THE FORGOTTEN PRINCESSES

 Empowered by their matrilineal heritage and enlightened by education, the two Maharanis left an indelible mark on Kerala’s history

My Royal Connexion

I was born in Thiruvananthapuram (earlier known as Trivandrum), the holy city of Ananta, or Lord Vishnu. It is difficult to imagine that this serene city was once the capital of the erstwhile kingdom of Travancore, which acceded to India in 1949, soon after independence.

Travancore, a princely state from 1729 to 1949, was ruled by the illustrious Travancore Royal Family—one of the oldest ruling dynasties in India—governed successively by kings and women regents.

When we were young, many from the older generation often spoke nostalgically about the reign of the Maharajas and Maharanis. Under their rule, Trivandrum was not just the capital, but also a vibrant centre of education, art, music, and culture. Maharaja Raja Ravi Varma was celebrated for his paintings—his depictions of gods and goddesses once adorned Hindu homes across India. The musical compositions of Swathi Thirunal continue to resonate in South Indian classical concerts even today.

Walking along the city’s Main Road (now Mahatma Gandhi Road), one is still reminded of that royal past. The Padmanabhaswamy Temple, the iconic Secretariate building, the 150-year-old University College, the Public Library, the Observatory, the Museum, and the Water Works—all stand as monuments to the enlightened rule of the Travancore monarchs.

I still remember watching Raja Chithira Thirunal, the last Maharaja of Travancore, ride majestically in his car, its conch-shell insignia gleaming, on his way to the Padmanabhaswamy Temple every morning as I walked to school. During temple festivals, we children eagerly joined the celebrations led by the Maharaja—his frail figure carrying a sword, leading the grand procession to the sea for the ritual Aaraat (bathing of the deity).

Two Travancore princesses (though only titular) were my seniors at the Women’s College, Thiruvananthapuram, where I studied. Epitomes of grace and dignity, they mingled freely with other students and participated in cultural activities like any of us. From then on, my fascination with the Maharanis of Travancore deepened.

The Great Maharanis

Among the remarkable women who ruled Travancore, two stand out for their vision and leadership. Though separated by a century, both left indelible marks on Kerala’s social and cultural life.

1. Maharani Gauri Lakshmi Bayi (Reigned 1810–1815)

Maharani Gauri Lakshmi Bayi ruled Travancore from 1810 to 1813 and served as Regent until her death in 1815 for her son, Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma. She remains the only Queen of Travancore to have ruled in her own right.

The Maharanis of Travancore were styled as the Ranis of Attingal—a title derived from the nearby town of Attingal. Born in 1791, Gauri Lakshmi Bayi was the daughter of Princess Bharani Thirunal Parvathy Bayi, adopted into the Travancore royal family in 1788. She married Prince Rajaraja Varma of the Changanassery royal family and had two sons and a daughter. Her eldest son, born on 16 April 1813, later became King Swathi Thirunal—a renowned musician and ruler (1829–1846).

The Matrilineal System

Travancore followed a matrilineal system of inheritance known as Marumakkathayam, where lineage and property passed through the female line. “Queens were never wives of monarchs, but their sisters,” as tradition held.

Accession and Rule

When Maharajah Balarama Varma died in 1811, the 20-year-old Gauri Lakshmi Bayi faced internal dissent and external threats. With the support of the British Resident, Colonel John Munro, she dismissed rival claims and ascended the throne. One of her first acts was to remove the corrupt Dewan and appoint Colonel Munro in his place, thereby ensuring stability and British support.

Government Reforms

Maharani Gauri Lakshmi Bayi introduced several administrative reforms:

• District officials were divested of judicial powers to curb corruption.
• Revenue collection was systematised.
• A modern judicial system was introduced, with a Court of Appeal, five District Courts, and the Huzur Court for government servants.
• The Secretariat system was established under Col. Munro’s guidance.
• The Police Department was reorganised.

Social Reforms

Her reign saw equally progressive social measures:

• Taxes on festivals and inheritance were abolished.
• Over 300 temples were brought under a Devaswom Board to end corruption.
• By a royal proclamation on 5 December 1812, she abolished the sale and purchase of slaves, freeing all except those tied to agricultural lands.
• Lower castes like the Ezhavas and Kaniyans were granted independence from landlords, and caste-based restrictions on wearing ornaments were removed.
• A vaccination department was established in 1813—she herself and her family took the vaccine first to allay public fears.

Her health declined soon after the birth of her youngest son, and she passed away in 1815. Swathi Thirunal succeeded her, with her sister, Gauri Parvati Bayi, serving as Regent.

Her brief reign (1810–1814) marked a silent reformation in Travancore, showcasing the capability and resolve of a woman ruler in a conservative age.

2. Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi (Reigned 1924–1931)

Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi’s life and reign have been beautifully chronicled by Manu S. Pillai in The Ivory Throne: Chronicles of the House of Travancore (2016).

In 1900, the Maharajah, having no heirs, adopted two young cousins—granddaughters of the celebrated artist Raja Ravi Varma. They were educated under Indian and Anglo-Indian tutors, learning English, etiquette, music, and even tennis and golf.

When Maharajah Moolam Thirunal died in 1924, his successor, Sree Chithira Thirunal, was only twelve. As tradition required, the Senior Maharani, Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, ruled as Regent for seven years until he came of age—despite challenges from her younger sister.

In 1906, when she was still ten years old the Maharani was married to Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran who was her steadfast companion—somewhat reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Yet, by custom, royal consorts of Travancore’s queens lived separately and played only a secondary role in court life.

Reforms and Achievements

Her regency (1924–1931) was marked by wide-ranging reforms:

• Construction of highways, and introduction of electricity and telephone services.
• Nearly one-fifth of the state’s revenue was devoted to education, laying the foundation for Kerala’s high literacy rate.
• Development of Cochin (now Kochi) into a modern trading port.
• Appointment of India’s first woman minister and employment of hundreds of educated women as teachers and nurses.
• Appointment of Dalit and Muslim judges, and a Christian Prime Minister—breaking caste and religious barriers.
• Opening public roads to all castes in 1925.
• Abolition of animal sacrifice (1925) and the devadasi system (1926).
• Reform of the Marumakkathayam inheritance law and gradual introduction of patrilineal family structures among Nairs (1928).
• Promotion of Panchayati Raj in rural areas.
• Modernisation of the Medical Department and appointment of the first female Durbar Physician.
  In 1929, she was decorated with the Order of the Crown of India.

Meeting with Mahatma Gandhi

Manu Pillai in his book has detailed the meeting between Mahatma Gandhi and the Maharani.

 During the Vaikom Satyagraha, Gandhi met the Maharani in 1925 and asked, “Is it not atrocious that while dogs and cattle may walk freely on temple roads, some men may not, because of their caste?” Following this meeting, she issued a royal proclamation opening most roads to all castes—an act Gandhi hailed as a “bedrock of freedom” in Young India (26 March 1925).

When Gandhi urged her to permit temple entry for Dalits, she replied, “I am only a Regent.” She suggested that Gandhi seek the view of the young heir, Chithira Thirunal, who later fulfilled that promise through the historic Temple Entry Proclamation of 1936.

Gandhi later wrote:

“Instead of being ushered into the presence of an over-decorated woman sporting diamonds, I found myself before a modest young lady whose beauty lay in her refinement and manners.”

Criticism and Later Life

Despite her achievements, Sethu Lakshmi Bayi faced criticism for restricting temple entry, barring Jawaharlal Nehru from entering the Padmanabhaswamy Temple (for ritual reasons), and for introducing the controversial Press Regulation Act of 1926.

When her regency ended in 1931, she gracefully stepped down as Chithira Thirunal assumed the throne. However, family rivalries forced her into seclusion. In 1958, she left Trivandrum for Madras and later settled in Bangalore, living a quiet life near her daughter. She donated her palaces for public use—one became an agricultural college, another a medical research institute, and her beach resort was given to the ITDC.

In her final years, bedridden, she once told a visitor with a wistful smile,

“Once I had a kingdom, but it is gone. Then I thought the palace was mine, but that too is gone. Now I can only say—I have this room.”

She passed away in 1985 at a hospital in Bangalore and was cremated at Wilson Garden, surrounded by her family. Reflecting on her life, she once wrote,

“I have emerged a wiser woman, learning that in this world, one often gets kicks for honest, selfless work, while the canting self-seeker wins halfpence.”

Her reign is remembered as a Golden Age of Travancore. Malayala Manorama, in its obituary, wrote:

“When the Rani of Vanchi rules, there is everlasting Thiru Onam in Vanchinadu.”

Lord Mountbatten, too, remarked:

“No one who met her could ever forget her. She stands as a shining example of womanhood—as a great queen and a great woman.”

Remembering the Two Great Maharanis

The two Maharanis left an indelible imprint on Kerala’s history. A century apart, both ruled with vision, compassion, and courage. They introduced reforms in governance, education, and social life at a time when society was deeply conservative and male-dominated. The matrilineal system and their education had truly empowered them.

This admiration is not an argument for monarchy, but a recognition that rulers who govern with integrity and commitment to the public good—elected or not—remain exceptional and unforgettable.

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