Family

Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma

Name: Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma

Regnal Name: H. H. Sree Padmanabhadasa Vanchipala Sree Ramavarma Kulasekhara Kiritapati Manney Sultan Maharajah Raja Ramaraja Bahadur, Shamsher Jang, Maharajah of Travancore

Born: 16 April 1813, Trivandrum
Died: 27 December 1846, Trivandrum

Parents: Sree Padmanabhasevini Vanchidharma Vardhini Raja Rajeshwari Maharani Ayilyom Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi,
and
Changanassery Lakshmipuram Palace’s Raja Raja Varma Valiya Koyi Thampuran

Siblings: Maharani Gowri Rukmini Bayi, Maharaja Uthram Thirunal

Spouse: Sundara Lakshmi Pillai (m. 1843), Thiruvattar Ammachi Panapillai Amma Narayani Pillai (m. 1829–1839), Vadasseri Ammachi Panapillai Amma Neelamma Pillai

Children: Thiruvattar Chithira Nal Ananthapadmanabhan (died young)

After 1809, there was no male heir in the Travancore Royal family and the threat of the infamous Doctrine of Lapse loomed over this tiny state. Nobody in Travancore, including the then British resident Col. Munroe wanted the kingdom to be annexed to British India.

Then the Queen Regent, Rani Gouri Lakshmi Bayi conceived. Munroe informed his superiors that an heir is born to Travancore much before the baby was born. Garbhasriman, as he was popularly known, Swathi Thirunal was acclaimed a king even before his birth.The story goes that the Resident even prayed at the Padmanabhaswamy Temple and made offerings that a baby boy be born to the Queen.

 

Swathi as a baby with his aunt and sister

Swathi (3 years old) with aunt & sister

The most famous lullaby in Malayalam, Omanathingal Kidavo… was written when Swathi was born. This poem by Erayiamman Thampi is still very popular in Kerala.

His mother Rani Laxmi Bayi, the Queen Regent, passed away when the child was hardly two, leaving him in the care of her sister, Rani Parvathi Bayi, who took over as the Queen Regent, during the period of his childhood days. Regent Partvathi Bayi was very careful about the education of the young prince. Tutors were appointed for teaching him different subjects and languages. She was far-sighted about the need for having knowledge of different languages in the context of an emerging multilingual polity and administration. Thus Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Persian, Hindi and Marathi were taught to him, besides the mother-tongue. Rama Varma was very attached to his aunt and shared a very special and warm relationship with her till the end.