Kingdom of Travancore Part of History of Kerala

Travancore Kings Rajah Rama Varma 1721-1729 Marthanda Varma 1729-1758 Dharma Raja 1758-1798 Balarama Varma 1798-1810 Gowri Lakshmi Bayi‡ 1810-1815 Gowri Parvati Bayi ‡ 1815-1829 Swathi Thirunal 1829-1846 Uthram Thirunal 1846-1860 Ayilyam Thirunal 1860-1880 Visakham Thirunal 1880-1885 Moolam Thirunal 1885-1924 Sethu Lakshmi Bayi‡ 1924-1931 Chithira Thirunal 1931-1949 ‡ Regent Queens

Capitals Padmanabhapuram 1721-1795 Thiruvananthapuram 1795-1949 Palaces Padmanabhapuram Palace Kilimanoor palace Kuthira Malika Kowdiar Palace edit

Sethu Lakshmi Bayi (1895 – 1985) was the ruler of Travancore as regent for her nephew, Chithira Tirunal from 1924 until 1931. Travancore or Thiruvithaamkoor ( Malayalam: തിരുവിതാങ്കൂര്‍ "Thiru" (respectful prefix which suggests either royal or This article concerns itself with the history of Kerala, a state in South India. Rajah Rama Varma was the ruler of the Indian kingdom of Venad, later known as Travancore, in the modern day state of Kerala, India Marthanda Varma (Anizham Thirunal Malayalam, (1706-1758 was the Maharajah of the Indian Princely state of Travancore from 1729 till Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharajah of Travancore from 1758 -1798 Balarama Varma (c 1782&ndash1810 was a ruler of the Indian Princely state of Travancore from 1798 to 1810 succeeding Maharajah Dharma Raja Padmanabha Sevini Vanchi Dharma Vardhini Raja Rajeshwari Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi (1791 -1814 was the Maharani of the Indian state of Travancore from 1811 till Padmanabha Sevini Vanchi Dharma Vardhini Raja Rajeshwari Maharani Gowri Parvati Bayi was the Regent Maharani of the Indian state of Travancore who succeeded Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma (April 16 1813 - December 25 1846 was the Maharaja of the state of Travancore, in India. Sri Padmanabha Dasa Vanchi Pala Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma Kulasekhara Kiritapati Manney Sultan Maharaja Raja Rama Raja Bahadur Shamsher Jung ( 26 September 1814 Maharaja Raja Ramaraja Patmanabha Dasa Vanchipala Sri Sir Ayilyam Thirunal Bala Rama Varma II, GCSI, CIE, Kaiser-i-Hind Visakham Thirunal Rama Varma V ( 19 May 1837 - 4 August 1885) was the Maharaja of the erstwhile Indian Kingdom of Travancore Moolam Thirunal was the ruling Maharajah of the Indian state of Travancore between 1885 and 1924 succeeding his uncle Maharajah Visakham Thirunal Sree Chithira Thirunal (born as Balarama Varma November 7, 1912 &ndash July 19, 1991) was the last ruling Maharaja of the Princely WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Padmanabhapuram (Tamil பத்மனாபபுரம் a city and a Municipality near Thuckalay Thiruvananthapuram ( Malayalam: തിരുവനന്തപുരം Tiruvanantapuraṁ) also known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Padamanabhapuram Palace complex is located in at Padmanabhapuram Fort close to the town of Thuckalay in Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu. Kilimanoor palace is famous as the birth place of Raja Ravi Varma, the celebrated painter from India. Kuthira Malika or the "Mansion of Horses" is a palace built by Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, on the south-eastern side of Padmanabhaswamy Kowdiar Palace in Trivandrum, Kerala, India built in 1914 by Maharajah Moolam Thirunal is the official residence of the present titular Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) Travancore or Thiruvithaamkoor ( Malayalam: തിരുവിതാങ്കൂര്‍ "Thiru" (respectful prefix which suggests either royal or Sree Chithira Thirunal (born as Balarama Varma November 7, 1912 &ndash July 19, 1991) was the last ruling Maharaja of the Princely She abolished animal sacrifice and replaced the matrilineal system of inheritance with a more balanced one. Matrilineal succession is a form of hereditary succession or other Inheritance through which the subject's female relatives are traced back in a matrilineal She was known for making Travancore a very progressive state.

Sethu Lakshmi Bayi was born in Mavelikkara, the granddaughter of famous painter Raja Ravi Varma and was adopted from the Mavelikkara Royal Family, which originated from the Kolathunadu Royal House from Malabar. Mountbatten is the family name adopted by two branches of the Battenberg family due to rising Anti-German sentiment among the British public during World War WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Mavelikkara is a town in Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. Raja Ravi Varma ( April 29, 1848 - October 2, 1906) was an Indian painter who achieved recognition for his depiction of scenes Malabar (മലബാര്‍ is a region of southern India, lying between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. Until she was five years old lived with her family in Mavelikkara. In 1900, following the failure of heirs in the Travancore royal family, she and her sister were adopted by her maternal grand-aunt, and she moved into the royal palace in Trivandrum. Thiruvananthapuram ( Malayalam: തിരുവനന്തപുരം Tiruvanantapuraṁ) also known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Five years later, when she was 10 years old, she was married to Rama Varma Valia Koil Thampuran of Ananthapuram Palace.

In 1924, Moolam Thirunal, the Maharaja of Travancore, died, and Sethu Lakshmi Bayi became regent for her nephew, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma. Moolam Thirunal was the ruling Maharajah of the Indian state of Travancore between 1885 and 1924 succeeding his uncle Maharajah Visakham Thirunal Sree Chithira Thirunal (born as Balarama Varma November 7, 1912 &ndash July 19, 1991) was the last ruling Maharaja of the Princely Mr M. E. Watts the first full time non Hindu Dewan held the office of Prime Minister during this period. The originally Persian title of diwan (also quite commonly known as Dewan; also spelled -van) has at various points in the Islamic history, designated

Raja Ravi Varma's There comes Papa: Lady with Child. Raja Ravi Varma ( April 29, 1848 - October 2, 1906) was an Indian painter who achieved recognition for his depiction of scenes The lady in the picture Rani Mahaprabha of Mavelikara, mother of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore

Reforms

By a royal proclamation in 1925, Sethu Lakshmi Bayi introduced the Panchayat system in villages to encourage rural self government. Travancore or Thiruvithaamkoor ( Malayalam: തിരുവിതാങ്കൂര്‍ "Thiru" (respectful prefix which suggests either royal or The Panchayat is a South Asian Political system. ‘Panchayat’ literally means assembly ( yat) of five ( panch) wise and respected elders chosen Besides, a number of highways were opened along the state including in the high ranges. The College for Women was raised to first grade. Also the traditional Devadasi or Kudikkari system was abolished by the Maharani. The term devadasi originally described a Hindu religious practice in which girls were "married" and dedicated to a deity ( deva or Devi) The most important reform however was the Nair Regulation of 1925 which allowed the partition of property among the branches of a Nair Tharavadu or joint family which was followed by another reform in 1928 by which individual shares could be obtained in ancestral property. Nāyar (Malayalam നായര്‍ naːjar most commonly spelt Nair) is the name of a Hindu upper caste from the southern Indian state of Kerala Tharavadu is a system of joint family practised by people in Kerala, South India, especially castes like Namboothris Nairs and Ezhavas This marked the demise of the ancient Marumakkathayam or matriarchal system of the Nairs which had stifled progress towards modern society. Marumakkattayam (marumakan = nephew dayam= inheritance/gift is a matrilinear system of inheritance which was followed by Castes of Kerala like Royal Families Animal sacrifice in temples was also abolished.

References

• Raghunandan, Lakshmi (1995) At the turn of the tide : the life and times of Maharani Setu Lakshmi Bayi, the last queen of Travancore Maharani Setu Lakshmi Bayi Memorial Charitable Trust, Bangalore ;
• Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand Young India
• A Survey of Kerala History, Sreedhara Menon, page 345 and 346

External links

• Varma, Shreekumar (5 February 2006) "Benign presence" The Hindu Chennai (Madras), India;
• Varma, Shreekumar (2 March 2006) "Women On Top" The Sunday Express India;