History of Travancore

The history of modern Travancore begins with Marthanda Varma who inherited the kingdom of Venad, and expanded it into Travancore during his reign from 1729 to 1758. He succeeded in defeating the Dutch East India Company during the Travancore–Dutch war, the most prominent encounter of which was the Battle of Colachel on 10 August 1741, in which the Dutch Admiral Eustachius De Lannoy was captured. On January 3, 1750 AD, Varma dedicated his kingdom to his tutelary deity Sri. Padmanabha, Lord Vishnu, of Thiruvananthapuram, which is known the Trippadidaanam, and from then onwards the rulers of Travancore, ruled the kingdom as the servants of Sri. Padmanabha (Padmnabhadasan). In 1753, the Dutch signed a peace treaty with the Maharajah. With the battle of Ambalapuzha on 3 January 1754 in which he defeated the union of the deposed kings and the Raja of Cochin, Marthanda Varma crushed all opposition to his rule. In 1757 AD, a treaty was concluded between Travancore and Cochin, ensuring peace and stability on the Northern border. He organised the tax system and constructed many irrigation works. 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 kappithan) and he modernised the Travancore army by introducing firearms and artillery. His able minister during his entire military career was Ramayyan Dalawa.
Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma, who was popularly known as Dharma Raja, was the successor to Marthanda Varma and it was he who shifted the capital of the kingdom from Padmanabhapuram to Thiruvananthapuram in 1795. Rama Varma'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 Pillai, who was the Diwan of Travancore.

Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore attacked Travancore in A.D.1791, during the reign of Dharmaraja. The wrath of the Sultan was upon Travancore due to the overtures of Dharma raja that was for alliance with the British forces. The Travancore forces withstood the Sultan for less than 6 months and then, the Maharajah appealed to the British East India Company for help, starting a precedent, which led to the installation of a British resident in the kingdom. The British resident, Colonel Macaulay, managed to engage the ruler in treaties, which effectively made the state a protectorate of the East India Company and ended its autonomy resulting finally in the revolt of Velu Thampi Dalawa. Tipu Sultan was defeated and he did not trouble Travancore anymore till his death in 1799 during the Fourth Mysore War. The Dharma Raja improved trade in the country

Balarama Varma took over at the age of sixteen on the death of Dharmaraja in 1798. He was assisted by Velu Thampi, an able divan. Initially, the Dalawa and the English East India Company got along well. A mutiny of a section of the army in 1805 against Velu Thampi was put down by British troops, at his own request. But the demands by the Company for the payment of compensation for their involvement in the Travancore-Mysore war of 1791 led to enmity between the Diwan and the Resident. Velu Thampi and the diwan of Cochin, Paliath Achan, organised an ill-fated revolt against the British in A.D.1809. Initially, the rebellion was successful. However, the Company defeated Velu Thampi at battles near Nagercoil and Kollam in AD 1810, and the Maharajah, who till then had refused to take any active open part in the fight, turned against Velu Thampi. Following these two defeats, Velu Thampi organised a guerilla struggle against the Company, but committed suicide to avoid capture by the Company's soldiers. Paliath Achan surrendered to the British and was exiled to Madras.

Balarama Varma was succeeded by Rani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi during AD 1810–1815. When a boy was born to her in 1813, the infant was declared the King, but the Rani continued to rule as the regent. Col. Munro served as her Diwan. On her death in 1815, Maharani Gowri Parvati Bayi continued 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.

Swathi Thirunal started an English school at Thiruvananthapuram in 1834. 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 also conducted the first census of the state in 1836. Another area where Swathi Thirunal took interest was in astronomy. He started an observatory in 1837 and some of the equipment is still to be seen at the Thiruvananthapuram observatory. He is also credited with starting the first government press.

Maharajah Utharadam Tirunal Marthanda Varma (1847–1860), was the next ruler who abolished slavery in the kingdom, and restrictions on the dress codes of certain castes. 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 was the next ruler, from AD 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 reorganized the police force, and abolished many oppressive taxes.

The Sri Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma (1885–1924) was the successor to Visakham Thirunal whose important contribution was the establishment of many colleges and schools. When Jawaharlal Nehru visited the region in the 1920s, he remarked that the education was superior to British India. The medical system was reorganized 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 to 1931. She abolished animal sacrifice and replaced the matrilineal system of inheritance with the patrilineal one. She ended the Devdasi system in Temples
Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma (1931–1949) was.the last ruler of Travancore He made the temple entry proclamation on 12 November 1936, which opened all the temples in Travancore to all Hindus, a privilege reserved to only upper caste Hindus till then. He also started the industrialization of the state. However, his divan 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 brutally crushed by the Travancore army and navy leading to hundreds of deaths. This led to further disturbances in the State, leading to more killings. The minister issued a statement in June 1947 that Travancore would never join India, 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, the Maharajah agreed to join India and Travancore was absorbed into the Indian union.

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"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.

History of Kochi

We get the earliest accounts of Cochin in the records made by the Chinese traveller Ma Huan. We also find the references to Cochin in the travelogue by Niccolo da Conti who had stepped on the land of Cochin in 1440AD.The Cochin state gained its significance as a port only after the downfall of the Kulashekhara kingdom. Cochin was invaded by foreigners and colonized for many a times, but the king always remained the titular head of the place

Kochi was the scene of the first European settlement in India. In the year 1500, Portuguese Admiral Pedro Álvares Cabral, landed at Cochin. The King of Kochi welcomed his guests and a treaty of friendship was signed. Promising his support in the conquest of Calicut, the admiral coaxed the king into allowing them to build a factory at Cochin. Assured by the support, the king called war with the Zamorins of Calicut. However, the admiral retreated in panic on seeing the powers of the Zamorin. The Zamorins, on the other hand, eager to win the favor of the Portuguese, left without a war. Another captain, Joao Da Nova was sent in place of Cabral. However, he too faltered at the sight of the Zamorin. The consecutive retreats made the King of Portugal indignant. The king sent Vasco Da Gama, who bombed Calicut and destroyed the Arab trading posts. This invited the anger of the Zamorin, who declared a war against the Kochi Raja.

The war between Calicut and Cochin began on 1 March 1503. However, the oncoming monsoons and the arrival of a small Portuguese fleet under Francisco De Albuquerque alarmed the Zamorin, and he called back his army. This led to a triumph for the king of Kochi, who was later re-established in the possession of his kingdom. However, much of the kingdom was burnt and destroyed by the Zamorins

The Portuguese built a Fort — Fort Manuel surrounding the Portuguese factory, in order to protect it from any further attacks. The entire work was commissioned by the Cochin Raja, who supplied workers and materials. The Raja continued to rule with the help of the Portuguese. Meanwhile, the Portuguese secretly tried to enter into an alliance with the Zamorins. A few later attempts by the Zamorin at conquering the Kochi port were thwarted by the Cochin Raja with the help of the Portuguese. Slowly, the Portuguese armory at Kochi was increased, with the presumed notion of helping the Raja protect Kochi. However, the measures led to decrease in the power of the Cochin Raja, and an increase in the Portuguese influence. From 1503 to 1663, Kochi was ruled by Portugal through the namesake Cochin Raja. Kochi remained the capital of Portuguese India till 1510. In 1530, Saint Francis Xavier arrived and founded a Christian mission. This Portuguese period was difficult for the Jews installed in the region, since the inquisition was active in Portuguese India. Kochi hosted the grave of Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese viceroy, who was buried at St. Francis Church until his remains were returned to Portugal in 1539 Soon after the time of Albuquerque, the Portuguese rule in Kerala declined.

The Portuguese rule was followed by that of the Dutch, who had by then conquered Quilon, after various encounters with the Portuguese and their allies. Discontented members of the Cochin Royal family called on the assistance of the Dutch for help in overthrowing the Cochin Raja. The Dutch successfully landed at Njarakal and headed on to capture the fort at Pallippuram, which they handed over to the Zamorin

In 1814 according to the Anglo-Dutch Treaty, the islands of Kochi, including Fort Kochi and its territory were ceded to the United Kingdom in exchange for the island of Banca. Even prior to the signing of the treaty, there is evidence of English residents in Kochi. Towards the early 20th century, trade at the port had increased substantially, and the need to develop the port was greatly felt. Harbour Engineer Robert Bristow, was thus brought to Cochin in 1920 under the direction of Lord Willingdon, then the Governor of Madras. In a span of 21 years, he had transformed Cochin as the safest harbour in the peninsula. Meanwhile, in 1866, Fort Cochin was made a municipality. The Maharajah of Cochin, in 1896 initiated local administration, by forming town councils in Mattancherry and Ernakulam. In 1925, Kochi legislative assembly was constituted due to public pressure on the state. The assembly consisted of 45 members, 10 of who were officially nominated. Thottakkattu Madhaviamma became the first woman to be a member of any legislature in India. Cochin gradually developed in to a commercial and industrial hub and also turned into a lace of major tourist attraction.

Shaktan Thampuran

The name of Shaktan Thampuran is very important in the history of Kochi.His actual name was Raja Rama Varma (1751-1805). He was a king of Kochi, his palace was in Thrissur, central Kerala, and he was the very architect of Thrissur. Thrissur Pooram was introduced by him.

Pazhassi Raja Popularly known as the Lion of Kerala, Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja was the ruler of Kottayam in the late 17th century. He led a serious revolution against the revenue policy of the British East India Company in 1797, and stopped the collection of revenues at Kottayam. When the British tried to capture him, the king escaped to the hills and led a guerilla war. The British authorities declared that if the people helped the king, they would be considered enemies of the British and their property would be seized. The king and his army attacked the Havildar’s Guard stationed at Pazhassi, and succeeded in it. However, by 1804 Pazhassi Raja started to lose and in 1805 he was killed in the forests of Wayanad.

Zamorins of Calicut

Zamorins (Samoothiris) were the Nair rulers of the erstwhile state of Kozhikode (Calicut) (Nediyirippu Swarūpam), located in Kerala, between the 14th and 18th century AD.The Samoothiri Raja fought a series of small battles with smaller states called the Thirunavaya War. As Thirunavaya was captured, Saamoothiri proclaimed himself as the protector and took over sole right of conducting the Mamankam festival. In olden days, Mamankam was a grand assembly of the rulers and was held once in 12 years, in which one among them was selected as the emperor of Kerala. It was an enormous trade fair also. The Mamankam festival was celebrated for 28 days with great pomp and pageantry where traders from outside came in ships and barges to Thirunavaya through Ponnani port. Thus the economic importance of Mamankam was high and hence the right to conduct and control it was important. The Mamankam was conducted on the banks of Bharathapuzha the second-longest river in Kerala, close to the holy town Thirunavaya.

Vasco Da Gama, a Portuguese traveller, arrived in 1498 and obtained permission to carry out trade from Calicut. The Arabs sensing the threat posed by Portuguese to their commercial supremacy, opposed the Europeans. Bitter fights started between Portuguese and Arabs. The Portuguese went to Cochin for trade and the Raja of Cochin had an alliance with the Portuguese with aim of attaining sovereignty from Zamorin.

The hostilities between the Zamorin and the Portuguese continued for many decades and the role played by the Kunjali Marakkar in these battles cannot be forgotten. Kunjali Marakkars were the hereditary admirals of the Zamorin and organized a powerful navy to fight the Portuguese
Due to a prolonged struggle, Zamorin's strength deteriorated and he entered into a treaty in 1540 allowing the Portuguese to have monopoly over trade at Calicut port. The peace was temporary and war broke out again. The battles continued unabated till 1588 when the Portuguese were allowed to settle down at Calicut. In the meanwhile, the Dutch, English and the French arrived in Kerala. Zamorins allowed the Dutch to trade in Calicut and sought their help to drive out the Portuguese. The position of Portuguese weakened gradually due to international events and their position in Kerala deteriorated.

Formation of Kerala

Kerala came into existence on 1st November 1956, by amalgamating the states of Travancore-Cochin and Malabar on the basis of the State Re-organization Act. In 1957 the ministry under the leadership of E.M.S.Namboothiripad came to power following a general election held after the formation of Kerala. C.Achuthamenon.V.R.Krishna Iyer, K.R.Gouri, Dr.A.R.Menon, Joseph Mundassery were included in the first ministry as ministers of the departments, Finance, Law, Land Revenue, Health respectively.

Spiritual leaders in the history of Kerala

Sri Sankaracharya

Sankaracharya was born towards the end of the eighth century at Kaladi, a village in Central Kerala. He was the only son of a devout Nambudiri Brahmin couple, Sivaguru and Aryamba. He was an infant prodigy and completed his Vedic studies by the age of eight. After Sankara had completed his Vedantic studies and Sadhana, he left Kaladi and proceeded to Kasi, the ancient city of learning and spirituality, and spread the message of Advaita Vedanta from there by writing commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita. Within a short time, Sankara established himself as the greatest champion of Vedanta philosophy. He won many debates; and disciples came to him in large numbers. Sri Sankara and his disciples travelled all over the land refuting false doctrines and purifying objectionable practices which were in vogue in the name of religion. He also established Maths in four places; in Sringeri in the south; Badri in the north, Dwaraka in the west and Jagannath Puri in the east.

Sri Narayana Guru

The Guru was born into an Ezhava family, in an era when people from backward communities like the Ezhavas faced much social injustices in the caste-ridden Kerala society. Gurudevan, as he was fondly known to his followers, revolted against casteism and worked on propagating new values of freedom in spirituality and of social equality, thereby transforming the Kerala society and as such he is adored as a prophet. Narayana Guru is revered for his Vedic knowledge, poetic proficiency, openness to the views of others, non-violent philosophy and his unrelenting resolve to set aright social wrongs. Narayana Guru was instrumental in setting the spiritual foundations for social reform in today's Kerala and was one of the most successful social reformers who tackled caste in India. He demonstrated a path to social emancipation without invoking the dualism of the oppressed and the oppressor.
Narayana Guru was a great scholar in Sanskrit. He wrote a number of books both in Sanskrit and in Malayalam. 'Jati Mimamsa' (an enquiry into caste), a poem in five stanzas is of great significance

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