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The
efflorescence of art has always been the best means not merely of the
expression but of thepreservation and perpetuation as well, of the cultural
progress of a State. Rather than through theachievements of the industrial
or utilitarian arts as practised by the artisans, it is through the masterpieces
of
fine art produced by the artist, that the cultural greatness of a nation
is gauged and its cultural legacytransmitted from generation to generation.
The manifestation of the aesthetic sense through the plastic,graphic or
rhythmic arts into something exquisite, in symmetry of shape or beauty
of form, magic of wordor colourfulness of sight, melody of sound or rhythm
of movement, services to delight the visual or auditory impression. And
the thing of beauty that it becomes, proves a joy for ever and to one
that comes to love
it, "Its loveliness increases; It will never pass into nothingness".
It makes life sweet and the world beautiful to live in.The period 1750
to 1850 was the Augustan age of South India. Swathi Thirunal, Thyagaraja,Dikshitar
and Syama Sastri flourished during the period. Maharaja Swathi Thirunal
died in his 34th year,but during the short period of his life, he put
Kerala on the cultural map of the world. The fascinating storyof the achievements
of a young Maharajah who squeezed into the short span of his life the
work of an age,
is an instructive commentary on the meaning and significance of authentic
eminence which transcends thelimitations of time and space. The tranquil
consciousness of effortless superiority of a mastermind isdiscernible
in the crowded programme of an eventful reign.Travancore providentially
escaped the change of annexation in 1810 by the decision of the paramountpower
to instal the talented queen Rani Gouri Lakshmi Bai as the Ruler of the
State. The absence of amale heir to the Throne, which alone guaranteed
security against the application of the doctrine of lapse,was keenly felt
by the people, and more by the queen.The anxiety was soon allayed by the
announcement on 16th of April 1813 that the Queen wasblessed with a male
offspring. The people of Travancore were jubilant over the event, the
British Residentoffered a Silver umbrella to Sree Padmanabha in commemoration
of the happy event.
Soon after the birth of the Prince, a white elephant was caught from the
forests of the State and thiswas regarded by the people as a very auspicious
sign. On the 29th July 1813, the Prince who was only 4months old, was
duly proclaimed Maharaja. A Durbar was held in 1814 when the infant Prince
wasformally introduced to his subjects. The queen mother continued to
rule in the name of her son. On herdemise Rani Parvathi Bai, her sister
became the Regent. The young Maharani, the Valiakoyi Thampuran,and Col.
Munroe, the British Resident, who was also the Dewan, decided to give
the prince the besteducation possible at that time. The father himself
being a scholar, selected competent teachers to impartinstruction to the
Prince. The precocious Prince amazed his tutor, his father and all those
who came incontact with him by his easy grasp not only of the language
but of the other subjects, as well.Col. Welsh, who visited the State first
in 1819 and later in 1825 has left a memorable account of theimpressions
he had formed about the education of the Princes in his book 'Military
Reminiscences'.
He says :"Being on a tour of inspection during the month of May (1825),
and stopping to pass a few days atthe Residency, with Colonel Newall,
I had the opportunity of witnessing the studies of the young Rajahs inprivate,
and forming an estimate of their progressive acquirements and abilities.......
The elder boy, now thirteen, seemed greatly improved in mind though rather
diminutive in person.He read a chapter of Macolm's 'Central India'; the
Governor General's Persian Letter on the capture of Rangoon; a passage
inSanskrit; another in Malayalam, and seemed equally clever at each. He
then took up a book of Mathematicsand selecting the 47th proposition of
Euclid, sketched the figure on the country slate but what astonishedme
most was his telling us in English that Geometry was derived from the
Sanskrit which was jaw meter, tomeasure the earth, and that many of our
mathematical terms were also derived from the same source, suchas Hexagon,
Heptagon, Octagon, Decagon, Duo-dacagon etc. This promising boy is now,
I conclude,
sovereign of the finest country in India; for he was to succeed to the
Muanud, the moment he had attained his 16th year".This accomplished
Prince attained his majority on the 20th of April 1829 and on that day
he formallyassumed direct charge of the Government of the State.He took
over the reigns of Government when he was only 16. During the short period
of his reign,he initiated extensive reforms in almost every Department
of administration. A revenue survey and settlementof land was undertaken
and completed. Better breeds of cattle were brought from other parts of
India and
even from England. A commercial agent was appointed at Alleppey, at that
time the Chief Port of Travancore for Trade with foreign countries. The
first hospital in the State was organised. A Vaccination Department
and an Engineering Department came in later. The first Code of Regulations
after the model of Britishenactments of law was framed. High intergrity
was expected from public servants. When his old Tutor,who had become the
Dewan, was found guilty of accepting bribes, the young Maharajah did not
hesitateto sack him. The first English School run by Government was started
by him. The Trivandrum PublicLibrary was founded with a liberal grant
from Government. Scholars like Rev. Peet, who wrote a Grammarof the Malayalam
language, were encourged by liberal donations. The language of official
correspondencewas an unique mixture of Malayalam and Tamil. The maharaja
reformed the language as well as the script.He was interested in astronomy
and set up the first Observatory in the State with John Allan Brown F.R.S.
as Director. Government Press was organised. One of the first publications
from this Press was anAlmanac in English and Malayalam. Painting was given
great encouragement and an Artist from Tanjoreand another from Europe
were brought to Trivandrum and given all encouragements and full facilities
for
carrying on their work. It is in the field of Music and Dance that H.
H. has captured the imagination ofIndia, and may I say of the civilised
world, though his achievements in the field of administration are equallygreat.
It is surprising that he found time amidst his multifarious duties of
the state for creative work inliterature, Art and Music. His court could
be compared to that of Bhoja and Sree Harsha. He encouragedseveral great
Poets and Musicians in his Court.He lived for 34 years and ruled over
the State for 18 years. His was a life full of achievements. Hewas a master
of 12 languages and composed songs in seven of them, enshrining the sublimest
thoughts inreligion and philosophy, an achievement without a parallel
in the history of world music. He was one of those who produced perfect
types of poetic and musical compositions, uniting in themselves, devotion,poetic
gift, and a wide knowledge of "an art which was wedded to Science
and a Science that touched thedeepest springs of human emotion."
His compositions have sought to reconcile word with melody and often both
with the demands of Natya. The scholar and writer Vidwan Koil Thampuran,
Iravi Varman Tampi, the consummate composer Kanniah Bhagavathar, a disciple
of Thyagaraja, the famous Nattuvabrothers of Tanjore Ponniah, Chinniah,
Vadivel and Sivanandam disciples of Dikshitar Tanjore RengaIyengar, a
talented Hindustani Musician, Tanjore Chintamani, an expert Sarangi Player,
Meruswami, who
introduced Harikatha in Travancore, Sulaiman Sahib, Halawati, Parameswara
Bhagavathar, were all thestars that adorned the musical canopy of the
Court of H. H. Sri Swathi Thirunal. Endowed with highintellectual qualities,
and surrounded by the above mentioned celebrities, nowonder His Highness
developedhimself into such a brilliant prodigy in the musical world.His
genius is apparent not only in his mastery of the different languages
butalso in his composing alltypes of compositions, that we have in South
India, like Swarajathi, Tana Varam, Pada Varnam, Krithi,Kirthana, Ragamalika,
Padam, Thillanas and even Upakhyanas. His handling of Ragas peculiar to
Marathi
and Hindustani, is proof positive of his proficiency in these languages.
His devotion to his family deity inconspicuous in his compositions. The
sungeetam or Namamudra as Sree Padmanabha, Neelajaksha, orsome other Paryayapadam
of Vishnu is the hall mark of most of his compositions. He, however, believedin
the universality of the Hindu religion as is evident from his compositions
in praise of other deities.Sri Swathi Thirunal, our royal poet and composer
lived at a time when the famous musical Trinity ofTanjore Sree Thyagaraja,
Dikshitar and Syama Sastri flourished. He ranks with the giant in South
India bythe number and variety of his compositions in the different languages.
His style combines the excellence of
Aryan and Dravidian Music while avoiding the defects of both. In fact
theRoyal composer combines in hisstyle the elegance of Thyagaraja's with
the grandeur of Muthuswamy Dikshitar's.The Renaissance in Music in Kerala
is thus intimately associated with the memory of a Maharajahwho was a
musician among kings and a king among musicians. The devotional songs
of classical excellencewhich His Highness composed in Sanskrit, Tamil,
Telugu and other languages embodying sublime sentimentscouched in simple
mellifluous langauge and turned to melodious music are rare gems constituting
a rich
heritage to humanity.Equally important was the resuscitation of Indian
classical dance based on "Natya Sastra". In thesimple purity
and resplendant beauty of its from, Dance is no longer a mere device for
whetting the jaded
appetite of the idle rich, but is ennobled into a rhythmic movement, made
to suit the music of the spheresand to sweeten life with an occasional
hour of solace and repose.It is really gratifying to remember that His
Highness's contribution has made Natya Kala really comeinto its own in
which every motion is a word and every rest is eloquence. Such an artistic
background
provided for life in general, lays the proper foundation for the edifice
of cultural eminence, for "each art ispart of that greatest of all
cultures, the creation of a comprehensive , full and manysided life, which
ishumanity's climax and crown, its liberation and salvation".
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