abolished and the temple administration changed. In 1971, the privy purse was abolished and grants given to erstwhile rulers were stopped. But Chithira Thirunal still managed to support the temple from his private funds. Can you tell us how he faced these changes?
That is [change] part of life, otherwise we'll not be here. Even as a boy he understood it. In 1924, Mahatma Gandhi came [to Trivandrum] and at that time he was too young to rule. My aunt, his mother's elder sister, was the Regent. Gandhiji came and met her. ‘Is this the Maharani?' he enquired. He looked at her simple dress and asked: Where are the golden saris? Where are the jewels? He then asked her: ‘Is it not very unfair that around the temple in Vaikom, a dog, a cat, a cow, can walk, but a man cannot?' She said, yes. ‘Then why don't you do something about it?' he quizzed. ‘I am a Regent and only carrying on the administration till he grows up. Why don't you ask him [Chithira Thirunal]?' she urged. Gandhiji then asked him: ‘When you become the person in charge, will you allow everyone to enter temples?' As a young boy he said, ‘yes.' He took over in 1931 and granted temple entry in 1936. The remarkable thing was that there was no resistance [from the people who were associated with temple administration].
Did Chithira Thirunal want the administration of the temple to keep up with the times?
It [traditions] began somewhere and goes on as it changes. What has not changed is the [human] body.
Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi has mentioned in her book on the Padmanabhaswamy temple that for the first time, in the 1960s, a deva prasnam (astrological consultation) was conducted when Chithira Thirunal had to decide whether the temple could be electrified? Do you remember the moment?
Astrologers and tantris were consulted. Whenever you change a tradition, there is a problem. The government then said that we cannot burn coconut oil since it is for man. What can we do, they were in power. So we had to go for electrification. But it was done in the outside prakara or sivelippura, but not inside. The cheruchuttu, the inner enclosure, was not electrified. People also took to it since it made their job easier.
Can you tell us something more about the legends of the snake and protection of treasures? Have you heard about them from your family?
There are two kinds of snakes. One is naga, and it stays. The other is sarpa, which goes. It is misunderstood as a creature. They are messengers. I'll tell you an incident. We have a beautiful naga temple near Kuthira Malika [a palace near the Padmanabhaswamy temple]. I go there every ashlesham [ayilyam] day. On one of those days, people forgot to light the lamp in the main shrine. That night, a serpent came here [to his palace]. I knew something was wrong. Serpents are satya (true) creatures. It's more prevalent in Kerala.
Article courtesy / A. Srivathsan /The Hindu
Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma, 89, is the seniormost member of Travancore's erstwhile royal family, yet simple and unassuming in his manner. He met A. Srivathsan, Deputy Editor of The Hindu on July 17 at the Pattom Palace in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram and answered questions regarding the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple — which is in the news in the context of valuable finds in its underground vaults in recent weeks — and his family's association with it. For reasons to do with the ongoing legal proceedings, he expressed his inability to answer any questions relating to the opening of the temple vaults. Excerpts from the interview:
The Travancore royal family took a different approach to ruling its territories and managing the properties of the State. The king served as Padmanabha Dasa — [who] ruled on behalf of god and swore allegiance only to god. In 1949, Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma came close to refusing the post of Rajpramukh because he could not “give oath to the Indian government.” What led the Travancore kings to take to the idea of dasa? In what way is this concept different from the modern idea of trusteeship?
There are two things to the idea of Padmanabha Dasa. One is the A to Z of the concept, which is new, and the other is the corollary, which is ancient. Let me explain the A to Z first. There was a king in England called Henry VIII. He had two passions: one, he wanted to change his wife, get a second one; and two, he wanted to impose a new faith. He asked his Cardinal to find a way to achieve this. When his Cardinal suggested that he start a new faith, the Church of England, the king asked how and why people would listen to him. The Cardinal had a simple answer. He advised him to add one more to his catalogue of names: Defender of the Faith. And then, if anyone goes against it, ‘your defence will be to go offensive,' he advised. That is Defender of the Faith, but we [the Travancore kings] are attendants of faith. That is a dasa.
The corollary of this concept is in the story of Bharata in the Ramayana. When Bharata refused to rule Ayodhya by himself, he took Rama's sandals, placed it on the throne, wore the robe of an ascetic and ruled on his brother's behalf. The god is the master.
When you are trustee, chairman, benefactor or president, your personality is still there. In this [dasa] nothing is there, you are nobody. You carry on your duty.
Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma was the first maharaja to usher in this concept of Padmanabha Dasa in the 18th century. What historical reasons led him to this principle?
His actions were not political but dharmic. How did Fleming discover penicillin? The idea was always there, but hidden. He only discovered it. The dasa concept was always there. It came to him [Anizhom Thirunal] as the conductor.
Was ruling the kingdom as a dasa one of the main reasons for the safety and stability of Travancore and the temple? Did it in any way change the attitude of other rulers towards Travancore?
History is there to prove it. It [ruling as a dasa] was driving that. Unfortunately the concept of dasa was not copied by other rulers. You may find it in Puri where the king sweeps the street with the silver broomstick before the car festival, or in Mewar where the king goes to the Eklangi temple as a Maharana, but enters the shrine as a servant. But nothing is as total as this.
Kalkulam, which was renamed as Padmanabhapuram by Anizhom Thirunal, was the capital before the capital was moved to Trivandrum. The Tiruvattar temple near Padmanabhapuram is ichnographically and architecturally similar to the Padmanabhaswamy temple. Is there any relation between the two temples?
Both are Padmanabhas and are equally venerated. However, there are some differences between the two temples. In Trivandrum, the reclining Vishnu is in yoga nidra and at Tiruvattar, the eyes are fully awake. His feet is on the right side here and there at Tiruvattar it is to the left. Here there is a Shiva icon below the arm of Vishnu but it is not this way there. Though the main deity in Tiruvattar is known as Adikesava [Adi meaning ancient], Trivandrum is also ancient. There is a bond between the two temples, but there are no temple traditions as of now that recall the shifting from Padmanabhapuram.
Raja Ravi Varma, another member of the Travancore royal family and renowned painter, spent an important part of his lifetime in Trivandrum. While he painted many gods and even printed them as oleographs, he never painted Padmanabha or the temple. How can we understand this conspicuous absence?
Certain things have to come from inside. It [painting] cannot be visualising norms. He probably felt Padmanabhaswamy was beyond his brush. Ravi Varma did a great service by not painting Padmanabha.
Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma, your elder brother, was the last ruler of Travancore. He is compared to Anizhom Thirunal in terms of devotion to the temple. You must have been a boy when his investiture ceremony took place. Can you recall your visits to the temple with him?
All of us were ardent devotees. My brother was elder to me by 10 years. I could not have gone with him to the temple.
His visits were his personal audience with the god as the king. But I have been going to the temple since I was eight years old and have attended various festivals along with family members.
Since 1991, after the demise of your elder brother, you've been going to the temple in his place. The respect and affection the people have for you and your family must be unchanged and quite visible.
Even before, they had affection. Even now, when everything is ex-, ex-… I'm still wanted in public functions. I do about 200 [functions] a year, [although] I'm nobody. No different from other people. They like, and I go.
The Travancore State and the Padmanabhaswamy temple witnessed momentous changes during Maharaja Chithira Thirunal's time. In 1936, the Padmanabhaswamy temple was the first in India to proclaim temple entry for all, which made Gandhiji describe Chithira Thirunal as a ‘Modern Ashoka.' In 1949 the princely states were abolished and the temple administration changed. In 1971, the privy purse was abolished and grants given to erstwhile rulers were stopped. But Chithira Thirunal still managed to support the temple from his private funds. Can you tell us how he faced these changes?
That is [change] part of life, otherwise we'll not be here. Even as a boy he understood it. In 1924, Mahatma Gandhi came [to Trivandrum] and at that time he was too young to rule. My aunt, his mother's elder sister, was the Regent. Gandhiji came and met her. ‘Is this the Maharani?' he enquired. He looked at her simple dress and asked: Where are the golden saris? Where are the jewels? He then asked her: ‘Is it not very unfair that around the temple in Vaikom, a dog, a cat, a cow, can walk, but a man cannot?' She said, yes. ‘Then why don't you do something about it?' he quizzed. ‘I am a Regent and only carrying on the administration till he grows up. Why don't you ask him [Chithira Thirunal]?' she urged. Gandhiji then asked him: ‘When you become the person in charge, will you allow everyone to enter temples?' As a young boy he said, ‘yes.' He took over in 1931 and granted temple entry in 1936. The remarkable thing was that there was no resistance [from the people who were associated with temple administration].
Did Chithira Thirunal want the administration of the temple to keep up with the times?
It [traditions] began somewhere and goes on as it changes. What has not changed is the [human] body.
Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi has mentioned in her book on the Padmanabhaswamy temple that for the first time, in the 1960s, a deva prasnam (astrological consultation) was conducted when Chithira Thirunal had to decide whether the temple could be electrified? Do you remember the moment?
Astrologers and tantris were consulted. Whenever you change a tradition, there is a problem. The government then said that we cannot burn coconut oil since it is for man. What can we do, they were in power. So we had to go for electrification. But it was done in the outside prakara or sivelippura, but not inside. The cheruchuttu, the inner enclosure, was not electrified. People also took to it since it made their job easier.
Can you tell us something more about the legends of the snake and protection of treasures? Have you heard about them from your family?
There are two kinds of snakes. One is naga, and it stays. The other is sarpa, which goes. It is misunderstood as a creature. They are messengers. I'll tell you an incident. We have a beautiful naga temple near Kuthira Malika [a palace near the Padmanabhaswamy temple]. I go there every ashlesham [ayilyam] day. On one of those days, people forgot to light the lamp in the main shrine. That night, a serpent came here [to his palace]. I knew something was wrong. Serpents are satya (true) creatures. It's more prevalent in Kerala.
Article courtesy / A. Srivathsan /The Hindu
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Lord Vishnu's royal servants guard his riches
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As Sree Padmanbha Swamy temple's glittering gems are valued and tagged, it's not just the diamonds that shine but also the royal family of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore.
It's an ode to the family's unflinching devotion and integrity that not a penny has gone missing from the billions stored in the cellars of the centuries-old shrine administered by the royals.
Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma, current head of the royal family, refuses to comment on the stock-taking exercise till the last paisa is counted. "Till then, only my eyes would speak," he insists.
What makes the family's story vis-a-vis the temple all the more compelling is that the rulers always knew of the riches, yet never touched them. "The riches are mentioned in the book "Pradhanapetta Mathilakom Records" (Important Mathilakom Records) compiled by acclaimed Malayalam poet Ulloor S Parameswara Iyer and published in 1941. They also figure in the "Kottaram" (Palace) manual which runs into 12 volumes," says noted historian M G Sasibhushan. "These records refer to the sacred cellars from which treasure is being dug out."
Observers talk of the symbolic significance of the practice of royal family members dusting sand off their feet when they emerge from the shrine. "It was meant to convey that the family members would not take home or misappropriate even a speck of sand belonging to Padmanabha," they say. In fact, the present head, Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma, religiously follows the rule of paying of Rs 151 and 55 paise to the temple if he fails to make it to the shrine on any day.
Unlike other royals, the Travancore family has stayed away from opulence with descendants more inclined towards art and culture.
"There was also a rule that the affairs of the palace should be run from the proceeds of its spice business and not with money from the state treasury," says Sasibhushan. This is followed even now. The present ruler's nephew Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma, next in line to head the family, runs the Aspinwall Company, which to this day supplies pepper to Buckingham Palace and many more European royals," Sasibhushan says.
Though the kingdom of Travancore lapsed in 1949 following the Instrument of Accession with the Union of India, the management of the temple remained with the royal family by virtue of a covenant.
Travancore extended from Kanyakumari (now in Tamil Nadu) in the south to Aluva (Ernakulam district) in the north. Padmanabhapuram (now in TN) was its first capital, but this was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram by Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma, better known as Dharma Raja, so called because he refused to let go of refugees who had fled Malabar following Tipu Sultan's onslaught. He succeeded Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, first ruler of Travancore, and is credited with formation of the state.
The family, which ruled over erstwhile Travancore, has had a long lineage of visionary rulers. In fact, it was a bold move by the first Marthanda Varma in 1750 that inextricably bonded the temple and the palace. The king donated the wealth of the kingdom to the deity Padmanabha (Lord Vishnu) and ruled the state as "Padmanabha Dasa" (servant of
Padmanabha).
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
Maha Raja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma (April 16, 1813 - December 25, 1846) was the Maharaja of the state of Travancore in India. He reigned under the regency of his mother Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi from 1813 till 1815 and henceforth under the regency of his aunt Maharani Gowri Parvati Bayi from 1815 till 1829. In 1829 he turned major and assumed full powers of ruler and ruled Travancore till his demise in 1846.
Besides being an able ruler, he was a patron of music and a musician himself. He encouraged both broad systems of Indian music, Hindustani and Carnatic music, though he was essentially a connoisseur of the Carnatic music tradition. He is credited with composing over 400 compositions in Carnatic music as well as Hindustani music. Some of his favorite compositions are Padmanabha Pahi, Deva Deva, Sarasijanabha and Sree Ramana Vibho. The king was fluent in a number of languages such as Malayalam, Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Tamil, Oriya and English.
The Astronomical Observatory in Thiruvananthapuram, the Museum & Zoo, the Government Press, Trivandrum Public Library (now State Central Library), the Oriental Manuscript Library, etc. were started by Swathi Thirunal. The Maharajah was also an honorary member of the Royal Asiatic Society from 1843.
Swathi Thirunal (as he is commonly known) was born into the Kulasekhara dynasty of the Royal family of Travancore state, which is now a part of Kerala State in India) on April 16, 1813. He was the second child of the Regent Queen Gowri Lakshmi Bayi who ruled Travancore during 1811 - 1815, and Rajaraja Varma Koyithampuran of Changanasseri Palace. The famous poet and composer and close relative Iraiyamman Tampi wrote the song Omanathinkalkkitavo nalla komalathamarappuvo , perhaps the most famous lullaby in Malayalam, about Swathi Thirunal when he was born. He had an elder sister (Rukmini Bai) and a younger brother (Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma). Rani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi died about two months after the birth of her third child. After her death, her younger sister Gowri Parvati Bayi was in charge of the state and the children. Since Rama Varma was just seventeen months old when his mother died, Gowri Parvati Bayi ruled for fourteen years before Swathi Thirunal took over as the king. When he was just four months old, his mother invited Col. Munro (who was the representative of the British East India Company) and his officials and declared in the Durbar that she was entrusting the British East India Company with the care of her child and expected the Company to co-operate with him in future.
Both his aunt/foster mother, who was well-versed in music, and his father, a Sanskrit scholar. took special care about his education. Col. Munro also is said to have taken interest in his education. He started learning Malayalam and Sanskrit at the age of six and English at the age of seven. The young Prince studied several languages, including Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Hindustani, Telugu, Marathi, Sanskrit, English and Persian. He impressed all his teachers, and even guests from abroad, with his keen understanding of not only languages but also other subjects like geometry. P. Sankunni Menon (A History of Travancore from the Earliest Times, 1878) records an incident when Swathi Thirunal told Col. Welsh, a visiting British officer, that the word geometry and words like hexagon, septagon and so on were derived from Sanskrit.
Swathi Thirunal was deeply interested in music right from childhood. He tried to learn the languages in which he found good music. His education in music started with the first lessons from Karamana Subrahmania Bhagavathar and Karamana Padmanabha Bhagavathar. Later, he studied music from his English teacher Subbarao. He continued to learn music by listening to accomplished musicians and practicing himself. This was a period when music and art were thriving in many parts of south India. The triumvirate of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja (1767–1847), Syama Sastri (1762–1827) and Muthuswami Dikshitar (1775–1835), lived and enriched music during this period. Swati Tirunal's palace also was home to many musicians and artistes of the period, including the famous Thanjavur Quartet brothers, Tyagaraja's disciple Kannayya Bhagavathar, Ananthapadmanabha Goswami (a Maharashtrian singer known as Kokilakanthameru swami), Shadkala Govinda Marar, and many others.
Swathi Sangeethotsavam
Prince Rama Varma
Prince Rama Varma, the South Indian Classical Musician, is a descendent of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal. He is the organiser for Swathi Sangeethotsavam, a week long music festival featuring exclusively the compositions of Swathi Thirunal. This unique musical event is conducted every year from 6 to 12 January at Kuthira Malika, Trivandrum.
Swathi Thirunal took over the reins of Travancore from his aunt (She was the regent in lieu Swathi Thirunal in his boyhood) at he age of sixteen. He appointed his teacher Subbarao as the chief minister (Diwan). One of his first moves was to shift the government secretariat from Kollam (about seventy five kilometres away) to Thiruvananthapuram. This enabled him to give personal attention to government affairs. He took steps to curb corruption in the government, and told even the Diwan to resign when he heard that the Diwan had acted to favour a particular party in a land dispute. He started an English school at Thiruvananthapuram in 1834, which came to be called the Raja's Government Free School and later became Maharaja's High School and then Maharaja's College. This is now the University College. Later, similar schools were started at many other places. He also implemented reforms in the legal sector, starting Munsif, District and Appellate Courts and modernising laws. He identified one Kandan Menon from Malabar and appointed him as Huzoor Diwan Peshkar to bring about legal reforms. Another of his achievements was to settle many land disputes by carrying out a resurvey of the land, in which also Menon helped him. He also conducted the first census of the state in 1836. As per the census, the population of Travancore was 1,28,068.
Kuthira Malika, Thiruvananthapuram, constructed by Maharajah Swathi ThirunalSwathi Thirunal was also instrumental in bringing modern medicine to the state. He appointed a European as the palace physician. He was also given the responsibility of providing medical assistance to local people, for which hospitals were started. It is this post that was known as Surgeon General till the formation of Kerala State. He also started an engineering department, which was placed under the command of one Lieutenant Horsley. The Karamana bridge was built at that time.
Another area where Swathi Thirunal took interest was in astronomy. He wished to compare Western findings with Indian knowledge. For this, he invited one Caldecott, an industrial representative who lived in Alapuzha, who used to fabricate instruments for astronomical observations. Finding that there was much common between western and Indian knowledge about the universe, Swathi Thirunal started an observatory and placed Caldecott in charge. Started in 1837, some of the equipment is still to be seen at the Thiruvananthapuram observatory (now under the Department of Physics, University of Kerala). He is also credited with starting the first government press (the only press at that time was CMS Press in Kottayam), and the museum and zoo in Thiruvananthapuram.
Family
Maharajah Swathi Thirunal was only a child when his mother Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi died and he grew up under the maternal care of his childless aunt, who was the Regent of Travancore on his behalf, Maharani Gowri Parvati Bayi. He had a brother, Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma, who succeeded him in 1846 till his demise in 1860. The Maharajah also had a sister, Maharani Gowri Rukmini Bayi, whose children ascended the Travancore musnud consecutively. Her only daughter was the mother of Maharajah Moolam Thirunal Sir Rama Varma.
Swathi Thirunal married Thiruvattar Ammachi Panapillai Amma Srimathi Narayani Pillai Kochamma of the Thiruvattar Ammaveedu family after the demise of his first wife. She was an expert carnatic singer and Veena player. She originally belonged to an ordinary Nair family in Quilon by the name of Aaikutty Veedu. Prior to her marriage with the king she was adopted into the Thiruvattar Ammaveedu along with her mother and siblings (her sister was married to the Maharajah's brother and successor Uthram Thirunal). From this marriage the Maharajah had a son, Thiruvattar Chithira Nal Anantha Padmanabhan Chempakaraman Thampi. In 1843 the Maharajah married Sundara Lakshmi Ammal, daughter of a Mudaliar who had migrated to Trivandrum. Lakshmi was a dancer, known better as Sugandhavalli. The Maharajah first adopted her into Vadasseri Ammaveedu, making her an Ammachi and bestowing the title of Thampi on her family members. In 1845 he constructed the Thanjavur Ammaveedu and Sugandhavalli, along with her family members resided here. The Maharajah's second wife, Thiruvattar Ammachi, whose sister was married to Uthram Thirunal did not approve of this marriage. Soon after in 1846 the Maharajah died. Legend and folklore has it that Sugandhavalli was banished from Travancore following which the Maharajah died broken hearted. However facts and records prove otherwise.
Sugandhavalli continued to live in Trivandrum at Thanjavur Ammaveedu until her own death in 1856, a full decade after the death of Swathi Thirunal, enjoying all the provisions and privileges she was entitled to as a royal consort. However soon after her death, her late husband's brother and successor, Maharajah Uthram Thirunal issued an order to attach the estate and properties that belonged to Thanjavur Ammaveedu on the ground that Sugandhavalli for whom they were made, had died. Sugandhavalli's sister Sundara Parvathi Pillai Thankachi, who had been married to Singaravelu Mudaliyar the former Alleppey District Judge, then filed a petition in Madras. The High Court of Madras in 1858 permitted the Travancore Government to attach the properties after compensating the family. Accordingly Rs. 10,000, a princely sum, was given to Sugandhavalli's family and the Thanjavur Ammaveedu taken over by the Travancore Government. The Ganapathi idol worshiped by Sugandhavalli was moved and consecrated at the Palkulangara Temple in Trivandrum. Her sister later died in 1883 (This information is from "Thiruvananthapurathinte Eithihaasam").
Besides being an able ruler, he was a patron of music and a musician himself. He encouraged both broad systems of Indian music, Hindustani and Carnatic music, though he was essentially a connoisseur of the Carnatic music tradition. He is credited with composing over 400 compositions in Carnatic music as well as Hindustani music. Some of his favorite compositions are Padmanabha Pahi, Deva Deva, Sarasijanabha and Sree Ramana Vibho. The king was fluent in a number of languages such as Malayalam, Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Tamil, Oriya and English.
The Astronomical Observatory in Thiruvananthapuram, the Museum & Zoo, the Government Press, Trivandrum Public Library (now State Central Library), the Oriental Manuscript Library, etc. were started by Swathi Thirunal. The Maharajah was also an honorary member of the Royal Asiatic Society from 1843.
Swathi Thirunal (as he is commonly known) was born into the Kulasekhara dynasty of the Royal family of Travancore state, which is now a part of Kerala State in India) on April 16, 1813. He was the second child of the Regent Queen Gowri Lakshmi Bayi who ruled Travancore during 1811 - 1815, and Rajaraja Varma Koyithampuran of Changanasseri Palace. The famous poet and composer and close relative Iraiyamman Tampi wrote the song Omanathinkalkkitavo nalla komalathamarappuvo , perhaps the most famous lullaby in Malayalam, about Swathi Thirunal when he was born. He had an elder sister (Rukmini Bai) and a younger brother (Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma). Rani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi died about two months after the birth of her third child. After her death, her younger sister Gowri Parvati Bayi was in charge of the state and the children. Since Rama Varma was just seventeen months old when his mother died, Gowri Parvati Bayi ruled for fourteen years before Swathi Thirunal took over as the king. When he was just four months old, his mother invited Col. Munro (who was the representative of the British East India Company) and his officials and declared in the Durbar that she was entrusting the British East India Company with the care of her child and expected the Company to co-operate with him in future.
Both his aunt/foster mother, who was well-versed in music, and his father, a Sanskrit scholar. took special care about his education. Col. Munro also is said to have taken interest in his education. He started learning Malayalam and Sanskrit at the age of six and English at the age of seven. The young Prince studied several languages, including Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Hindustani, Telugu, Marathi, Sanskrit, English and Persian. He impressed all his teachers, and even guests from abroad, with his keen understanding of not only languages but also other subjects like geometry. P. Sankunni Menon (A History of Travancore from the Earliest Times, 1878) records an incident when Swathi Thirunal told Col. Welsh, a visiting British officer, that the word geometry and words like hexagon, septagon and so on were derived from Sanskrit.
Swathi Thirunal was deeply interested in music right from childhood. He tried to learn the languages in which he found good music. His education in music started with the first lessons from Karamana Subrahmania Bhagavathar and Karamana Padmanabha Bhagavathar. Later, he studied music from his English teacher Subbarao. He continued to learn music by listening to accomplished musicians and practicing himself. This was a period when music and art were thriving in many parts of south India. The triumvirate of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja (1767–1847), Syama Sastri (1762–1827) and Muthuswami Dikshitar (1775–1835), lived and enriched music during this period. Swati Tirunal's palace also was home to many musicians and artistes of the period, including the famous Thanjavur Quartet brothers, Tyagaraja's disciple Kannayya Bhagavathar, Ananthapadmanabha Goswami (a Maharashtrian singer known as Kokilakanthameru swami), Shadkala Govinda Marar, and many others.
Swathi Sangeethotsavam
Prince Rama Varma
Prince Rama Varma, the South Indian Classical Musician, is a descendent of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal. He is the organiser for Swathi Sangeethotsavam, a week long music festival featuring exclusively the compositions of Swathi Thirunal. This unique musical event is conducted every year from 6 to 12 January at Kuthira Malika, Trivandrum.
Swathi Thirunal took over the reins of Travancore from his aunt (She was the regent in lieu Swathi Thirunal in his boyhood) at he age of sixteen. He appointed his teacher Subbarao as the chief minister (Diwan). One of his first moves was to shift the government secretariat from Kollam (about seventy five kilometres away) to Thiruvananthapuram. This enabled him to give personal attention to government affairs. He took steps to curb corruption in the government, and told even the Diwan to resign when he heard that the Diwan had acted to favour a particular party in a land dispute. He started an English school at Thiruvananthapuram in 1834, which came to be called the Raja's Government Free School and later became Maharaja's High School and then Maharaja's College. This is now the University College. Later, similar schools were started at many other places. He also implemented reforms in the legal sector, starting Munsif, District and Appellate Courts and modernising laws. He identified one Kandan Menon from Malabar and appointed him as Huzoor Diwan Peshkar to bring about legal reforms. Another of his achievements was to settle many land disputes by carrying out a resurvey of the land, in which also Menon helped him. He also conducted the first census of the state in 1836. As per the census, the population of Travancore was 1,28,068.
Kuthira Malika, Thiruvananthapuram, constructed by Maharajah Swathi ThirunalSwathi Thirunal was also instrumental in bringing modern medicine to the state. He appointed a European as the palace physician. He was also given the responsibility of providing medical assistance to local people, for which hospitals were started. It is this post that was known as Surgeon General till the formation of Kerala State. He also started an engineering department, which was placed under the command of one Lieutenant Horsley. The Karamana bridge was built at that time.
Another area where Swathi Thirunal took interest was in astronomy. He wished to compare Western findings with Indian knowledge. For this, he invited one Caldecott, an industrial representative who lived in Alapuzha, who used to fabricate instruments for astronomical observations. Finding that there was much common between western and Indian knowledge about the universe, Swathi Thirunal started an observatory and placed Caldecott in charge. Started in 1837, some of the equipment is still to be seen at the Thiruvananthapuram observatory (now under the Department of Physics, University of Kerala). He is also credited with starting the first government press (the only press at that time was CMS Press in Kottayam), and the museum and zoo in Thiruvananthapuram.
Family
Maharajah Swathi Thirunal was only a child when his mother Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi died and he grew up under the maternal care of his childless aunt, who was the Regent of Travancore on his behalf, Maharani Gowri Parvati Bayi. He had a brother, Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma, who succeeded him in 1846 till his demise in 1860. The Maharajah also had a sister, Maharani Gowri Rukmini Bayi, whose children ascended the Travancore musnud consecutively. Her only daughter was the mother of Maharajah Moolam Thirunal Sir Rama Varma.
Swathi Thirunal married Thiruvattar Ammachi Panapillai Amma Srimathi Narayani Pillai Kochamma of the Thiruvattar Ammaveedu family after the demise of his first wife. She was an expert carnatic singer and Veena player. She originally belonged to an ordinary Nair family in Quilon by the name of Aaikutty Veedu. Prior to her marriage with the king she was adopted into the Thiruvattar Ammaveedu along with her mother and siblings (her sister was married to the Maharajah's brother and successor Uthram Thirunal). From this marriage the Maharajah had a son, Thiruvattar Chithira Nal Anantha Padmanabhan Chempakaraman Thampi. In 1843 the Maharajah married Sundara Lakshmi Ammal, daughter of a Mudaliar who had migrated to Trivandrum. Lakshmi was a dancer, known better as Sugandhavalli. The Maharajah first adopted her into Vadasseri Ammaveedu, making her an Ammachi and bestowing the title of Thampi on her family members. In 1845 he constructed the Thanjavur Ammaveedu and Sugandhavalli, along with her family members resided here. The Maharajah's second wife, Thiruvattar Ammachi, whose sister was married to Uthram Thirunal did not approve of this marriage. Soon after in 1846 the Maharajah died. Legend and folklore has it that Sugandhavalli was banished from Travancore following which the Maharajah died broken hearted. However facts and records prove otherwise.
Sugandhavalli continued to live in Trivandrum at Thanjavur Ammaveedu until her own death in 1856, a full decade after the death of Swathi Thirunal, enjoying all the provisions and privileges she was entitled to as a royal consort. However soon after her death, her late husband's brother and successor, Maharajah Uthram Thirunal issued an order to attach the estate and properties that belonged to Thanjavur Ammaveedu on the ground that Sugandhavalli for whom they were made, had died. Sugandhavalli's sister Sundara Parvathi Pillai Thankachi, who had been married to Singaravelu Mudaliyar the former Alleppey District Judge, then filed a petition in Madras. The High Court of Madras in 1858 permitted the Travancore Government to attach the properties after compensating the family. Accordingly Rs. 10,000, a princely sum, was given to Sugandhavalli's family and the Thanjavur Ammaveedu taken over by the Travancore Government. The Ganapathi idol worshiped by Sugandhavalli was moved and consecrated at the Palkulangara Temple in Trivandrum. Her sister later died in 1883 (This information is from "Thiruvananthapurathinte Eithihaasam").
Raja Ravi Varma
Raja Ravi Varma (April 29, 1848 - October 2, 1906 - 58 Years ) was an Indian painter from the princely state of Travancore who achieved recognition for his depiction of scenes from the epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. His paintings are considered to be among the best examples of the fusion of Indian traditions with the techniques of European academic art.
Varma is most remembered for his paintings of beautiful sari-clad women, who were portrayed as shapely and graceful. His exposure in the west came when he won the first prize in the Vienna Art Exhibition in 1873. Raja Ravi Varma died in 1906 at the age of 58. He is considered among the greatest painters in the history of Indian art.
Raja Ravi Varma was born as Ravi Varma Koil Thampuran of Kilimanoor palace in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore(thiruvithankur) in Kerala. His father Ezhumavail Neelakanthan Bhattatiripad was an accomplished scholar, and his mother Umayamba Thampuratti (d.1886) was a poet and writer whose work Parvati Swayamvaram would be published by Raja Ravi Varma after her death. His siblings were C. Goda Varma (b.1854), C. Raja Raja Varma (b.1860) and Mangala Bayi Thampuratti, who was also a painter. At a young age he secured the patronage of HH Maharajah Ayilyam Thirunal of Travancore,( a relative, and began formal training thereafter. He was trained in water painting by Rama Swami Naidu, and later in oil painting by Dutch portraitist Theodor Jenson. Raja Ravi Varma High school for Boys & Girls are situated at Kilimanoor in memory of Him. There are lot of other cultural organizations throughout Kerala with His name.
Varma is most remembered for his paintings of beautiful sari-clad women, who were portrayed as shapely and graceful. His exposure in the west came when he won the first prize in the Vienna Art Exhibition in 1873. Raja Ravi Varma died in 1906 at the age of 58. He is considered among the greatest painters in the history of Indian art.
Raja Ravi Varma was born as Ravi Varma Koil Thampuran of Kilimanoor palace in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore(thiruvithankur) in Kerala. His father Ezhumavail Neelakanthan Bhattatiripad was an accomplished scholar, and his mother Umayamba Thampuratti (d.1886) was a poet and writer whose work Parvati Swayamvaram would be published by Raja Ravi Varma after her death. His siblings were C. Goda Varma (b.1854), C. Raja Raja Varma (b.1860) and Mangala Bayi Thampuratti, who was also a painter. At a young age he secured the patronage of HH Maharajah Ayilyam Thirunal of Travancore,( a relative, and began formal training thereafter. He was trained in water painting by Rama Swami Naidu, and later in oil painting by Dutch portraitist Theodor Jenson. Raja Ravi Varma High school for Boys & Girls are situated at Kilimanoor in memory of Him. There are lot of other cultural organizations throughout Kerala with His name.
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