The Tale of Travancore's Legacy

More than 100 years ago, a sovereign and his royal state based at the edge of the country were blessed with the shadow of a tree. Now neither the king nor the kingdom is alive, but these roots have taken hold of the soul of its land.

His Highness; Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Once upon a time, during the age of imperialism, there was a prince who established The Kingdom of Travancore in India. In no time, it emerged as one of the most powerful empires that gave the oldest example of an organised settlement with military technology and tactics in whole Asia. The kingdom covered most of the modern-day southern parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, including some parts of the neighbouring Kingdom of Cochin.

The formation of Kingdom was attributed to King Marthanda Varma's lineage that governed Travancore for over a hundred years in the land favoured by God. However, the empire followed Marumakkathayam law, a system of matrilineal inheritance where the lineage of the property-hold was traced through women. Following their ancestors' footsteps, each descendant revered the same law and committed to preserve and reform Travancore.

The Kingdom of Travancore from the early eighteenth century beheld one of the most modernised versions of a state with major developments in infrastructure and cultural changes that continued for generations.

It was the year 1837, when the royal family had a new member in the house whose life was short, yet it was unmatched by any other. It was the prince Visakham Thirunal born to Rani Gowri Rukmini Bayi and her husband Punartham Thirunal Rama Varma. However, the little boy along with his siblings had to live with the tragedy of losing their mother a very tender age.

Raised in the care of his father, Visakham excelled in Malayalam and Sanskrit, the two languages that were essential for all the royal family members. He later, began studying English at the age of nine, as he was captivated by its compositions. Even as he wrote many of his publications, the first of his work, "Horrors of War and the Benefits of Peace", was well-received. Later, as a Fellow of the University of Madras, he became one of the few natives to enjoy such an honour.

He possessed profound knowledge of botany and agriculture that later became instrumental in the development of agriculture in Travancore during his reign.

When Prince Visakham emerged as the descendant of the dynasty and succeeded the throne after his elder brother in 1880, he made significant contributions to the development of Travancore during his reign. His reforms in education and infrastructure defined the future of his kingship in the long run, although he did not rule for long.

One of his most important initiatives was the introduction of the cassava crop. When a famine-like situation struck the kingdom of Travancore. Replacing rice, cultivation of cassava spread rapidly due to its ability to thrive in poor soils. Hence, during the black days, it came as a hope of surviving the wrath of the present calamity. Although Visakham had no prior training in botany, an interest in the subject eventually helped the state in its crisis management at just the right time. Eventually, it became so popular in the state that it was cultivated on every farm and served in every home.

With the varied interests and extensive knowledge he held, it left a lasting impression on the Madras governor so much that he was eager to work in Travancore. Visakham was even offered a seat in the Legislative Council of the Viceroy of India but he rejected.

As an added bonus to this botany fusion, Visakham once received two saplings of rubber from an Irish planter. This sapling led to one of the first rubber plants to be grown on Indian Land. Further, he planted one of them in the premises of Thiruvananthapuram's Napier Museum. Later, in his remembrance, India's first rubber plantation was established for commercial production.

A short time later in 1885, he passed away from acute illness at the age of 48 on this day. In spite of being different from many of his predecessors, he ruled the kingdom during the worst of times. Unfortunately, for not more than five years.

After all these years, his cassava still ranks as one of Kerala's most popular foods. The oldest rubber tree is still standing in the museum premise with several generations passing beneath its shade. If that wasn't enough, both of these crops from India are some of the best industrial raw produce even in 21st Century. At last, one can say that it was a conditioned life, but he had a real commitment towards his empire while leaving a legacy that is still thriving after a century.

Despite their passing, the legacy endures; Image Source- The Hindu