Travancore

Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævəŋkɔər/; Malayalam: തിരുവിതാംകൂര്‍, tiruvitāṁkūr ^? [t̪iɾuʋit̪aːɱkuːr]) was a former Hindu feudal kingdom (1729–1858) and Indian Princely State (1858–1947) with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of Tamil Nadu. The state's flag was red with a silver, dextrally-coiled, sacred conch shell (Turbinella pyrum). Its ruler was accorded a 19-gun salute by the British Empire. Travancore was known for its relatively high literacy rate and its progressive government.^[1]

King Marthanda Varma (1729–1758) is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from the feudal kingdom of Venad. The rulers of Venad trace their relations back to the Ay kingdom and the Later Chera kingdom. Marthanda Varma crowned in his twenties, successfully suppressed the feudal lords, defeated the local kingdoms of Attingal, Kollam (Desinganad), Kayamkulam, Kottarakara (Ilayidathu Swaroopam), Pandalam, Ambalapuzha, Kottayam, Changanassery, Meenachil, Karappuram, and Alangad and fought numerous battles against the Dutch and the kingdom of Cochin with the help of the British East India Company. In the famous Battle of Colachel (1741), Marthanda Varma's army defeated the Dutch East India Company, resulting in the complete eclipse of Dutch power in Malabar. In this battle, Marthanda Varma captured the Flemish admiral of the VOC Eustachius De Lannoy who would later modernize the Travancore army by introducing better firearms and artillery. This battle in the Travancore-Dutch War (1739–1753) is considered the earliest example of an organized Asian power overcoming European military technology and tactics; and it signaled the decline of Dutch power in India. He was also successful in defeating the Zamorin of Calicut in a battle at Purakkad. Ramayyan Dalawa, the Prime Minister (1737–1756) of Marthanda Varma, also played an important role in this consolidation and expansion. The kings of Travancore often allied with the English East India Company in military conflicts.^[2] During the reign of Dharma Raja, Marthanda Varma's successor, Tipu Sultan, the de facto ruler of Kingdom of Mysore and the son of Hyder Ali attacked Travancore as a part of Mysore invasion of Kerala. This attack was the event lead to the famous Third Anglo-Mysore War. In the time of king Balarama Varma, Velu Thampi Dalawa, the Prime Minister of Travancore, started an armed rebellion, but failed to succeed.

Chithira Thirunal, the last king of Travancore, made the Temple Entry Proclamation in 1936 abolishing the ban on low-caste people from entering Hindu Temples. For this won him praise from across India, most notably from Mohandas Gandhi. However, at the same time, C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, Chithira Thirunal's Prime Minister, is remembered for the ruthless suppression of the Communist-organized Punnapra-Vayalar uprising in reaction to his speeches for the creation of an "American model" of executive in Travancore, and his controversial stand in favour of an independent Travancore within India. Historians like A Sreedhara Menon estimates that over a thousand people were killed during the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising. When United Kingdom accepted demands for a partition and announced its intention to quit India within a short period, the king of Travancore desired to declare himself independent.^[3][4][5] Supported by C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, Chithira Thirunal issued a declaration of independence on June 18, 1947.^[3][4][5] As Travancore's declaration of independence was unacceptable to India, negotiations were started with the Diwan by the Government of India.^[6] Family sources indicate that C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, himself, was not in favour of independence but only greater autonomy and that a favourable agreement had been reached between C. P. Ramaswami Iyer and the Indian representatives by July 23, 1947 and accession to the Indian Union could not be carried out only because it was pending approval by Chitira Thirunal.^[7][8][9] Nevertheless, an assassination attempt was made on C. P. on the July 25, 1947 by the Communists.^[4][5] He survived with multiple stab wounds and hastened the accession of Travancore state to the Indian Union soon after his recovery.^[4][5] Travancore and the princely state of Cochin merged on 1 July 1949 to form the Indian state of Travancore-Cochin. Later Travancore-Cochin joined with the Malabar district of the Madras State (modern day Tamil Nadu), on 1 November 1956, to form the Indian state of Kerala.

Geography

Travancore (and Venad) was located on the Malabar Coast, South India in present day southern districts Kerala state and Tamil Nadu. The rulers of Travancore were named Sri Padmanabha-dasan - servant of Padmanabha (Padmanabha is an aspect of Vishnu). The former Kingdom's geography is defined by three natural terrains - a coastal area to the west(Arabian Sea), a midland in the centre and mountain peaks (Western Ghats) as high as 9,000 feet on the east.

History of Travancore

Venad Swaroopam

Venad was a former state at the tip of the Indian Subcontinent, traditionally ruled by Venattadis. The rulers of Venad trace their relations back to Ay kingdom of the Tamil Sangam period and the Later Chera kingdoms. Venad included most of modern day Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram districts of Kerala state, and the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. In the Sangam period most of the present day Kerala state was ruled by the Chera dynasty, Ezhimala Kingdom and the Ay Kingdom. Venad, ruled by the dynasty of the same name, was in the Ay kingdom. However, the Ays were the vassals of the Pandyas.

By the 9th century AD, Venad became a part of the Kulasekhara kingdom as the Pandya power diminished. During 12th century, the Venad dynasty merged the remnants of the old Ay Dynasty to them forming the Chirava Moopan (the ruling King) and the Thrippappur Moopan (the Crown Prince). The provincial capital of the local patriarchal dynasty was at Kollam. In same century, the capital of the war-torn Kulasekhara kingdom was relocated to Kollam and the Kulasekhara dynasty was merged with the Venad rulers. The last King of the Kulasekhara dynasty based on Mahodayapuram, Rama Varma Kulasekhara, was the first ruler of an independent Venad.

A number of kings such as Kodai Kerala Varma, Udaya Martanda Varma (1175–1195), Vira Rama Kerala Varma, Ravi Kerala Varma, Ravivarma Kulasekhara (1299–1314), Vira Marthanda Varma ruled over the kingdom. After the 14th century, the Venad rulers gradually intermarried with the Namboothiris, and sometimes with the Nairs, adopting the custom of matrilineal descendency. Later in the 16th century the Chirava Moopan became the ruler of Kollam (Desinganad) and Thrippappur Moopan became the Venad king. During the Madurai Sultanate, Venad paid annual tribute and during the Madurai Naicker period (1550 to 1801), yearly tribute was paid by the Travancore kings to a General of the Nayaks of Madurai, who annually visited the capital Padmanabhapuram (near Nagercoil of Kanyakumari District). The history of Travancore begins with Marthanda Varma who inherited the kingdom of Venad, and expanded it into Travancore during his reign 1729–1758.

The rulers of Travancore were Malayala Kshatriyas followed a matrilineal system of inheritance known as "Marumakkathayam".

Formation of Travancore

Marthanda Varma was a powerful ruler who expanded Venad from Kanyakumari in the south to Idappally in the north during his 29 year rule. He signed a treaty with the British East India Company and with their help destroyed the power of the eight feudal land lords called Ettuveetil Pillamar and "Ettara Yogam" who supported the Thampi sons of the previous king of Venad, Rajah Rama Varma.

In successive battles, Marthanda Varma defeated and absorbed the kingdoms right up to Cochin kingdom including Attingal, Kollam, Kayamkulam, Kottarakara, Kottayam, Pandalam, Poonjar and Chempakassery. He succeeded in defeating the Dutch East India Company during the Travancore-Dutch War (1739–1753), the most decisive engagement of which was the Battle of Colachel (10 August, 1741) in which the Dutch Admiral Eustachius De Lannoy was captured.

On January 3, 1750, (5 Makaram, 925 Kollavarsham), Marthanda Varma virtually "dedicated" Travancore to his tutelary deity Padmanabha of Padmanabhaswamy Temple (the Trippadidaanam) and from then on the rulers of Travancore ruled as the "servants of Padmanabha" (the Padmnabha-dasans).

In 1753, the Dutch signed a peace treaty with Marthanda Varma. With Battle of Ambalapuzha (3 January, 1754) in which he defeated the union of the deposed Kings and the king of Cochin kingdom, Marthanda Varma crushed all opposition to his rule. In 1757, after the Cochin Travancore War (1755–1756), a treaty was concluded between Travancore and Cochin kingdom, ensuring stability on the northern border.

Marthanda Varma organised the tax system and constructed many irrigation works in his kingdom. Admiral Eustachius De Lannoy, who was captured as a prisoner of war in the famous Battle of Colachel was appointed as the Senior Admiral ("Valiya kappittan") and he modernised the Travancore army by introducing firearms and artillery. Ayyappan Marthanda Pillai served as the "Sarvadi Karykar" (Head of the Army). Marthanda Varma introduced titles such as Chempaka Raman and honours such as Ettarayum Koppum to honour the lords and his relatives who had remained faithful to him during his internal problems with the Ettuveetil Pillamar. His able Prime Minister during his entire military career was Ramayyan Dalawa.

The Mysore invasion

Marthanda Varma's successor Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma (1758–1798) who was popularly known as Dharma Raja, shifted the capital in 1795 from Padmanabhapuram to Thiruvananthapuram. Dharma Raja's period is considered as a Golden Age in the history of Travancore. He not only retained the territorial gains of his predecessor Marthanda Varma, but also improved and encouraged social developments. He was greatly assisted by a very efficient administrator, Raja Kesavadas, who was the Diwan of Travancore.

During Dharma Raja's reign, Tipu Sultan, the de facto ruler of Mysore and the son of Hyder Ali attacked Travancore in 1789 as a part of Mysore invasion of Kerala. Dharma Raja had earlier refused to hand over the Hindu political refugees from the Mysore occupation of Malabar, who had been given asylum in Travancore. The Mysore army entered Cochin kingdom from Coimbatore in November 1789 and reached Trichur in December. On December 20, 1789 Tipu Sultan attacked the Nedunkotta from north, starting the army movement called Battle of the Nedumkotta (1789). But, before completing the battle Tipu was forced to retreat due simultaneous attacks of English at Mysore and the damp weather. Virtually, Battle of the Nedumkotta (1789) was the event lead to the Third Anglo-Mysore War.

Velu Thampi Dalawa's rebellion

On Dharma Raja's death in 1798, Balarama Varma (1798–1810) took over crown at the age of sixteen. A treaty brought Travancore under the East India Company protection in 1795.^[10]

The Prime Ministers (Dalawas or Dewans) started taking control of the kingdom beginning with Velu Thampi Dalawa (1799–1809) who was appointed as the divan following the dismissal of Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri (1798–1799). Initially, Velayudhan Chempakaraman Thampi and the English East India Company got along very well. A section of the Travancore army mutinied in 1805 against Velu Thampi Dalawa and he sought refuge with the British Resident and later used English East India Company troops to crush the mutiny. Velu Thampi also played a key role in renegotiating a new treaty between Travancore and the English East India Company. However, the demands by the East India Company for the payment of compensation for their involvement in the Travancore-Mysore War (1791) on behalf of Travancore, led to tension between the Diwan and the East India Company Resident. Velu Thampi Dalawa and the diwan of Cochin kingdom, Paliath Achan Govindan Menon, declared "war" on the East India Company.

The kingdoms of both kingdoms, Travancore and Cochin kingdom, did not support the Prime Ministers openly. Initially, the rebel forces of Velu Thampi Dalawa and Paliath Achan Govindan Menon were successful and on December 18, 1808, they stormed the Residents house in Cochin. The situation changed when an assault on Cochin itself by the rebels on January 19, 1809 was forced back with heavy losses. Col. Leger led an army of the East India Company's soldiers through the Aramboli Ghat and occupied the forts of Udayagiri and Padmanabhapuram on February 19, 1809. Following this development, the king of Travancore who till then had refused to take any open part in the civil war, turned against his Prime Minister.

The East India Company forces defeated Paliath Achan in Cochin on February 27, 1809. Paliath Achan surrendered to the East India Company and was exiled to Madras and later to Benaras. The Company defeated forces under Velu Thampi Dalawa at battles near Nagercoil and Kollam and inflicted heavy casualties on the rebels, following which many of his supporters deserted and went back to their homes. The allied East India Company army and the Travancore soldiers camped in Pappanamcode, just outside Trivandrum. Velu Thampi Dalawa now organised a guerilla struggle against the Company, but committed suicide to avoid capture by the Travancore army. After the mutiny of 1805 against Velu Thampi Dalawa, most of the Nair battalions of Travancore had been disbanded, and after Velu Thampi Dalawa's uprising, almost all of the remaining Travancore forces were also disbanded, with the East India Company undertaking to serve the king in cases of external and internal aggression.

19th and early 20th centuries

Balarama Varma was succeeded by Rani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi in 1810–1815 with the help of the British. When a boy was born to her in 1813, the infant was declared the King, but the Rani continued to rule as the regent. The British Colonel Munro served as her Diwan. On Rani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi's death in 1815, Maharani Gowri Parvati Bayi followed her as regent. Both of the regencies saw great progresses in social issues and in education. Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma assumed the throne in 1829. He was a famous exponent of Carnatic and Hindustani music. He abolished many unnecessary taxes, and started an English school and a charity hospital in Trivandrum in 1834.

In Travancore, the caste system was more rigiourously enforced than in many other parts of India. The rule of discriminative hierarchical caste order was deeply entrenched in the social system and was supported by the government which had transformed this caste-based social system into a religious institution.^[11] In such a context, the belief of Ayyavazhi, apart from being a religious system, served also as a reform movement in uplifting the downtrodden section of the society, both socially and as well as religiously. The rituals of Ayyavazhi conducted a social discourse. Its beliefs, mode of worship and religious organisation seem to have enabled the group to negotiate, cope with and resist the relation of authority.^[12] The hard tone of Vaikundar towards this was perceived as a revolution against the government.^[13] So the King Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma imprisoned Vaikundar but later released him.^[14] In fact, it is notable that, in one way or another after the release of Vaikundar (in 1839–40), the caste-based discrimination by the Kingdom underwent a remarkable change.

The next ruler Maharajah Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma AD 1847–1860 , abolished slavery in the Kingdom in 1855, and restrictions on the dress codes of certain castes in 1859 following the recommendation of the prostestant clergy. His acts on these social issues won him praise and was copied by the neighbouring State of Cochin. The maharajah started the postal system in 1857 and a school for girls in 1859. He was succeeded by Ayilyam Thirunal 1860–1880, during whose rule, agriculture, irrigation works and road ways were promoted. Humane codes of law were enforced in 1861 and a college was established in 1866. He also built many charity hospitals including a lunatic asylum. The first systematic Census of Travancore was taken on May 18, 1875. he also introduced vaccination in the country. Rama Varma Visakham Thirunal ruled from 1880–1885. He became the first Indian Prince to be offered a seat in the Viceroy's Executive Council and also authored a number of books and essays. He reorganised the police force, and abolished many oppressive taxes.

The reign of Sri Moolam Thirunal Sir Rama Varma 1885–1924 saw the establishment of many colleges and schools. When Jawaharlal Nehru visited the area in the 1920s, he remarked that the education was superior to British India. The medical system was reorganised and Legislative Council, the first of its kind in an Indian state, was established in 1888. The principle of election was established and women too were allowed to vote.

Sethu Lakshmi Bayi ruled as the regent from 1924–1931. She abolished animal sacrifice and replaced the matrilineal system of inheritance with the patrilineal one. She ended the Devdasi system in Temples and was commended by Mahatma Gandhi for spending a fifth of the state revenue on education.

The last ruler of Travancore was Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma AD 1931–1947. He made the temple entry proclamation on 12 November 1936, which opened all the Kshetrams (Hindu temples in Kerala) in Travancore to all Hindus, a privilege reserved to only upper caste Hindus till then. This act won him praise from across India, most notably from Mahatma Gandhi. The first public transport system (Trivandrum - Mavelikkara)and telecommunication system (Trivandrum Palace - Mavelikkara Palace) were launched at the reign of Sri. Chithira Thirunal. He also started the industrialisation of the state. However, his prime minister Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer was unpopular among the general public of Travancore. When the British decided to grant independence to India, the minister declared that Travancore would remain as an independent country, based on an "American model." The tension between the local people, led by the Indian National Congress and the Communists, and Sir. C.P. Ramaswami Iyer led to revolts in various places of the country. In one such revolt in Punnapra-Vayalar in 1946, the Communists established their own government in the area. This was crushed by the Travancore army and navy leading to hundreds of deaths. These events led to further disturbances in the State, leading to more killings. The minister issued a statement in June 1947 that Travancore would remain as an independent country instead of joining the Indian Union, and subsequently, an attempt was made on the life of Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer following which he resigned and fled to Madras, to be succeeded by Sri PGN Unnithan. After these events, Sardar Patel threatened military action against Travancore should she not agree to join India, and the Maharajah, facing both internal agitation and external pressure, complied.

Cessation of the practice of mahādanams

The Maharajas of Travancore had been conditionally promoted to Kshatryahood with periodic performance of 16 mahādānams (great gifts in charity) such as Hiranya-garbhā, Hiranya-Kāmdhenu, Hiranyāswaratā, and Tulāpurushadānam in which each of which thousands of Brahmins had been given costly gifts apart from each getting a minimum of 1 kazhanch (78.65 gms) of gold.^[15]

The Nambudiri Brahmins had stipulated that Rajas of Travancore could retain their dignity of Sāmantan Nair permanently but the Kshatriyhood conferred on them by the yāgās and mahādanams would be valid only for 6 years and thus latter purchased kshatriyhood at a heavy recurring cost. During 1848, Lord Dalhousie the then Governor general of British India was appraised that the depressed condition of the finances in Tranavcore was owing to mal-administration and practices of treasury by the ruling elite.^[16] Lord Dalhousie, who was indignant at the colossal wasteful expenditure of Travancore state treasury through mahādanams among others, instructed Lord Harris Governor of Madras, warn the Rāja under the ninth article of the treaty of 1805. On 21 November 1855, Lord Harris dispatched a strongly worded communication to the then Rāja of Travancore alias Martanda varma (Uttram Tirunal 1847–1860 AD) that if he did not put a stop to his periodic re-incarnation as Kshatriya by squandering away huge sums of taxpayer´s money, among others, his state administration would be taken over by the Madras government. This led to the cessation of the practice of mahādanams and the Rājas of Travancore were unable to purchase their Kshatriyahood further.

Travancore after 1947

The movement for the unification of the lands where Malayalam was spoken as the mother tongue took concrete shape at the State People's Conference held in Ernakulam in April 1928, and a resolution was passed therein calling for Aikya Kerala ("United Kerala"). On July 1, 1949, the State of Travancore-Cochin was established, with the Maharajah of Travancore as the Rajapramukh of the new State. A number of popular ministries were elected and fell and in 1954, the Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress launched a campaign for the merger of the Tamil speaking regions of Southern Travancore with the neighbouring area of Madras. The agitation took a violent turn and some police and many local people were killed at Marthandam and Puthukkada, irreparably alienating the entire Tamil speaking population from merger into Kerala. Under the State Reorganisation Act of 1956, the four southern taluks of Travancore, namely Thovalai, Agasteeswaram, Kalkulam and Vilavancode and a part of the Chencotta Taluk was merged with Madras state. The State of Kerala came into existence on November 1, 1956 with a Governor, appointed by the President of India, as the head of the State instead of the Maharajah.

The Maharajah was stripped of all his ranks and privileges according to the twenty-sixth amendment of the Indian constitution act of July 31, 1971^[17] He died on July 19, 1991.

Rulers of Travancore

1. Anizham Tirunal Marthanda Varma 1729–1758
2. Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma (Dharma Raja) 1758–1798
3. Balarama Varma 1798–1810
4. Gowri Lakshmi Bayi 1810–1815 (Queen from 1810–1813 and Regent Queen from 1813–1815)
5. Gowri Parvati Bayi (Regent) 1815–1829
6. Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma 1829–1846
7. Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma 1846–1860
8. Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma 1860–1880
9. Visakham Thirunal Rama Varma 1880–1885
10. Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma 1885–1924
11. Sethu Lakshmi Bayi (Regent) 1924–1931
12. Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma 1931–1947

Styles and titles

• The ruling prince: Maharaja Raja Ramaraja Sri Patmanabha Dasa Vanchi Pala (personal name) Varma, Kulasekhara Kiritapati Manney Sultan Bahadur, Shamsher Jang, Maharaja of Travancore, with the style of His Highness.
• The Heir Apparent: Maharajkumar (personal name) Varma, Eliya Raja of Travancore.
• The Heiress: Sri Patmanabha Sevini Vanchi Dharma Vardhini Raja Rajeshwari Maharani (personal name) Bai, Senior Maharani of Travancore, with the style of Her Highness.
• The Second Heiress, if mother of the ruling prince: Sri Patmanabha Sevini Vanchipala Dyumani Raj Rajeshwari Maharani Maharani (personal name) Bai, Junior Maharani of Travancore, with the style of Her Highness.
• The consort of the ruling prince: (mother's house name) Ammachi Panapilla Amma Srimathi (personal name) Pilla Kochamma.
• The sons of the ruling prince: Sri (mother's house name) (personal name) Tampi.
• The daughters of the ruling prince: (mother's house name) Ammaveetil Srimathi (personal name) Pilla Kochamma.

NB: all members of the ruling family receive two names, an official personal name and a name associated with the star under which they are born. The latter usually end with the suffix Tirunal.

Unique cultural features

When one looks at the recorded history of Travancore since its formation, and that of the geographical territory that comprised it before that, one is struck by some of its unique features. Religious and social tolerance was one of its notable features.

The Jewish community considers this to be the only place on earth where they were not persecuted in one way or other. Christianity reached here before it reached many of the leading European 'Christian' territories, and that too brought by one of the disciples of Jesus Christ, St. Thomas, who is believed to have reached here in 52 AD. Muslims consider this land to be one of the very few places where their messenger Malik Dinar met with no resistance. Not only that, the reigning king (the last emperor of the first Chera Dynasty) is said to have adopted the faith and left the land to live in Mecca. Unlike the situation in many parts of India, religious- and caste-based violence was very rare in Travancore, apart from a few incidents in 1821, 1829, 1858 and 1921, which themselves, when compared to similar riots elsewhere, were very mild. The Travancore royal family proved themselves as very devout and sincere Hindus; they also donated land and material to the construction of churches and mosques. This genuine concern for the welfare of all the subjects was reciprocated by the devotion of the people, and the example of the local Christians, who, during the Tranvancore-Dutch War, actively supported Maharajah Marthanda Varma against the Dutch East India Company, will suffice to highlight this point.

This tolerance of different faiths was equally applicable when it came to social and ideological matters. Every political ideology and social reform was welcomed here. The universality of education and the now-historic temple entry permission for those considered as 'untouchable' were unique to this part of the sub-continent. Unlike in the rest of medieval India or almost all of medieval world, in Travancore (and in Malabar and Kochi), the social status and freedom of women were high. In many communities, the daughters inherited the property right up to 1925, were educated, and had the right to divorce and remarry.

Travancore was also characterized by the popularity of its rulers. When the kings of Travancore "declared themselves as servants of Lord Vishnu and ruled His State according to His wishes" it was not mere lip service. The kings of Travancore, unlike their counterparts in the other Princely States of India, spent only a small portion of their state's resources for personal use. This was in sharp contrast with some of the North Indian Rajas. When contrasted with the examples of Rajas in the north-west who spent more than half of their state's revenues for their own uses, the simplicity and frugality of the Rajas of Travancore, and their sincere devotion to their subjects, are highlighted. Since they spent most of the state's revenue for the benefit of the public, they were naturally much loved by their subjects. This was so even in the context of the high-handedness of some of their Dewans.

Dewans (Prime Ministers) of Travancore

• Arumukham Pillai 1729–1736
• Thanu Pillai 1736–1737
• Ramayyan Dalawa 1737–1756
• Martanda Pillai 1756–1763
• Warkala Subbayyan 1763–1768
• Krishna Gopalayyan 1768–1776
• Vadiswaran Subbrahmanya Iyer 1776–1780
• Mullen Chempakaraman Pillai 1780–1782
• Nagercoil Ramayyan 1782–1788
• Krishnan Chempakaraman 1788–1789
• Raja Kesavadas 1789–1798
• Odiery Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri 1798–1799
• Velu Thampi Dalawa 1799–1809
• Oommini Thampi 1809–1811
• Col. John Munro 1811–1814
• Devan Padmanabhan Menon 1814–1814
• Bappu Rao (acting) 1814–1815
• Sanku Annavi Pillai 1815–1815
• Raman Menon 1815–1817
• Reddy Rao 1817–1821
• T. Venkata Rao 1821–1830
• Thanjavur Subha Rao 1830–1837
• Ranga Rao (acting) 1837–1838
• T. Venkata Rao (Again) 1838–1839
• Thanjavur Subha Rao (again) 1839–1842
• Krishna Rao (acting) 1842–1843
• Reddy Rao (again) 1843–1845
• Srinivasa Rao (acting) 1845–1846
• Krishna Rao 1846–1858

See also

• Travancore–Dutch War
• Travancore War
• Travancore rupee
• Nedumkotta
• Cochin - Travancore Alliance (1761)
• Cochin Travancore War (1755–1756)
• Bunt (community)
• Swathi Sangeethotsavam
• Mysore invasion of Kerala
• Upper cloth revolt
• Vaikom Satyagraha
• Temple Entry Proclamation

Further reading

• Hatch, Emily Gilchriest (1934). Pictures of Travancore. Oxford University Press. pp. 64. 
• Hatch, Emily Gilchriest (1933). Travancore: A guide book for the visitor with thirty-two illustrations and two maps. Calcutta: Oxford University Press. pp. 270. http://books.google.com/books?id=9OUxAAAAIAAJ.  (a second revision was published in 1939)
• Menon, P. Shungoonny (1879). A History of Travancore from the Earliest Times. Higginbotham & Co., Madras. http://www.archive.org/stream/ahistorytravanc00menogoog#page/n6/mode/2up. 

References

External links

• Travancore State Manual -T.K.Velu Pillai
• Genealogy of the Kulasekhara Dynasty of Travancore
• Another genealogy
• Venad and Kulasekharas
• Travancore Devaswom Board
• Interview with Prince Rama Varma, Hindu April 2005
• Review of Swathi Sangeethotsavam (Music Festival) 2002
• Swathi Sangeethotsavam 2007
• Article on Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi by Shreekumar Varma