As a patron of arts
Swathi Thirunal’s reputation as a patron of cultural activities attracted several musicians, dancers, and writers from all parts of India to his court. Eraimman Thampi, whom we refer to as the court poet, was also a great musical composer. Many of Thampi’s songs have become immensely popular on account of their pleasing melody as well as their sweet language.
Among the musical celebrities who adorned his court were four brothers: Vadivelu, Sivanandam, Chinnaiah, and Ponniah – all experts and exponents in several branches of music and dance. Vadivelu was one of the best musicians and dancers of his time. He had marvelous skill in playing the violin, and Swathi Thirunal was pleased to present him with an ivory instrument. However, some people in recent times attribute some of the musical works of Swathi Thirunal to these brothers. Noted Veena maestro Balachander was the one who pioneered this theory. This theory is absolutely baseless; Swathi Thirunal’s manuscript copies are found, and all his compositions contain the stamp of devotion to Sree Padmanabha.
Among the experts in instrumental music in Swathi Thirunal’s court was Ananthapadmanabha Goaswami, popularly known as Meruswami. Meruswami was a celebrity in the court of the Tanjore Raja, and he was a great exponent of Harikatha and Hindustani Music. Swathi Thirunal sanctioned a handsome pension for him and granted permission for the free use of a palanquin.
Swathi Thirunal’s appreciation of Hindustani music was responsible for organizing a troupe of Hindustani artistes in the palace. This troupe consisted of three dancers and a Hindustani musical exponent, Allaudin from Mysore. Another musician from the North, Syed Sulaiman, a Pathan, possessed special ability in playing Swarabath, a musical instrument.
Sarangi players also received his encouragement. Chintamony of Tanjore was a great exponent of this art. Swathi Thirunal’s love for music was not confined to pure music; it also extended to closely allied arts like dance. He had a great interest in Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam. Bharatanatyam attracted special attention from Swathi Thirunal even from his childhood. Great exponents of that art like Nagaratnam of Srirangam and Pichu Bhagavather from Tanjore were invited to Thiruvananthapuram for performances, and they were generously rewarded. Vadivelu, whom we mentioned earlier, was the master of the Bharatanatyam troupe and is popularly known as Nattuvan Vadivelu – Nattuvan means dancer. Under the benign patronage and encouragement of Swathi Thirunal, Bharatanatyam gained immense popularity among the people of Travancore. Several dancers came from Tanjore in those days and settled down in Trivandrum, receiving due encouragement from the palace. Vadivelu, Meruswami, and others mentioned earlier were the important musicians attached to the court of Swathi Thirunal. But there were a host of minor figures who also enjoyed the patronage of Swathi Thirunal. The palace records of the time provide eloquent proof of the rewards and presents awarded by Swathi Thirunal to musicians and experts in instruments.
Among them, Anantharaman and Mukundaraman of Mysore, Sivarama Sastrikal of Kalahasti, Lakshmana Das of Gwalior, Vellabarayar of Tanjore, Halavati, an expert in Mohiniyattam from Tanjore, and Parameshwara Bhagavathar of Palakkad may be mentioned. There were several gifted musicians in Travancore who were contemporaries of Swathi Thirunal. The foremost among them was, no doubt, Govinda Marar, who has won fame as Shadkala Govinda Marar. He is regarded as the greatest musician born in Kerala, who was able to win the approbation of his great contemporary Sri Thyagaraja, the celebrated musician, and composer of South India. But there were several other musicians who were attached to the court of Swathi Thirunal. It reveals a remarkable fact that in those days, there was a large number of eminent musicians in Kerala, noted for their special skills, both in vocal as well as instrumental music. The ancient musical tradition of Kerala continues almost unbroken. Sangitaratnakaram Sri Rama Sastrigal, Kavirajan Avanavanjcherry Krishnan Bhagavathar, and others deserve special mention. Swathi Thirunal had eminent poets in his court like Kilimanur Vidwan Koyi Thampuran and Eraimman Thampi, and great scholars like Simhadri Sastri of Mysore, Krishnappa Sastri of Hyderabad, Vasudeve Acharin of Kumbhakonam, and Krishna Sastri of Tanjore. There were also great astrologers like Sankaranantha, a native of North Malabar, who gained fame as an adviser of Ranjit Singh, the Lion of Punjab, and finally became a judge of the High Court of Travancore and a courtier of Swathi Thirunal. Likewise, there were equestrians, magicians, gymnasts, sculptors, physicians, and painters. Dasini, a painter from Tanjore, was employed by Swathi Thirunal to paint mural pictures in the Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple. Despite this universality of his interests, his preference for music and literature was only well known. From certain stories handed down by oral tradition, it appears that even poets had a grouse against the preference shown by Swathi Thirunal. However, the attendants repeatedly told them that Swathi Thirunal was engaged with musicians. One poet even composed a verse expressing his feelings of disappointment and asking when poets like himself could have the privilege of an audience with Swathi Thirunal. The story needs to be taken as a reflection of Swathi Thirunal’s attitude towards literature, for he was himself a great scholar in several languages: Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Persian, English, besides Malayalam, and a good poet. It is also noteworthy that two of his greatest courtiers, Vidwan Koyi Thampuran of Kilimanoor and Eraimman Thampi, were great literary jewels. Koyi Thampuran is well known as the author of a beautiful Kathakali work ‘RAVANA VIJAYAM,’ and Eraimman Thampi one of the best poets of Malayalam. However, it may not be wrong to say that Swathi Thirunal showed an excessive fondness for music, and that was responsible for creating a feeling of jealousy in the minds of other artists. The patronage given by Swathi Thirunal to music and the encouragement given to the musicians and artists deserve the highest praise. Swathi Thirunal’s achievements are gratefully remembered, and his example will ever serve to inspire the world in the promotion of learning and fine arts. His memory will forever be cherished as one of the greatest patrons of music and art in South India.