Travancore

History of the principality

The modern history of Travancore starts when Martanda Varmâ inherits the kingdom of Venad which it increases to make what becomes Travancore during its reign (1729 - 1758). It signs a treaty with the English Compagnie of the Eastern Indies and cuts down the power of small râjas whose it absorbs the fields - inter alia Attingal, Kollam, Kayamkulam, Kottarkara and Ambalapuzha - extending soon to north until Cochin. It demolishes then the Dutch Compagnie of the Eastern Indies to the Bataille of Colachel (August 10th 1741) where the Dutch admiral De Lennoy is captured and following which the Netherlands give up all colonial claims in India. De Lennoy is put then at the service of Martanda Varmâ of which he becomes an invaluable officer, soon promoted commander-in-chief ( Valiya kappithan ), and modernizes the army of Travancore by introducing firearms and artillery. The January 3rd 1750, the râja devotes its kingdom to its guardian deity, sri Padmanâbha de Trivandrum and the majority of its successors will carry the title of servant of sri Padmanâbha ( Padmanâbhadâsa ). In 1753, the Netherlanders sign a peace treaty with the râja. Then, after the battle of Ambalapuzha (January 3rd 1754) during which it demolishes an alliance of râjas that it had deposited and of the râja of Cochin, Martanda Varmâ crushes any opposition to its reign. Finally in 1757, a treaty is signed between Travancore and Cochin ensuring peace and stability on its Northern border. Martanda Varmâ organizes the tax system and makes operate a great number of irrigation work.

Its successor Râma Varmâ - more known like Dharma Râja, in 1795 the capital of Padmanâbhapuram with Thiruvananthapuram moves. During its reign, Tipû Sâhib, the leader of the Mysore attacks Travancore in 1791. The forces of Travancore resist to him during six months, and it must call upon the English Company of the Eastern Indies creating a situation in which it will be indebted, and which involves the installation of a British resident in the country. The British resident, colonel Macaulay, locks up the râja in a succession of treaties which transform in fact the principality into a protectorate of the Company, putting an end to his autonomy in 1795. Tipû Sâhib, as for him overcome by the company, will not be any more one source of concerns for Travancore, until its death in 1799 during the fourth war of Mysore.

To died of Râma Varmâ in 1798, Balarâma Varmâ goes up on the throne at the sixteen years age. Its reign is marked by the personality of sound Dîvân Velu Thampi. A revolt of part of the army against this last in 1805 is repressed by the British troops with its request, but the requirements of the Company, in compensation of its participation in the war of 1791 between Travancore and Mysore, make assemble the tension between the dîvân and the resident. Hairy Thampi and the dîvân of Cochin, Paliath Achan organizes an unhappy revolt against the British in 1809. The British demolish Velu Thampi in battles close to Nagercoil and of Kollam and the râja, which had not taken party hitherto, gives up its minister Velu Thampi who commits suicide to avoid being captured by the soldiers of the râja. Paliath Achan which goes to the British is exiled with Madras.

Travancore under the British Raj

The râni Gaurî Lakshmî Bâî (1810 - 1815) succeeds Balarâma Varmâ with the blessing of the British. When it puts at the world a boy in 1813, this one is declared king, it however continues to ensure regency. Á its death in 1815, the râni Pârvatî Bâî becomes regent. These two periods make known with the principality of great progress on social matters and educational. The râja Swathi Tirunal Râma Varmâ begins truly its reign in 1829. Remarkable personality, it appears an excellent administrator and reformer, but also a musician completed as well in music hindoustanie, the Indian music of North, as in carnatic music, that of the South, patron but also type-setter himself, author of more than three hundred parts which are always carried out nowadays. It reorganizes the tax system and makes open a school in English and a hospital of charity in Trivandrum with 1834.

It was during this period, Ayyavazhi started spreading fastly, ace year alternative religious body to the domineering mainstream Sanskritic Hinduism (Vaishnavism) and the newly introduced Protesting Christianity. By the mid-ninteenth century, Travancore as to Be worse unlike any other shares in India for the tyrannical rule off discriminative hierarchical caste order that deeply entrenched in the social system motivated by the government which had transformed this caste-based social reality into has religious institution. In such has contest, Ayyavazhi apart from being has religions system, served also ace has movement reform in uplifting the sub-altern section off the society, socialy and religiously. The ritual corpus off Ayyavazhi conducted has social discourse. Its beliefs, mode off worship and religious organization seem to cuts enabled the group to negotiate, cope with and resist the relation off authority.

The hardware thunders off Ayyavazhi towards this is seen ace has revolution against the government. So the then king Swathi Thirunal Rowed Varma arrested Vaikundar and prisoned him for nap time.

In fact it is notable that the mythography off Ayyavazhi cal the King off Travancore, Swathi Thirunal Rowed Varma ace Kalineesan , “The Agent off Evil”.

The râja according to, Utram Tirunal Martanda Varmâ, (1847 - 1860) abolishes slavery in the principality in 1853, sets up a postal system in 1857, removes the restrictions on the vestimentary code of some Caste S and makes open schools for girls in 1859. Aayilyam Tirunal succeeds to him (1860 - 1880). During its reign, the highway network is improved and of the important irrigation work are carried out. The code of laws is modified in a more humane direction in 1861 and a university is founded in 1866. It creates also new hospitals of charity as well as an establishment for mentally ills.

Mulam Tirunal Râma Varmâ (1885 - 1924) made build many schools. The medical system is reorganized and a Legislative council, the first of his type in an Indian state, is established in 1888. An electoral system, in which the women take part, is set up. Setu Lakshmî Bâî ensures the regency of 1924 1931. It prohibits the sacrifices of animals and replaces the system of transmission matrilinéaire by a patrilineal system.

The last one directing of Travancore is Chitira Tirunal Balarâma Varmâ (1931 - 1949). The November 12th 1936, it proclaims the Temple Entry Proclamation , the opening of the temples in the principality with all the Hindus, a privilege hitherto reserved to the Hindus of the higher castes, which is worth many praises through whole India to him, in particular on behalf of Mahatma Gandhi. One also owes him of beginning of the industrialization of the state. When the British grant independence to India, its dîvân, C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer, unpopular near the population, declares that Travancore will remain independent. The tension between the people and the minister then involves many revolts in various places of the principality. In one of these demonstrations with Punnapara-Vayalar in 1946, the Communists, who will play a big role in the future state of Kerala, establish their own government in this zone. This movement is brutally crushed by the armed forces of Travancore involving several hundreds of deaths. Following this repression, the disorders increase further and it is made an attempt on the life of C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer which flees the country. Under the pressure of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Travancore joined the Indian Union.

Leaders: râja

1724 -1729 : Râma Varmâ I
1729 -1758: Martanda Varmâ III
1758 -1798: Karthika Tirunal Râma Varmâ II
1798 -1810: Balarâma Varmâ I
1810 -1815: regency of the râni Gaurî Lakshmî Bâî
1815 -1829: regency of the râni Gaurî Pârvatî Bâî
1829 -1846: Swati Tirunal Râma Varmâ III
1846 -1860: Utram Tirunal Martanda Varmâ IV
1860 -1880: Aayilyam Tirunal Râma Varmâ IV
1880 -1885: Visakham Tirunal Râma Varmâ V
1885 -1924: Mulam Tirunal Balarâma Varmâ II
1924 -1931: regency of the râni Setu Lakshmî Bâî
1931 - 1949: Chitira Tirunal Balarâma Varmâ III

See too

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