Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi

Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi (1916-2008) was the only sister of the last ruling Maharajah of Travancore, Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma and of his successor, Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma. Under the matrilineal Marumakkathayam system of inheritance prevalent in the kingdom of Travancore, it was her children who were heirs to the throne. She therefore held a very special place in the Travancore court, superior to the Maharaja's wives, and was termed the Rani of Attingal in her own right. In 2013, her only surviving son duly succeeded his uncles as titular Maharaja of Travancore and is known as Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma.

Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi
Maharani of Travancore; Attingal Mootha Thampuran
Reign	(1985–2008 Titular Maharani)
Predecessor	Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Successor	Uthram Thirunal Lalaithamba Bhai (2008 June to November 2008 ) Karthika Thirunal Indira Bai (2008 November to 2017 July ) current ; Bharani Thirunal Rukmini Bayi
Born	(1916-09-17)17 September 1916 Travancore
Died	8 June 2008(2008-06-08) (aged 91) Thiruvananthapuram
Spouse	Lt. Col. P. R. Godavarma Raja of Poonjar Royal House ​ ​ (m. 1934; died 1971)​
Issue	Avittom Thirunal Rama Varma Pooyam Thirunal Gowri Parvathi Bayi Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma
Names Sree Padmanabhasevini Vanchidarma Vardhini Raja Rajeshwari Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi, Attingal Mootha Thampuran and the Maharani of Travancore
House	Venad Swaroopam Kulasekhara (Second Chera) Royal Dynasty
Father	Pooram Nal Ravi Varma of Kilimanur Palace
Mother	Amma Maharani Moolam Thirunal Sethu Parvathi Bayi
Religion	Hinduism

Early years

Born as the only daughter of Queen Mother Sethu Parvathi Bayi and Sri Ravi Varma Koyi Thampuran of Kilimanoor, she married Lt. Col. G. V. Raja. According to Oneindia online daily she was a witness to major events in pre-independent and independent India, was an accomplished dancer, singer and a linguist as well.^[1] In accordance to the tradition, she was also the Chief of Attingal Fiefdom, known as Mootha Thampuran.

Karthika Thirunal with her younger brother, future Maharaja Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma.

She was born as the only daughter of Sanskrit scholar and aristocrat Sri Pooram Nal Ravi Varma Kochu Kovil Tampuran of Kilimanoor Kovilakam and Amma Maharani Moolam Thirunal Sethu Parvathi Bayi of Travancore, on 17 September 1916, in the matrilineal Royal House of Travancore. She was educated by selected tutors and scholars. She mastered languages like Malayalam, Sanskrit, English, French etc. From her childhood itself, Karthika Thirunal was deeply interested in dance and music. Recognizing her interests, her elder brother, Maharajah Sree Chithira Thirunal, appointed Harikeshanelloor Muthaiyya Bhagavathar as her music teacher. In 1933, at the age of 16, Karthika Thirunal became the first from her family to undertake a sea voyage with her mother, against the then prevalent superstitious belief related to crossing the sea. She also participated in the All India Women's Conference of 1935, held in Trivandrum.^[2]

Royal wedding

As soon as Karthika Thirunal turned 16, it was decided to get her married. Usually, the Koyi Thampurans were chosen as bridegrooms for Travancore Princesses and Queens.^[3] According to Uthradom Thirunal, Maharajah Sree Chithira Thirunal and Sethu Parvathi Bayi ignored the superiority of Koyi Thampurans and got her married to a young aristocrat named P.R. Godavarma Raja of Poonjar Palace. The Maharajah felt that it was fine to make a different choice so as to find a suitable spouse for his sister and for the first time chose a bridegroom from the Poonjar Royal House.

Lt. Col. P. R. Godavarma Raja – Prince Consort of Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi during his military days

When P.R. Ramavarma Raja, (husband of Karthika Thirunal's maternal aunt), visited Kowdiar Palace, he put forward the name of his younger brother Godavarma Raja (Col.G. V. Raja) as a prospective bridegroom for Karthika Thirunal. Godavarma Raja who later attained immortal fame as the King of Kerala Sports and Tourism, at the time of the proposal was studying in Madras for attaining a Degree in Medicine. The couple met each other in 1933. Godavarma accepted the wedding proposal for Karthika Thirunal's hand and discontinued his education there. Karthika Thirunal's family too approved, and the wedding was thus announced. It was the first time a Travancore Princess married some one other than a Koyi Thampuran. Poonjar Royal Family is believed to be the descendants of Pandya Dynasty.^[4]

The preparations for the Pallikettu (wedding of a Travancore Princess)began in 1933 itself. Huge wedding venue was created at Sundara Vilasom Palace. Many prominent Indian Royals were invited for the wedding and the wedding was a lavish affair. The wedding of 17-year-old Karthika Thirunal and 26-year-old Godavarma Raja took place on 24 January 1934. The royal couple stayed at Kovalam for their honeymoon and it was during this time, Godavarma Raja, smitten by the beauty of the place, decided to develop and promote Kovalam as a tourist destination. After their wedding, G. V. Raja joined the Travancore State Force (Army) and served as a Lt. Colonel and as one of the commanding officers of the Nair Brigade (Travancore King's Bodyguards).^[5]

The couple had four children, Elayarajah (Crown Prince) Avittom Thirunal Rama Varma (1938–1944, died at the age of six of a rheumatic heart condition), Pooyam Thirunal Gowri Parvati Bayi (1941), Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi (1945) and Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma (1949), the Titular^[6][7] Maharajah of Travancore and the Head of Travancore Royal Family & Supreme Guardian/Custodian of Sree Padmanabhaswami Temple.^[8] In the memory of his late nephew, Prince Avittom Thirunal, Maharajah Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma built the SAT Hospital in Trivandrum. ^{[9] [10]}

Full title

Her Highness Sree Padmanabhasevini Vanchidharma Vardhini Raja Rajeshwari Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi, Attingal Mootha Thampuran and the Maharani of Travancore

References

1. .in, oneindia. "lakshmibai-thampuratti". oneindia.in. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
2. UMA, MAHESWARI. "Maharani Karthika Thirunal: Witnessing History". kerala4u.in. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
3. Mewat, Mahi. The Indian Encyclopaedia. p. 4690.
4. Uma Maheshwari, S. Thrippadidanam (3 ed.). Mathrubhumi Books. pp. 162–175. ISBN 978-81-8265-947-6.
5. kovalamhotels., com. "KOVALAM – PARADISE OF SOUTH INDIA". Retrieved 24 March 2014.
6. "Though by the 26th amendment to the Constitution, Article 363 was repealed whereby the rights and privileges of the rulers of Indian states were taken away, still the name and title of the rulers remained as such and unaffected in so far as names and titles were not contemplated as rights or privileges under the repealed Articles 291 and 362 of the Constitution."
7. HANEEF, MAHIR (17 December 2013). "'His Highness' isn't unconstitutional: Kerala high court". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
8. Express News Service (4 January 2014). "Moolam Thirunal Anointed Custodian of Temple". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
9. രാജകുടുംബത്തിന്‍റെ കണ്ണീര്‍ തോരുന്നില്ല! മനോരമഓണ്‍ലൈന്‍ – 2012 ജനു 28, ശനി : 'ആറാം വയസ്സിലാണ് അവിട്ടം തിരുനാള്‍ രാമവര്‍മയുടെ വേര്‍പാട്. 1944ല്‍ ആയിരുന്നു അത്. ജന്മനാ അനാരോഗ്യമുള്ള കുട്ടിയായിരുന്നു. റുമാറ്റിക് ഹാര്‍ട്ട് എന്ന ഹൃദയത്തെ ബാധിക്കുന്ന രോഗമായിരുന്നു. രോഗത്തിന്‍റെ കാഠിന്യത്തെ കുറിച്ചു ഡോക്ടര്‍മാര്‍ ഞങ്ങളെ ആരെയും അറിയിച്ചിരുന്നില്ല. കഴിവുറ്റ ഡോക്ടര്‍മാരോ ചികില്‍സാസൗകര്യമോ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നുമില്ല. സൂക്ഷിച്ചു വളര്‍ത്തണമെന്നു പറഞ്ഞിട്ടില്ലാത്തതിനാല്‍ മറ്റു കുട്ടികളെ പോലെ അവിട്ടം തിരുനാളിനെയും ഒാടാനും ചാടാനുമെല്ലാം വിട്ടു. കേരളത്തില്‍ നല്ല മഴയുള്ള സമയമായിരുന്നു. ഈര്‍പ്പവും തണുപ്പും നല്ലതലെ്ലന്നു ഡോക്ടര്‍മാര്‍ പറഞ്ഞതനുസരിച്ചു കാര്‍ത്തിക തിരുനാളും ഭര്‍ത്താവ് കേണല്‍ ഗോദവര്‍മരാജയും അവിട്ടം തിരുനാളിനെയും കൂട്ടി കന്യാകുമാരിയിലേക്കു പോയി. അവിടെ മഴയുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല. ഒരു ദിവസം വൈകുന്നേരം അവിട്ടം തിരുനാള്‍ അമ്മയോടു പേടിയാകുന്നുവെന്നു പറഞ്ഞു മടിയില്‍ തലവച്ചു കിടന്നു. പിന്നെ ഇരുട്ടാകുന്നുവെന്നു പറഞ്ഞു, കണ്ണ് കാണുന്നിലെ്ലന്നു പറഞ്ഞു. പതിയെ ബോധം മറഞ്ഞു. മടിയില്‍ കിടന്നുകൊണ്ടു തന്നെ ഈ ലോകം വിട്ടു പോയി.
10. മനോരമ, ഓണ്‍ലൈന്‍. "രാജകുടുംബത്തിന്‍റെ കണ്ണീര്‍ തോരുന്നില്ല!". Malayala Manorama (Malayalam Online Edition). Retrieved 30 March 2014.

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