About the Portal
This website serves as a rich repository of information, showcasing the multifaceted life of Swathi Thirunal. While many celebrate Swathi Thirunal for his exemplary works in music and literature, which embraced the finest traditions of music, literature, and other artforms from around the Indian subcontinent, fewer people are aware of his brilliance as an able administrator.
Despite the oppressive British rule in Travancore, Swathi Thirunal dedicated his short life to serving his people, striving to provide state-of-the-art amenities in administration, education, and science. Although Swathi Thirunal is primarily renowned for his contributions to music and literature, his leadership in other areas is equally remarkable. He was an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the society’s journal published an obituary in 1847, lamenting that the early death of this enlightened and princely patron of true science is a subject of just regret.
After ascending to the throne of the erstwhile state of Travancore in 1829 at the age of 16, Swathi Thirunal implemented reforms that advanced education and science, in addition to his contributions to the fields of music and art. These reforms included establishing the Rajah’s School in 1834, the Trivandrum Observatory in 1837, and the Trivandrum Government Press. By exploring the website, you can experience the era of Swathi Thirunal through the kaleidoscope of his life, which was a golden period of music, art, and administrative reforms.
This website is a collaborative initiative of Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan and C-DIT, dedicated to preserving the works and legacy of Swathi Thirunal for future generations. In 2003, the C-DIT Team, led by Prof. Achuthsankar S. Nair, then Director of C-DIT, made a significant effort in collecting, compiling, and presenting data. Now, C-DIT has redesigned the website in collaboration with Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan, giving it a new look and feel and ensuring it meets the highest standards of user-friendliness.
The website mainly features:
- Swathi Thirunal’s biography, exploring his early life, education, family, and roles as an able administrator of the Travancore Dynasty, patron of arts, and modern science enthusiast.
- An extensive collection of musical compositions (around 400 numbers) by Swathi Thirunal, including lyrics, meanings, and MP3s. The compositions are categorized by Raaga, Taalam, and Language, and are available in Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, and Sanskrit languages, with a search facility.
- Manuscripts delving into the period of Swathi Thirunal’s era.
- In-depth information about his contemporaries, including administrative staff, courtiers, relatives, teachers, and other significant personalities.
- A range of articles on biographical topics, musical compositions, and contemporaries.
- Testimonials by renowned historians.
- A rich and diverse photo gallery showcasing photographs of Swathi Thirunal’s life and legacy.