RRV TEMPLE OF ART

Royal History

Royal History of Kilimanoor

The Royal House of Kilimanoor has a very long history and tradition, having its roots extended to the royals of North Malabar. It goes way back to the story of an adoption from the Beypore Thattari kovilakom, a Parappanad Royal House, to the Royal House of Venad. Parappanad was in fact the ruling family of Parappanangadi in present day Malappuram district. In the past, female members of the royal family of Kolathunad and Travancore were married only by the male members of the Parappanad royal family.

The first establishment of relations with Venad (Travancore) Royal Family by Thattari Kovilakom (Parappur Swaroopam) was in 1305 A. D. It was followed by a series of adoptions. Following the adoption in 1688, the entire Thattari Kovilakom accompanied the adopted children and never returned to Beypore. After the adoption, there was always a camp for Thattari Kovilakom near Attingal. Later the family shifted to Nagaroor, near Kilimanoor.

Kilimanoor Palace

The royal edifice with its contours and niches painted in striking cerulean blue dates back to the 18th century--the period of Kilimanoor Veera Raghava Varma, father of Maharaja Marthanda Varma of Travancore. The Palace complex sprawled out in more than six hectares comprises traditional residential structures strictly constructed as per the Vaastu principles, surrounded by ethnic temples, lush green sacred groves and pristine ponds

The Kilimanoor army led by Kerala Varma had a decisive role in subduing the Dutch forces in 1740. Impressed by the remarkable feat, and also remembering the martyrdom of Kerala Varma's brother Veera Ravi Varma (Dharma Raja's father) who lost his life in his attempt to save his wife and son from the clutches of enemies, Maharaja Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma exempted the areas under the control of the Palace from taxes and proclaimed autonomous status to them, investing the power to collect their own taxes. The Kunchu Koyikkal Palace where the royal family members were residing had been damaged in the Dutch attack. The Maharaja himself found location for a new Palace and thus the main portion of the present Kilimanoor Palace complex was built in 1752, along with the Aiyyappa temple for the family deity. In memory of the momentous event, a Bunyan tree was planted in front of the newly built Palace. Attached to the raised platform built around the foot of the tree, the age-old commemorative plaque with inscriptions referring to the establishment of the Palace is still visible to the viewers.

The estate of 17 square miles comprising several villages thus came under the direct rule of the Chief of the Kilimanoor Palace (Valiya Thampuran--the senior most male member of the family) Thiruvonam Thirunal Koil Thampuran, consort of Bharani Thirunal Parvathy Bayi adopted by Dharma Raja. From then onwards, the land had been ruled by various heads of the Palace till the Kerala Government passed the Edavaka Act in 1956. Even today, the Palace administration is centred on the present Chief Pooyam Thirunal C.R. Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran who took charge following the demise of the former Chief Utthruttathi Thirunal R. Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran.

Adoption into the Travancore Royal Family

Kilimanoor royals enjoying the rare privilege of being the consorts of the Princesses of Travancore undisputably had a prominent place in the annals of the history of Travancore.

In August 1900, two of Ravi Varma's grand daughters - Sethu Lakshmi Bayi and Sethu Parvathy Bayi, were adopted into the royal family of Travancore who were installed as the Senior and Junior Ranis of Attingal. The Senior Rani became the Regent Maharani and ruled Travancore for 7 years until the minor King came of age. Junior Rani's consort Ravi Varma was the Koil Thampuran of Kilimanoor. Their son Sree Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma was destined to be the future Maharaja of Travancore. Thus it can be said that Ravi Varma's descendants comprise the present royal family including the titular Mahajaraja of Travancore.

History whispers to the visitors in subdued tones..

The cool interiors of the Pazhaya Malika (Old Mansion) where Swathi Thirunal met his lifelong bosom friend Kilimanoor Raja Raja Varma Koil Thampuran (Kareendran Thampuran), the great poet, writer and Kathakali playright who was taken along with him to the Palace at Thiruvananthapuram where they underwent studies together, later honouring him with Veera Shringala and the title 'Vidwan'.

The spacious Natakashala built by Regent Maharani Utthruttathi Thirunal Gouri Parvathy Bayi, (daughter of Thiruvonam Thirunal Koil Thampuran of Kilimanoor Palace and Attingal Elaya Rani Bharani Thirunal Parvathy Bayi) which reverberated with the performances and concerts of great artistes and musicians from various parts of the country, including luminaries like Kareendran Thampuran and Shadkala Govinda Marar.

The homely 'Oottupura' where Velu Thampi Dalawa (1765-1809) the Prime Minister of Travancore during the reign of Maharajah Bala Rama Varma Kulasekhara Perumal) had his final dinner.

The dimly-lit vault where his famous bejewelled and gold-hilted sword, the Sword of Liberty had been kept hidden from the British as per his instruction for 150 years, till it was handed over to Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India in 1957.

The limy walls where Ravi Varma and his siblings tried their hands as juvenile artists.

The magnificent Puthen Malika (New Mansion) designed and built by Ravi Varma himself in the evening of his life.

Raja Ravi Varma who redefined and brought about a revolutionary transformation in Indian art practice was born on 29 April 1848 in Kilimanoor, Kerala into a family of famous scholars, poets and artists. His father, Ezhumavil Neelakanta Bhattathiripad was a Sanskrit scholar and an authority on the Vedas, and his mother Makayiram Thirunal Uma Amba Thampuratti, highly erudite. She belonged to the aristocratic Kilimanoor Royal family that had ruling powers in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. She was a poetess, artist and a traditional Ayurvedic healer, and also the author of the posthumously published 'Parvati Swayamvaram' Thullal kadha.