Manorama Thampuratti was an 18th-century Sanskrit scholar. [1]
She belonged to Kizhakke Kovilakam of Kottakkal, a branch of the Zamorin dynasty of Kozhikode. Being a member of the royal family, she was fortunate to get a traditional Sanskrit education, which was not common for women at that time. She mastered the language and so got access to the treasure of knowledge on various sastras at a young age.
She composed several verses in Sanskrit and was known all over Kerala as a gifted poet. However, except for few shlokas, not much is available of her work.
She was also the contemporary of (Dharma Raja) Sree Karthika Tirunal Balarama Varma Maharaja of Travancore (1724–98), who had the title 'Dharma Raja', meaning 'the king of righteousness'. During the time when Malabar was invaded by Tipu Sultan of Mysore, she stayed in exile at Travancore. It was during her exile at Travancore that the king completed the treatise on dramaturgy, viz. Balarama Bharatam, and Manorama Thampuratty offered her comments and suggestions, leading to its fruitful completion. [2] [ failed verification ] Her correspondence with king Karthika Tirunal is of historic importance.
The Kingdom of Travancore, also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At its zenith, the kingdom covered most of the south of modern-day Kerala and the southernmost part of modern-day Tamil Nadu with the Thachudaya Kaimal's enclave of Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam temple in the neighbouring Kingdom of Cochin. However Tangasseri area of Kollam city and Anchuthengu near Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram were parts of British India.
Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma III was the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Travancore. He was a great musician and composer who has to his credit over 400 classical compositions in both Carnatic and Hindustani style.
Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, popularly known as Sree Chithira Thirunal, was the last ruling Maharaja of the Indian princely state of Travancore, in southern India until 1949 and later the Titular Maharajah of Travancore until 1991. His reign is known for several notable reforms that have indelible impact on the society and culture of Kerala.
Rama Varma I often referred to as Dharma Raja, was the Maharajah of Travancore from 1758 until his death in 1798. He succeeded his uncle Marthanda Varma, who is credited with the title of "maker of modern Travancore". During his reign Dharma Raja not only retained all the territories his predecessor had gained but administered the kingdom with success. He was addressed as Dharma Raja on account of his strict adherence to Dharma Sastra, the Hindu principles of justice by providing asylum to thousands of Hindus and Christians fleeing Malabar during the Mysorean conquest of Malabar.
Kunnathur Kesavan Raman Pillai, also known as Raja Kesavadas was the Dewan of Travancore during the reign of Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma. He is well known for his military tactics and administrative acumen. He was the mastermind in developing the Alappuzha town.
Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi CI was the monarch, though designated as the Regent due to British policy, of the Kingdom of Travancore in southern India between 1924 and 1931. She, along with her younger cousin, Moolam Thirunal Sethu Parvathi Bayi, were adopted into the Travancore royal family and were the granddaughters of the celebrated painter, Raja Ravi Varma.
Poonjar is a small Indian town located on the eastern side of Kottayam district in Kerala state, India. Before the independence of India, Poonjar had been the part of Travancore princely state. Erattupetta, Teekoy, Bharananganam, and Vagamon are the nearest towns and villages of Poonjar. Taluk Headquarters, Pala is 18 kilometres away from Poonjar, Kanjirapally is 22.6 kilometres away from Poonjar and Thodupuzha is 34 kilometeres away from Poonjar.
Thachil Mar Matthoo Tharakan (1741–1814) was a Saint Thomas Christian merchant, social leader and minister who played a key role in Kerala, especially in its Travancore and Cochin regions, in India towards the latter part of the 18th century and early 19th century. He relentlessly worked to bring about a reunification in his community which was divided into Catholic (Pazhayakūr) and Jacobite (Puthenkūr) after the Coonan Cross Oath of 1653. He organized his community against the colonialist attempts of Portuguese and played a prominent role in the assembly of Catholic Saint Thomas Christians at Angamāly that paved the way for the establishment of independent Syro-Malabar hierarchy.
Sri Padmanabha DasaSir Sri Visakham Thirunal Rama Varma VFRAS, also known as Rama Varma the Learned, was the Maharaja of Travancore from 1880 to 1885 AD, succeeding his elder brother Ayilyam Thirunal on the musnud, or throne. He was a noted scholar of Sanskrit and literary composer in Malayalam, who reversed his brother's policy, liberally patronizing poet Kerala Varma, while hostile to painter Raja Ravi Varma.
Odiery Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri was an 18th-century Dalawa of the Travancore, a former Indian kingdom.
Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma was the titular Maharaja of Travancore. He was the younger brother of the last ruling monarch of the Kingdom of Travancore, Maharajah Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.
Kowdiar Palace is the official residence of the Travancore Royal Family, situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. It was built in 1934 by Maharajah Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, on pallikettu (wedding) of his only sister, Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi with G. V. Raja.
The Travancore royal family was the ruling house of the Kingdom of Travancore. The Travancore royal family signed a treaty with the British in 1788, thereby adopting British dominance. Later, in 1805, they revised the treaty, leading to a diminution of royal authority and the loss of political independence for Travancore. They had to give up their ruling rights over the common people in 1949 when Travancore were forced to merge with Independent India and their political pension privileges were abolished in 1971.
Balarama Bharatam is a Sanskrit treatise on natyam. The author was the king of Travancore (1724–1798), known by the title 'Dharma Raja' or "the king of righteousness". The full name of the king was Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma and he was the Maharajah of Travancore from 1758 until his death in 1798. Being a scholar of music and dance and natyasastra, he compiled this treatise on natyasastra following the fundamental principles laid down by Bharatamuni in Natyasastra and Nadikeshwara in Natyadarpanam, He also considered the contents in Bhavaprakasanam of Saradatanaya.
Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma is the current incumbent to the throne of Travancore. He is the youngest of the four children of the former titular Maharani of Travancore, Sree Padmanabhasevini Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi and her husband, Prince Consort Lt. Col. G. V. Raja of Poonjar Royal House.
Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi (1916-2008) was the only sister of the last ruling Maharajah of Travancore, Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma and of his successor, Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma. Under the matrilineal Marumakkathayam system of inheritance prevalent in the kingdom of Travancore, it was her children who were heirs to the throne. She therefore held a very special place in the Travancore court, superior to the Maharaja's wives, and was termed the Rani of Attingal in her own right. In 2013, her only surviving son duly succeeded his uncles as titular Maharaja of Travancore and is known as Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma.
Moolam Thirunal Sethu Parvathi Bayi (1896–1983), better known as Amma Maharani, was the Junior Maharani (Queen) of Travancore as well as a promoter of Indian Classical music. She was the mother of Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, the last King of Travancore. She was the president of the National Council of Women in India in 1938–1944.
Aswathy Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi is an Indian writer from Kerala and a member of the Travancore Royal Family. She has ten books to her credit. Aswathy Thirunal is the niece of the last King of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma. She was awarded India's fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri in 2024.
Lakshmipuram Palace is the royal palace of the Parappanad royal families at Changanassery. Palace is located at Puzhavathu near to Kavil Bhagavathy Temple. The Lakshmipuram Palace was built in 1811 AD by Travancore ruler Maharani Ayilyom Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi (1791–1815) on behalf of the family of her husband Raja Raja Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran. Until then, the royal family at the Neerazhi Palace in Changanacherry had been moved to newly built Lakshmipuram Palace. It was the seat of the royal family of Koi thampurans and has produced many illustrious writers such as Raja Raja Varma Koil Thampuran, Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran and A. R. Raja Raja Varma. Noted Malayalam singer and classical musician L. P. R. Varma also hails from this palace.
The Aluva Palace, also known as Alwaye Palace is a Travancore royal palace built by king Maharaja Karthika Thirunal Dharma Raja around 1790 during the reign of the Chera kings of Travancore. Aluva Palace is situated in the city Kochi, Ernakulam district of the state of Kerala.