The Demise of Swathi Thirunal

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Swathi Thirunal passed away at the prime of his youth, in the 34th year, during the early hours of 27th December 1846, by the modern calendar. Biographer historian P. Sankunni Menon has sketched the end in great detail, but still with not much clues on the nature of ailments, causes and treatments.

There are a couple of documents from Mathilakom records which have reference to Swathi Thirunal’s illness. Mathilakom Churuna 2282 Ola 111-112 of 1019 ME/1844 AD refers to the postponement of Permthiramruthu Pooja. The document says that: “It was decided to conduct the grant ceremony (Perumthiramruthu Pooja) in 1846 on a specific date, but as Swathi Thirunal was suffering from fever (paniyude aalasyam); it was postponed to another date.” One cannot ascertain whether the fever referred here was a one-off ailment or a part of a chain that finally resulted in his death.

The reign of Swathi Thirunal can be seen as two strikingly different phases, one from 1829 to 1840 and the next from 1840 to 1846.

During the earlier phase, Swathi Thirunal established himself as a powerful and progressive administrator and held the powers of a near independent sovereign that Travancore was considered to be by the British. In the second phase, the deteriorating Political and Administrative situation in 1840-1846 could be seen as a matter that might have caused severe stress on him. In this phase, Swathi Thirunal’s personal life also suffered bereavements of both family members and friends. His wife, his son of 3 years of age, his father and his sister, his close associates Vadivelu and Kareendran, all were no more by 1845. The prediction of Sankara Varman regarding the date of demise of Swathi Thirunal also possibly affected his mind.