Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
| Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma of Travancore | |
|---|---|
Hindu | |
| Occupation | Maharajah of Travancore, Hereditary Head of Padmanabhaswamy Temple |
Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma (16 April 1813 – 26 December 1846) was the
A well-formulated code of laws, courts of justice, introduction of English education, construction of an observatory, installation of the first Government printing press, establishment of the first manuscripts library were amongst the many initiatives taken by Svāti Tirunāḷ, as a King, to modernise Travancore.[2]
Early life
Svāti Tirunāḷ was born into the
In 1829 Svāti Tirunāḷ reached majority at 16 and assumed full powers of ruler and reigned as the Maharajah of Travancore until his death in 1846. He had an elder sister,
Irayimman Thampi, the famous poet-composer wrote perhaps the most famous Malayalam lullaby Omanathinkal Kidavo (ഓമനത്തിങ്കള്ക്കിടാവോ), about Svāti Tirunāḷ when he was born.
Education
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 a keen interest in his education. He started learning
Swati Tirunal, now thirteen... took up a book of mathematics and selecting the forty-seventh proposition of Euclid sketched the figure on a country slate but what astonished me most was his telling us in English that Geometry was derived from the Sanskrit, which as Jaw metor (Jyamiti) to measure the earth and that many of our mathematical terms were also derived from the same source such as hexagon, heptagon, octagon... This promising boy is now, I conclude, sovereign of the finest country in India for he was to succeed to the Musnud (throne) the moment he had attained his 16th year.[2]
Family
In 1829, at the age of sixteen, Maharajah Svāti Tirunāḷ married
As Reigning Maharajah of Travancore
Svāti Tirunāḷ took over the reins of
Svāti Tirunāḷ 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.
Criticism
Despite the progress achieved in varied fields under Swathi Thirunal's reign, the Kingdom of Travancore, like the rest of British India, was in the grip of extreme caste discrimination against
Astronomy and Trivandrum Observatory
Another area where Svāti Tirunāḷ took interest was in astronomy. He wished to compare Western findings with Indian knowledge. He had knowledge of observatories in Madras and others. Finding that there was so much in common between the western astronomy and Indian (eastern) astrological understanding of planets, stars and about the known universe; Swāthi Tirunāḷ set the initiative to start an observatory. One of its director would be his relative, Raja Rama Varma Rohani Thirunal, Prince of Mavelikara Royal family who were related to Swathi Thirunal[8] who was an established astronomer and a member of the British and Canadian Astronomical Societies. The observatory benefited from British talents in Colonel Fraser and Caldecott. A cotton mill expert John Caldecott FRS was interested in astronomy but self-taught, and later became one of its directors. Caldecott, an industrial representative who lived in Alapuzha, used to make instruments for astronomical observations and initially mounted viewing instruments on top of mango tree in Residency of Quilon, Cochin and his Allepey homes. Raja Swathi Tirunal saw his collection and asked him to come to Trivandrum to start a similar set-up.
The current observatory site was chosen on top of a laterite mount near the Kanakakunnu hill, which was observed as having the best western sky views in that hemisphere, being near the equator and the sea. He was instrumental in buying telescopes and tools to Trivandrum via ship through the Middle east from England. It became a part of the Travancore University, but for some time was administered as an independent government institution. It is now the oldest institution under the Kerala University. 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).
Trivandrum Public Library (now
A report on the English schools in Travancore appeared in The Gardner's Magazine of 1841, wrote about the administrative reforms brought in by Maharajah Svāti Tirunāḷ:
Rajah of Travancore, the great promoter of science in the East, was only twenty-eight years of age, and had not reigned more than ten years, yet, during that short period, he had caused himself to be distinguished by his accomplishments as well as by his' liberality. They would, no doubt, be interested in learning that this prince was educated by his prime minister— a rare tutor for a sovereign. The Rajah had established schools within his dominions—he had established a mathematical school under English superintendence; but he had done more—he had done what, he was sorry to say, had neither been done in England, Scotland, nor Ireland—be had established a school in every village of his dominions— and be gave education to every child, male and female – a change in Indian customs that might lead to the happiest results. He was informed, on good authority, that there was not a child who had reached eight years of age not capable of reading and writing; but this distinguished prince, not satisfied with advancing the interests of elementary education, had established an observatory, and placed in it an English gentleman, a member of the Royal Society of London, and who was in that room – he meant Mr. Caldecott. In this observatory, observations were carried on with the same success as under British interests. The Rajah had also established a magnetical and meteorological observatory, having been led to do so by becoming acquainted with a report on Meteorology, published by the British Association. And the observations taken there were found to be as accurate as those taken in Edinburgh, Philadelphia, and other places.
Contributions to music and literature
Svāti Tirunāḷ was deeply interested in music right from childhood. Besides being an able ruler, he was a patron of music and was a musician himself. Researchers say that Svāti Tirunāḷ affixed his compositions with the mudra Padmanabha , sarasijanaabha, etc. and its synonyms. His education in music started with the first lessons from Karamana Subrahmania Bhagavathar and Karamana Padmanabha Bhagavathar. Later, he studied music from the then English scholar, Thanjavur Subba Rao as well. He continued to learn music by listening to accomplished musicians and practising himself. He encouraged both broad systems of
The literary works of Maharajah Svāti Tirunāḷ include Bhakti Manjari', Syanandurapuravarnana Prabandham, Padmanabhasatakam, Muhanaprasa Antyaprasa Vyavastha, Ajamila, Kuchela Upakhyanas and Utsava Varnana Prabandha.[2]
Death
As a monarch, Svāti Tirunāḷ was incredibly hardworking and supremely committed to his kingdom and people. The appointment of General Cullen as the Resident of Travancore, was the beginning of the end for the Maharajah. Historian P. Shungunny Menon wrote: Resident Jerond Cullen assumed almost sovereign authority. Such was his oppressive intrusion in the administration. The king was made totally powerless. Compounding this atrocity was the machinations of his aide Krishna Rao, who schemed with Cullen for his own personal gain. What ever the reason, the Resident's intrusion in the administration was unbearable for the young King. To compound his problems, the deaths of his elder sister, father, wife Narayani and all three children (Narayani's) made the Maharajah distraught. He increasingly sought silence and solitude, weakening his mind and body. Thus, at the age of 33, Maharajah Swathi Thirunal died on 26 December 1846. The demise of Maharajah Svāthi Thirunāḷ attracted the attention of even the foreign press. Allen's Indian Mail and Register of Intelligence of British &Foreign India, China, & All Parts of the East wrote :
Both intellectually and morally, he was indeed far beyond his country and equals in rank; in both respects he might have taken a high place among the most enlightened of European Sovereigns had his destiny been so cast. You will be grieved to learn about the demise of His Highness the Rajah of Travancore. Among the native princes of India, he was distinguished for his superior intelligence and extensive acquirements in oriental literature. He is not unknown to fame in the European world, for most of you must be aware that the deceased Rajah maintained an observatory at considerable expense, and that MR Caldecott was for a length of time, his highness's astronomer. The ephemeris emanating from the Travancore observatory was a valuable contribution to astronomical science ... The Rajah also supported an English school on a scale of liberality that perhaps has few precedents in other native states. He was a steady and staunch advocate of education, friend and patron of men of letters ... his loss will doubtless be greatly deplored by Travancoreans as a national calamity.
— quote
The Journal the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland ran an obituary in 1847 which mourned that,
The early death of this enlightened and princely patron of true science, is a subject of just regret.
— quote
Legacy
Swathi Sangeethotsavam
Swathi Sangeetha Puraskaram
The award
In popular culture
In 1987, a Malayalam film titled
Sree Swathi Thirunal Maharaja, a 1967 documentary film about the king, directed by K. T. John, was produced by the
Compositions
| Composition | Raga | Tala | Type | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BhAvayAmi RaghurAmam | Saveri (today, sung in rAgamalikA) | Rupakam | Sanskrit' | |
| Deva deva kalayami te | maya malava gowla | Rupaka | Sanskrit' | |
| dEvanke | Darbari |
Adi | Sanskrit | |
| Deva mamayi pahi shadanana | Kedaragaula | Misra Chapu | Sanskrit | |
| kamalajaasya | Ragamalika | Adi | Varnam | Sanskrit |
| Dheem Ta dhuniku taka dhIm | dhana shRI | Adi | tillAna |
Hindustani |
| jaya jaya padmanAbha murArE | Sarasangi | Adi | Sanskrit | |
| kamala nayana jagadIswara | Vagadheeswari | Adi | Sanskrit | |
| pAhi shrIpatE | hamsadhwani |
Adi | Sanskrit | |
| sArasAksha paripAlaya mAmayi | Pantuvarali |
Adi | Sanskrit | |
| satatam tAvaka kara sEvitam | Kharaharapriya | Adi | Sanskrit | |
| sarasIjanAbha murArE | Hanumatodi | Misra Chapu | Sanskrit | |
| smara janaka shubha charithA | Behag | Misra Chapu | Sanskrit |
Notes
- ^ a b http://print.achuth.googlepages.com/SwathiThirunalandSciencev3.0.pdf[permanent dead link] [bare URL PDF]
- ^ a b c DEVNATH, LAKSHMI (27 December 2013). "The Monarch musician". THE HINDU. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- ^ MARAVANKUDIERUPPU – He was a tax payer to the Travancore Samasthanam, (Travancore Kingdom). So he was called to attend the marriage of Maharajah Svāti Tirunāḷ Rama Varma and Panapillai Amma Srimathi Ayikutty Narayani Pillai Kochamma of the Thiruvattar Ammaveedu family in 1829. Thiru. Swamyadiyan Nadar also attended the function and presented 1001 ponnu (ponnu-paun-Sovereign of Gold) which was a big presentation in that period. So the king was pleased and honoured him by awarding him 5 acres of land in Trivandrum with one of the greater award of Title "Thiru Mugam Parpu".
- ^ Our Lady of Snows, Maravankudieruppu. "Maravankudieruppu/History". Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- ^ satyendran, nita (1 January 2010). "Classic 'reconstruction'". The Hindu. THE HINDU. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ Narayanaswami, Dr. P. P. "The Life & Times of Irayimman Thampi – Part I". Srishti's Carnatica Private Limited. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ New Light on Swathi Thirunal by RP Raja
- ^ New Light on Swathi Thirunal, Dr.R.P.Raja Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2006
- ^ Gov-Music Archived 20 February 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Compositions of Svati Tirunal Maharaja". www.carnaticcorner.com.
- ^ http://www.carnaticcorner.com/articles/swathi.txt [bare URL plain text file]
- ^ Inc, IMDb.com. "Swathi Thirunal". IMDb. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Sree Swathi Thirunal Maharaja". filmsdivision.org.
- ISBN 978-81-230-2363-2.
See also
- List of Carnatic composers
- Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University
- Prince Aswathi Thirunal Rama Varma, a descendant
References
WELCOME - Dr. Achuthsankar S. Nair, Hon. Director, Centre for Bioinformatics, Thiruvananthapuram, Keralam, India : Articles and compilations by Dr Achuthsankar S Nair Articles by Achuthsankar S Nair on Sruthi Magazine, June 2013 and Journal of Madras Music Academy, 2009
External links
- Swathi Thirunal Website
- Kerala Gov-Music
- Dr. Raja Rama Varma Rohani Thirunal, Prince of Mavelikara Palace
- John Caldecott
- The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, Volume 48
| Authority control databases: Artists |
|---|
