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HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
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HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE
PROM
THE EARLIEST TIMES,
P. SHUNGOONNY MENON.
Dewan Peiehcar of Travancore. TVTATNj-sr ILiLUSTRATIOlsrS.
Fall many a gem of purest ray serene, The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear ; Pull many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
Gray,
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HIGGINBOTHAM AND CO.
90S special %ointment to £t* ttoga! Ptfafrrow ®i)t prince of OUlts,
an* ^tAIisfjet* to tf)t fflootas Bnftcrsitg.
1878.
(will right* raerved.)
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HENRY MOrtSE SI ZPHENS
MADRAS: PRINTED BT HIGOIHBOTHAM AtfD 00., 106, MOUNT ROAD.
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DEDICATED
PERMISSION
TO
Jftis JEttost Gracious Jftighness
SBEE PADMANABEA DASA VANJI PAT. A KAMA VTJBMAH KULASEKHARA KIBEETAPATHI MUNNAY SULTAN KAKABAJ EAJAH EAMAEAJAH BAHADUE BHAMSHEEEJUNG
MAHAEAJAH OF TRAVANCORE,
KNIGHT GRAND COMMANDER OF THE MOST EXALTED
ORDER OF THE STAR OF INDIA,
BT
HIS VERY HUMBLE, LOYAL AND GRATEFUL SERVANT,
The Author.
512706
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PREFACE.
Tbavancobb, the southernmost State in India, was well known in early times. Nevertheless, its early history, extent of its territory, and other particulars are mostly buried in obscurity, owing to the non-existence of a correct and detailed history of the kingdom. The existence of the king dom going back to pre-historic times, no historical facts are found recorded illus- trating its antiquity.
There is scarcely a kingdom on the face of the earth, whose dynasty continued to exist in an unbroken line of succession, from the time of its foundation to the present day.
The mother-country of Travancore was the Malidala kingdom Chera, which once covered the best portion of Southern India, and which underwent various changes during the four Yugas according to the Puranifc accounts. In the present age, Kali Yuga, it was gradually reduced to the present Travancore with its area of 6653£ square miles, situated between the 8th and 10th degree of north latitude. In this reduced state, Travancore became more strongly protected by natural boundaries, the south and the west being bounded by the Indian Ocean, the east, by the range of the high ghauts, and the northern parts being mostly covered with back-waters, rivers, lakes, &c. Thus the situa- tion of Travancore being unfavourable for the march of horses and elephants that formed the best portion of an army in those days, saved it from the incursions of foreign invaders.
When maritime powers began to rise, Travancore finding itself too weak to resist them, made alliance with them and pursued its original policy of commerce, thus avoiding quarrels.
Travancore is perhaps the only kingdom in India which preserves its original caste, religion, customs, manners, insti- tutions, &c., Ac., and the compiler of the Travancore records is perfectly right in saying that " Travancore is one of the " very few remaining specimens of a pure Hindu Government, " the institutions of which have never been affected by the " tfahomedan conquest/'
The peculiar class of Numboory Brahmans whom Farasu Rama newly organized, retain without any change what-
Ylll
PEEFACE.
ever, all their Brahmanical observances even to the present day. The four castes introduced by Parasu Rama, and subse- quently multiplied to seventy-two by Sankara Acharyar, as shown in the Kerala Ulppathy, are still flourishing in Tra- vancore, as will be seen from the Travancore Census Report, recently published.
The Chera characters, the Tamil and Grandha, are the national letters in Travancore, and the former is still the character in which the Government records are written. From its original state, as Chera Mandalam, the largest of the three Mandala kingdoms, covering the best portion of Southern India, it was reduced to a small province, bounded by Canara, Coimbatore, Tinnevelly and the Indian Ocean. Subsequently we find that it flourished under its present name Travancore, and continued tributary to the Rayers of Vijaya-^ naggur, when Viswanatha Naicker assumed the Government^ of Madura. Under the Rayer dynasty, Travancore was still reduced and humiliated by being degraded to the low position of a feudatory chjfil The Rev, W« Taylor, in his translation of Historical manuscripts, page 161, observes that during the sway of Thirumali Naicker of Madura, the Malayalam, Nan- jenaud Rajah (King of Travancore) was included among " the seventy-two Falliyams (feudal chiefs) appointed to guard the bastions of the Fandian capital."
From the position of a feudatory State, Travancore rose again, slowly but surely, and recovered many of its lost possessions, both in the east and in the north.
An important feature in the history of Travancore, is, that even after being reduced to a feudatory State, its sovereigns were able to extend their dominions to its present extent, solely at the point of the sword, through the bravery of Travancore's sons alone, unaided by any external agencies, till the beginning of the present century, thus showing that the natives of Travancore are quite competent for the admi- nistration of the country, in its Revenue, Civil, and Military branches. This history will shew how the sovereigns and the Statesmen of Travancore distinguished themselves in the government of the kingdom, when western enlightenment and civilization were unknown in India.
This remarkable native State, being situated at the southern- most extremity of the Indian empire, had not been brought forward prominently before the public in early times, nay, not till the assumption of the Government of India by the British Crown ; and consequently, it is not surprising that its original history remained in obscurity. In the absence of a correct
/ PREFACE. ix
and detailed history of the country in print, it is impossible for the public to possess any real and true knowledge of the
Sat and present political affairs connected with this kingdom. k ence, we find, the character of the former administration of e country and of its sovereigns spoken of from erroneous JK sta, and writers indulging themselves in advancing com- * tively false views of persons and things.
^here are some short accounts of Military operations and other political events concerning this country, embodied in modern works published at various times, but nothing in the forxtf of a full and true history has hitherto appeared in the English language.
In the Malabar year 1043, a small work in the shape of a Malayalam pamphlet compiled by one Pachu Moothathu of Vycome, a Sanscrit scholar and a Native Practitioner, attached to the palace of His Highness the Maha Rajah of Travancore, appeared at Trevandrum, This work, however, short and abridged And based upon erroneous data on certain important points, contains many trustworthy and real accounts connected with the progress of the kingdom, under the present dynasty and the good and memorable administration of the sovereigns as well as the meritorious labours of many of the able Minis- ters of the State. Great credit is due to the author of that pamphlet, as he was the first person who made such a praise- worthy attempt, I have been in a measure benefited by reference to this work, in writing this, in which my spare time has been spent for many years.
I would have, long ago, brought this work before the public ; but when I had finished the first five chapters in 1870, I learnt that the then Dewan of Travancore, Sir T. Madava Row, K.C.S.I., had commenced writing a History of Travan- core, and, therefore, I naturally dropped my pen, as my work, if completed, would not compete with that of this eminent Statesman.
In the year 1873, a Malayalam translation of Sir Madava Row's History of Travancore appeared in print, but it con- sisted only an account of the nistory of two reigns. As a complete history of the country from his able pen cannot be expected at present, I resumed my work. For want of sufficient and trustworthy materials, the progress was very slow for some time, but His Most Gracious Highness the present Maha Rajah, very kindly gave directions to the Palace Officials, to furnish me with all necessary information from the palace archives, and also to render me every assistance towards the completion of my labours. Backed by such indulgences, I
b
X PREFACE.
proceeded on with my work, and have now brought it to a close.
Almost all the illustrations, this work contains, were ob- tained from the Palace Gallery with the exception of a few, which were drawn according to traditional accounts by Kilimanoor Revi Vurmah Koil Thumpuran, the artist who gained medals in the Madras and Calcutta Fine Arts Exhibi- tions. To this able and ingenious artist my most sincere thanks are specially due.
It would be necessarily difficult to offer my thanks indi- vidually to every one who has rendered assistance in this useful undertaking, and so, I acknowledge generally my obli- gation to all, from whom any aid had been obtained towards the completion of this work, which I hope will prove useful and acceptable to the public.
The best available hands in Madras were procured for the Lithographs, yet I cannot say that the work has been satis- factorily accomplished. The great amount of time taken by the Lithographers has caused the delay in the appearance of the book.
The heading of Chapter II has been printed " Reign of Dasa Vanji Pala Marthanda Vurmah Kulasekhara Perumal" through an oversight, it ought to be properly " Reign of Sri Padmanabha Dasa Vanji Pala Marthanda Vurmah Kulase- khara Perumal."
Shabetalay in Travancore, November 1878.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Page.
Ancient names of the province — Titles of its Sovereigns explained — Early mention of JFravanoore in the Puranas — The Puranas as historic records — Brief description of the 18 Puranas — The Bamayana, Bharatha and Harivamsa — The Madura Temple — The 56 kingdoms of Bharatha — Boundaries of ancient Ohera — Early emperors — Ancestral line of the Chera dynasty — Kerala or Malayalam recovered from the sea — The exploits of Parasu Rama — The Kerala Mahatmyam — Udaya Vurmah, the head of the Cola Royal family — List of kings in the Kali Yugam — . Knlasekhara Perumal, the great Vaishhava devotee and poet— The era of Vicramadithya— Konga kings — Caste of the Konga and Chera kings — Chera incorporated with Travancore — Old inscriptions — A copper sasanum — Kerala Ulppathy — Pachn Moo- thathu's account of Travancore— Cheraman Perumal — Sanscrit scholars in Keralam — Further proof of the antiquity of the Tra- vancore dynasty — Astronomical calculations — The Travancore and Cochin Royal families — Difference between Samantha and Saman- ther —False notions about Hirannya Garbham — Brief account of the ceremonies Thulapurusha danam and Hirannya Garbha danam — The Numboory community — The renowned Yedanthist Sankara Acharyar — Rules for protecting female chastity — The Devaswams — The Military system adopted by Travancore kings — Travancore coins — The end of the Perumal Viceroyalty — Origin of the Cochin Rajah and the Zamorin of Calicut — The five Swaroo- pams — A new era introduced by king Udaya Marthanda Vurmah — The Panthalam Rajah — The Cochin Rajah extends his sovereignty — Mahomedan invasion — Short notices of some Travancore kings — Ecclesiastical system organised — Conspiracy against king Adithiya Vurmah — A Mahomedan Sirdar forces, Mahomedan cus- toms— Battle between Kerala Vurmah and the Sirdar — Victory of the former who is subsequently assassinated — Adoption of a member into the Royal family — Prince Marthanda Vurmah and his exploits — Treaty with the Madura Government — Intercourse with Europeans in early times 1
CHAPTER II.
King Ramah Vurmah's successor — State of the kingdom — His efforts to improve it — Difficulties with the Pandyan Government — Raising of a Maraver army — Withdrawal of the Trichinopoly
Xll CONTENTS.
Page.
contingent — A confederacy — Disputes about the throne — Rebuild- ing of the Trevandrum Pagoda Dy the Rajah — Works of public utility undertaken — Papu Thamby plots against the Rajah — Destruction of Papu Thamby and his party — War with Kayem- kulam whose Rajah sues for peace — Annexation of Territory — Disputes between Travancore and Dutch East India Company — A Dutch detachment defeated by the Travancore army — Dutch reinforced from Ceylon — Travancore treats with the Government of Pondioherry — Battle of Colachel — Treatment of Dutch Prison- ers— Eustatious D'Lanoy and Donadi — The siege of Kilimanoor — Fall of Cottayam — A diarv of the Rajah's warlike movements — Confederacy of Petty Chiefs — Treaty with the Dutch — The Amba- lapulay Rajah defeated and taken prisoner — Capture of Chunga- nacherry — Renewed struggle with Cochin — Some of the Malabar Princes rebel — Travancore oomes in contact with Hyder Ali — The Nabob's Viceroy at Triohinopoly, declares his independence — Mahomed Ali and the English alliance with him — Capture of Kalaoaud fort — Defeat of the Zamorin of Calicut — D'Lanoy appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Travancore army — Mea- sures taken to protect Travancore — The reform of its Adminis- tration and the promotion of the welfare of its people — An important council held — Celebration of the first Murajapom — An act of Religious Devotion — Useful Public Works carried out — The death of Rama Iyen Dalawah — The last instructions of the Maha Rajah — Providential interpositions — Review of the Maha Rajah's career 114
CHAPTER in.
Rama Vurmah— Travanoore divided — The Zamorin of Calicut — Construction of Fortifications — War with Maphuz Khan Sahib — YusufE Khan rebels — The Madras Government interferes — Kasava Pillay — Treaty between Hyder Ali and the Madras Government — Ambassador sent to Mysore — Survey of Travan- core— War with Hyder Ali — Death of D'Lanoy — Pilgrimage to Ramaswaram — Intercourse with Europeans — Prosperous state of Travancore — Kasava Pillay—Tippoo invades Malabar— English officers and Sir Archibald Campbell — Negotiation with the Dutch — The Madras Government remonstrates — War with Tippoo — Madras Government deolare war with Tippoo — Contributions to the war — The Malabar Princes — Improvement of Alleppey — Forest Conservancy — Public Works — Revised Treaty with British Government— Death of the Maha Rajah — His aots 186
CHAPTER IV.
BalaRama Vurmah — The favorites of His Highness — Death of Dewan Rye Kasava Dass — Jayanthen Sankaren Numboory raised to power — Extortion — Valu Thamby and his party rebel — New Dewan appointed — Palace intrigues — Murder of two high officials — Valu Thamby appointed Dewan — The system of administration improved — Major Macauly appointed Resident — Valu Thamby Dalawah's administration — Revolt against him — Lord Wellesley's letter on the same — The new Treaty of 1805 — Embarrassed state of Travancore finances — Disputes about payment of troops — Death of Suba Iyen— Conspiracy and attempt on Colonel Macauly's
CONTENTS. Xlll
Page,
life — Murder of British Soldiers — Report of the Resident — Pro- clamation of the Dewan — Its effect — Proclamation of the British Government — British Foroe sent against Travancore — Reward offered for the apprehension of the Dewan — His death — Leaders of the insurrection punished — Narrative of proceedings of British troops — Measure&of the newDewan — Differences between him and the Maharajah — The Eliah Rajah — Colonel Mnnro appointed Resident — Death of the Maha Rajah — Re view of his reign 288
CHAPTER V.
Her Highness Lekshmi Bhye — Her character — Colonel Munro acts as Dewan — Reforms — Financial improvements — Death of Her Highness — Her prosperous reign — The Satta Wariola — Review of the Ranee's reign 363
CHAPTER VI.
Prince Rama Vurmah — The Regent Gouree Parwathi Ranee — Selection of a Dewan — His dismissal — Ramen Menon appointed — His high character — Eurppean Commercial Agent at AUeppev — Colonel McDowall appointed Resident — Description of the Mar- riage ceremonies of Princess Rugmini Bhye — Colonel McDowall died 1820 — Colonel Newall appointed — Palace intrigues — Admi- nistration of Peishcar Vencatta Row — The studies of the two Princes — Liberal treatment of Missionaries by the Ranee — Open- ing of Syrian College at Cottayam — The Ranee's Regency closes. . . 383
CHAPTER VII.
The real king of Travancore— -His scholastic attainments — Suba Row's administration — Mr. Lushington, Governor of Madras, visits Travancore — Improvements— Code of Regulations — Eng- lish school opened at Trevandrum — The Observatory — Irrigation and Maramuth department— The Maha Rajah's Court — General Cullen appointed Resident — Misunderstandings — Religions acts of the Maha Rajah — Financial embarrassments — The last hours and death of the Maha Rajah 402
CHAPTER VIII.
His Highness Marthanda Vurmah, Maha Rajah — His Highness' character and attainments — His Highness' devotion to medical science — The Maha Rajah's visit to H. M.'s Frigate Jwpiter— European style of living — Lord Elphinstone and the Maha Rajah — Dewan Krishna Row's reforms — Newspaper criticisms on the Travancore Government — Education of the young Princes — Inspection of an English Steamer — Patronage of Literature and Science — Press and Calendar — Revenue from Pepper — Travancore contributions to London Exhibition 1851 — Receipt of a letter from H. M. the Queen — Excessive Rainfall — Questions about Native Converts — Abolition of Slavery — Opening of a new Bridge — Census of Travancore — Appointment of Sir Madava Row as Dewan — Lord Harris' visit — Some incidents of the Maha Rajah's reign 443
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
A Panaroma of Travancore— Frontispiece.
Page.
Sree Bhagavathi «•» ••• ••• ••• ••• 2
Emperor Yayathi 4
Jrarasu xvama , .. . ., ... . •, ... . .. ... ••• ... ±*f
Installation of Bfaanu Vicrama as King of Kerala. 24
Kulasekhara Alwar 28
Veera Kerala Vurmah 52
Representation of Golden Tab for Padma Garbham ceremony 57
Coins struck for the Tulabhanam ... 72
Gheraman Perumal • ••• 85
Veera Marthanda alias Chera Udaya Marthanda 94
Marthanda Vurmah Maha Rajah 114
An Ettu Veetii Pillay ... ... 125
Rama Iyen Dalawah ... ,. ... 131
General D'Lanoy's Military Sepoys ... 137
Padmanabhapuram Fort and Magazine ... 164
Pagoda Tower, Trevandrum 167
Trevandrum Sewalipuray ... ... 167
Padmanabhapuram Palace ... ... ... ... 168
Marthanda Vurmah Maha Rajah performing Thulapurusha
uannm ... •»• ... ... loa
Marthanda Vurmah Maha Rajah entering into the Tub ... 170 Marthanda Vurmah Maha Rajah making over the Kingdom
to Padmanabha Swamy 171
Rama Vurmah Maha Rajah , 186
The Rajah of Cochin 189
Iyeppen Marthanda Pillay Dalawah ... ... 193
Granite Paddy store at Manacudy 208
Tippoo Sultan 211
Nair and Sikh Sepoy and Rocket-bearer 226
Clock Tower, Trevandrum 249
Kulasekhara Mundapom 250
Rye Kasava Dass Dewan 255
Aswati Thirnnal, Elia Rajah 257
Bala Rama Vurmah Maha Rajah 288
Valu Thamby Dalawah 300
The Maharajah and his attendants 333
Dewan Umminy Thamby 348
Colonel Munro, British Resident 358
LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS.
XV
!ighness Lekshmi Bhye
Rajah Vurmah Koil Thampuran... [ighness Goaree Parwathi Bhye
Her Highne88_Lekshmi_ Bhye
Rajah Raj
Her Highness Goaree Parwathi Bhye
Princess Rugmini Bhye
Cochu Koil Thampuran
Dewan Vencatta Row
Rama Vurmah Maha Rajah
Dewan Subba Row
General Cullen, British Resident Marthanda Vurmah Maha Rajah
Dewan Krishna Row
His Highness the Third Prince His Highness the First Prince ... The Prince Atthum Thirnnal ... Her Highness Lekshmi Ranee ... The Prince Moolum Thirunal... Dewan Madava Row
■. » • . i
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...
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Page.
363
... 364
. 383
. . . do"
. 392
. 402
... 408
. 423
... 443
454 ... 476
482 ... 484
487 ... 488
492
ADDENDA.
Page 32, line 15, for 7 th century, read 11th century. „ 39, „ 8, „ Rakshapumshen, read Bakshapurushan. „ vv, „ „«, „ Systerna Brahminacum, read Systerna Brah-
manicam. „ and in the possession, read and are in the possession.
„ assisting the Quilon Rajah restoring, Ac., read assisting the Quilon Bajah in restoring, Ac. „ of the Kayemkulam, omit the, „ 21 st Makaram, read 20th Makaram. „ Kariakar, read Harikar. „ Madacava, read Nadacava. 302, „ 38-39, „ Valu Thamby the Dalawah's mother, read Valu
Thamby Dalawah's mother. 368, second line from the end, omit both.
370, line 9, omit both. 448, „ 16, for described, read descried. 496, „ 26, ,, returned from, read return from. 500, „ 25, „ to see beautiful steamer, read to see the beauti- ful steamer. 513, „ 28, „ but, read and.
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HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
CHAPTER I.
EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
[HE present Dynasty of Travancore is one of the chap. most ancient in India, the period assigned to L its origin being the beginning of the world. The original designation of Travancore was Qhera) or,
as we find it spelt by some authors, Sera or
Cliera, the first of the three Southern Mandala kingdoms, has, according to the Tamil Nighandu (Dictionary), numerous appellations, but with the exception of a few, they appear to have become now obsolete.
Subsequent to the dismemberment of the main part of the Chera kingdom, and the embodying of the rest with its Southern and Kerala possessions, the designa- tions were, first, SreevaJumcode or " Tiruvarumcode,"1 abode of prosperity, which name was vulgarised into Thiruvancode, from which Travancore, the name used by the English is derived ; second Vanavanaud, abridged into Venaud ; third, Keralam ; fourth, Vanji Desam ; and fifth, Thiru Adi Desam.
All the ancient designations of Cheren are found in the Tamil language and the Nighandu has such desig-
1. Then shall Travancore indeed he what she is now fancifully denominated by her people, Tiru-varung-kodu, the sacred, prosperous kingdom, Vanji Bhumi, the Treasure Land, Dharma Bhumi, the land of Piety, Charity and Truth. Revd. Mateer's Land of Charity, page 370.
* • •
... • •••.».
• a « r a
• • .• .*• -«. •'•
.••♦.: 2 :.;•. . : : • e Atot history op travancore .
chap, nations arranged in it, of which a few may be quoted L here as specimens : —
Cheren, Cheralen, (Keralen) Kollykavelen, Kodacon, Pothintharaven, Porunayattan, Vanjiventhen, Kotha- yar, Vanavarempen, Malayaman, &c.
All these names have special meanings which will be found in the Tamil Akarathi.
Chera mpn^rchs had the titles Chakravarthy, Kula- sekhara jPerumbJ, and Thiru Adikel. The meaning of the first title both in Sanscrit and Tamil is "" _ the second is a mixed word, a compound of Sanscrit and Tamil, Kula, Sekhara, Perumal, signifying Head of the race of Bangs, Kulam being race, Sekhara, Head, and Perumal, King ; the third, Thiru Adikel in Tamil, signifies " Sacred or prosperous feet."
The title, Veera Kerala, is the same as that of Cheren, for, the western boundary of the kingdom of Chera extended beyond the Suhhyen mountains (the Western Ghauts) to the Arabian Sea, and the coast between the sea and the Ghauts was called Malayalam or Keralam (so called the first, from its situation at the foot of the hills, and the second from the fact of the land abounding with cocoanut, which in Sanscrit is called Keram, the owner of this land Cheren being as a matter of course styled Keralen.*)
The Sanscrit word Sree (Ceres) is pronounced in Tamil, Thiru. The following are examples : — Thiru- vancode instead of Sreevalumcode, Thiru Adikel for
* 1. Land of Perumals, page 38.
2. Cochin Administration Report for 1875-76.
3. "But, though what the Kerala Mahatmyam relates might be accepted, seeing that the Copper Plate Document, No. I, proves that Veera Kerala was the first Prince of Kerala ; yet, on the other hand, there may be no harm in surmising, that this name of Veera Kerala may have had reference to the said country of Kerala which he governed." Madras Journal of Literature and Science, Yol. 5, No. 9, New series.
4. Dr. Caldwell in his " Comparative Grammar of Dravidian Lan- guages/1 says that the word Kerala was known under various forms, such as Keralam, Gheralam, Cher am, Keram, Seram, &c. He supposes Kera to be " the earliest form of the word."
5REE BHACAVATHI.
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EAELY HIST0BT OF TBAVANCOBE. 3
Sree Adikel, Thiru Vanjicolam for Thiru Vanji Kovi- lakam, &i
The Crora) dominions which include the best portion of the DrJmda country had Tamil as its vernacular from the earliest time, and tLe Grandha and other characters originated in this kingdom. Dr. Burnell testifies to this fact in his Paleography wherein he says that, " The Grandha, modern Tamil, Malay alam " and Telugu alphabets all have their origin in the " Cera character, a variety of the Cave character, " which was used in the Cera kingdom during the early centuries A.D. From the third to the seventh century appears to have been the most flourishing period in the modern history of this kingdom ; it then " extended over the present Mysore, Coimbatore, Salem, " Tondainadu, South Malabar and Cochin. It was, " however, one of the three great old Dravidian king- " doms and existed already in the third century B.C."
The Puranas and other ancient Sanscrit and Tamil historical writings connected with, and bearing upon, the Puranas, describe the origin, in the Kritha Tugam (the first age), of three contemporary kings in Southern India called Cheren, Cholen and Pandyan, who ruled over three countries called after their names Chera Mandalam, Chola Mandalam and Pandya M and alam. These three kings were brothers and were Soma Vamsa Kshatrias.
The Kshatrias are of two classes, namely, the Soorya Vamsa and Soma Vamsa, an account of whose origin will be interesting.
The Hindu chronology divides the age of the world into four Yugams, viz. : Kritha Yugam 4,800 years, Thretha Yugam 3,600 years, Dwapara Yugam 2,400 years, and Kali Yugam 1,200 years ; the whole being equivalent to 12,000 years of the immortals.
In the Kritha Yugam two races of Kshatrias were begotten; one from the sun and the other from the moon, on whom the administration of the whole earth originally devolved.
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4 EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
Brahma, the Creator, begot a son Kasyapen. His son was Sooryan. His son VaivaswathaManu. His son was Sudyumnen alias Den, who, by a peculiar adven- ture, (which it is not to our present purpose to detail here) became a female; Ila, and by her the Emperor Purooravass was born to Budhen. His son was Ayush, his son Nahushen, his son Yayathi; he had two wives Devayani and Sarmishtta, the former was the Brahman Bishi Sukren's daughter, who had two sons named Yedu and Durvasu, and to the latter Prince the Emperor Yayathi assigned sovereignty over the Southern part of India. The posterity of Durvasu are the three kings of Chera, Chola and Pandya. Of these three, Cheren was the head of the present Travancore Dynasty, which is also called Keralen.
The celebrated and popular work called Harivamsa,1 has in its 32nd Chapter a detailed narrative of the origin of the abovementioned Dynasties, the substance of a few verses of which may be given below.
Durvasu' s son was Vahni, his son Gourbhanu, his son Thraisanu, his son Karendhamen, his son Maruthen, who had no male issue but only a daughter by name Sammatha, whom the king gave as Kanniaha Danam to Jupiter* s brother, Samvarthen, a Brahman endowed with great wisdom and learning. Maruthen adopted Dushenthen from Pooruvumsam, and they thus became united with the renowned Pooruvamsa. Dushenthen's son was King Guryamen or Karendhamen ; he had four sons called Pandyan, Keralen, Solen and Kolen. The kingdom was divided among the sons by their father, who called the divisions after their names Pandya, Sola, Kerala and Kola.
1 . When those observations passed through the Press we had not met with a passage in the Harivamsa, adduced by Col. Wilford, which confirms the statement of our manuscripts by assigning the South country to Duruvsu, and adding that in the tenth generation after him four brothers divided the Peninsula among them ; they being respec- tively named Pandya, Cerala, Cola and Chola, of whom Cola had the most Northern portion. W. Taylor's Preface, p. 11 and 12, Historical Manuscripts Translation, Vol. 1.
EAELT HISTORY OF TRAVANCOEE. 5
Other Authors1 make allusion to only three Dynas- ties, i.e., Chera, Chola and Pandya, of which Chera was subsequently styled Kerala, in which Kola appears to have been embodied. The Puranas are the chief authorities for the above accounts.
For such information as is pre-historical, we are obliged to depend upon the Puranas alone, though many are of opinion that these are not trustworthy. Indeed, the descriptions of things and deeds narrated in the Puranas are certainly open to such criticism, but as we do not hesitate to place credence on the Bible, the Koran and such writings, conveying to us religious instructions and Divine commands, we may generally place our belief in the Puranic accounts, rejecting the exaggerations and such fictitious descriptions as the authors of the Puranas may have added to embellish their works.
Even some of the best European authors have taken the view that the Hindu Puranas are acceptable authorities in such matters. In page 86 of "A Historical Sketch of Sanscrit Literature," the author says, " The Puranas hold an eminent rank in the religion "and literature of the Hindus. Possessing like the " Vedas the credit of divine origin and scarcely inferior "to them in sanctity, they exercise a more extensive "and practical influence upon Hindu society. They " regulate their ritual, direct their faith and supply in
?opular legendary tales materials for their credulity, 'o European scholars, they recommend themselves " on other accounts ; and they have been considered to "contain not only the picturesque and mythological " part of Indian superstition, but as the treasury of " extensive and valuable historical remains whose data "reach back at least nearly to the deluge. The "Puranas include ancient traditions respecting the "Gods, religions, doctrines and rites, the creation,
1. Tradition and native records represent the Southern portion of the Indian Peninsula as being anciently divided into three contem- porary kingdoms ; 1, The Pandya; 2, Chola or Sora; 3, Chera Sera or Konga. Professor Dowson's Journal Royal Asiatic Society, Vol. 8.
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6 BAELT HISTORY OP TRAVANCOBE.
chap. " the ages of the world, cosmography, and the genea- L " logy and history of the ancient kings as well as the " deeds of their successors."
We think that the fabulous narratives recorded in the Puranic writings might be easily and well sifted out and authentic and credible facts collected from v them.
The following are the names of the eighteen Puranas, with brief notes of their substances :
- I. — The Brahma Purana contains an account of the creation and of the Manwantharas, the history of the solar and lunar races to the time of Krishna, a descrip- tion of the Universe, a life of Krishna and a treatise on the mode in which Yoga is to be performed. It treats also of the Supreme power of the Omnipotent and Omnipresent Being, the importance of the Vedas and the works assigned to Brahmans and other classes. It describes the sanctity of various holy places including Ananthdsayanam (Trevandrum) .
II. — The Padma Parana is divided into five parts ; (1), Srishti Khanda; (2), Bhoomi Khanda; (3), Swarga Khanda; (4), Pathala Khanda; (5), Uttara Khanda. These contain treatises on the creation after the deluge, the origin of Brahma, the Vedas, the Manus, &c., &c.
III. — The Vishnu Purana is that in which Para- sara, beginning with the events of the Varaha Kalpa, expounds all duties. This Purana introduces the sub- stance of almost all the other Puranas.
IV. — The Vayu Purana. The Purana in which Vayu has declared the laws of duty in connection with the Sweta Kalpa and which comprises the Mahatmyam of the Rudra. This is narrated by Sootha to the Bishies of Naimisarannya. It is divided into four Padas termed severally Prakriya, Upodghata, Anus- hanga and Upasamhara. The first treats of the crea- tion. The next contains the subject of the creation and describes the various Kalpas. The genealogies of the Patriarchs, the description of the Universe, and
EABLY HISTORY OF TBAVANCOBE. 7
the incidents of the first six Manwantharas are all chap. treated in this part. It contains also praises of Siva. L A long account of the Pithrus and the stories of some of tie celebrated Rishies are also to be found. The third part commences with an account of the seven fifshies and their descendants and describes the origin of the several classes of created beings. Then comes a long and full account of the Solar and Lunar Kshatria Dynasties. The last portion describes briefly the future Manwantharas, the measures of space and time, the end of the world, the efficacy of Yoga and the glories of Sivapura.
V. — The Sree Bhagavatha consists of twelve Skundhas or Chapters. The first nine Chapters con- tain treatises on various subjects, such as the origin of the Purana, the creation, renovation and the end of the world, a descriptive account of Kali Yugam, the various stages of human life and a comparison of the human system and its functions to a Fort with nine gates, a description of good and evil deeds, and the reward and punishment for such acts, a view of Heaven, Paradise, and Hell, an account of the incarnation of Vishnu, description of the world both terrestrial and celestial, the churning of the oceans, an account of the king of Pandya being cursed by Agusthyar, the origin of the two races of Kshatrias, &c, &c. ; the tenth dwells exclusively on the birth and life of Krishna ; the eleventh on Vedic discourse and metaphysics, con- cluding with Krishnen's deification; and the twelfth contains a history of the kings of Kali Yugam, the work closing with numerous instructive lectures and Vedic discourses.
Some persons are of opinion that the Purana called Devee Bhagavatha is the one to be reckoned amongst the eighteen Puranas and not the one which is gener- ally denominated Sree Bhagavatha, but we are of opinion that the latter is the proper Purana to be included among the eighteen.
VI. — The Naradeeya Purana. In this, Narada
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8 EAELY HISTOET OF TEAVANCOBE.
chap, describes the duties which were observed in the Brehat t^, Kalpa. It contains praises of Vishnu, the birth of Markandeya, the destruction of Sagara's sons and the Vamana Avathara. It contains also a geographical treatise on Bharatha Khandam (India), in which the existence of the Dynasties of Chera (Kerala or Tra- vancore) is mentioned.
VII. — The Markandeya Purana like most other Puranas dwells much on the creation, condition and destruction of the world by a deluge. It also treats of the birth of the Manus, the mode of prayers to Durga, the victory of the Goddess Bhavani over the Asuras, giants, and the story of the birds that were acquainted with right and wrong as related by Markandeya and the holy sages. It lays down rules for the observance of various classes and makes mention of the sanctity of the shrine of Benares and other holy places.
VIII. — The Agni Purana describes the Isanu Kalpa. It contains a description of the Avatharas, in- structions for the performance of religious rites, duties of kings, a distribution and arrangement of the Vedas and Puranas, and a chapter on Gifts. It further con- tains an account of medicine and some instructions on the worship of Siva and Devee. The work con- cludes with a treatise on Rhetoric, Prosody and Gram- mar, according to the Sutras of Panini. In addition to this, rules for the due observance of the cere- monies on the occasion of a widow burning with the corpse of her husband are laid down.
IX. — The Bhavishyat Purana is that in which Brahma, having described the greatness of the sun, explained to Manu the existence of the world and the characters of all created things in the course of the Aghora Kalpa. It chiefly treats of matters to come, Bhavishyat meaning prophetic, such as the events of a future age, all that will coiiie to pass up to the end of the world being predicted. It prophesies the end of the Government of the Kshatria kings of both races, /* \ with the exception of the Soma Vamsa King of Kerala
EAELT HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE. V
(Travancore and Cola), the Cola conquest of the Veeralas (Belalas or Holsalas) and the rule of Kerala toy this Kshatria King of Travancore and his relative Cola, the possession of Hindustan by Mletchas (Ma- lomedans), and then by the Hoonas (Europeans), to whom the King of Kerala (Travancore) will be tributary. The incarnation of Vishnu, as Kalkee, towards the end of the world, is also prophesied. In this Purana a description of Southern India with copious accounts of Chera, Chola and Pandya is given in detail.
X. — The Brahmavaivartha Purana contains an account of the greatness of God and of Krishna, and the events of the Bathalva Kalpa. It is divided into four parts called Brahma, Devee, Ganesa and Krishna. In this, the rules of Yoga Abhyasam (a certain devotional service performed by meditating on God while the body is in a certain fixed posture with a mind undistracted. The power and sanctity of various manthrams (devotional spells) are also described.)
XI. — The Linga Purana. In this, Maheswara, present in the Agni Linga, explains virtue, wealth, pleasure and final liberation at the end of the Agni Kalpa. Accounts of the creation, praises of Siva and Vishnu and a description of the universe are also given.
XII. — The Varaha Purana is that in which the glory of the great Varaha is predominant. It describes like other Puranas the creation of the world, and the deluge, and the advantages derivable from sacrifices and other divine offerings. It contains some allusions to the consecration of an image of Varaha Moorthi at Ananthasayanam (Trevandrum) .
XIII. — The Skanda Purana is that Purana in which Skanda relates the events of the Thadpurusha Kalpa. It dwells upon the greatness and sanctity of Siva, the birth of Skanda or Subrahmanya, and the origin of Madura in the Pandyan country. It contains various prayers and hymns. It has also several branches such as Halassya Mahatmyam, &c.
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10 EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANOORE.
chap. XIV, — The Vamana Purana is that in which is
recorded how the f our-faced Brahma taught the three objects of existence as conducive to the account of the greatness of Thrivikrama. It contains an account of the Siva Kulpa and of the dwarf incarnation of Vishnu. A detailed account of the Emperor Maha Bali and his righteous administration and an excellent lecture on charity, together with an account of the sanctity and hoWss of the river Ganges, are also given in itf
XV. — The Koorma Pwana is that in which Janar- dana in the form of a tortoise in regions under the earth, explained the objects of life, duty, wealth, pleasure and liberation, in connection with Indradyumna and the Rishies in the proximity of Sakra which refers to the Lakshimi Kalpa.
XVI. — The Mateya Purana is that in which for the purpose of promulgating the Vedas, Vishnu, in the beginning of a Kalpa, related to Manu, the story of Narasimha and the events of the seven Kalpas. It contains a copious description of the oceans, seas and their courses.
XVII. — The Garuda Pv/ranais that in which Vishnu recites instructions in Garuda Kalpa, and dwells chiefly on the birth of Garuda. It treats of the doctrine of transmigration of the soul. A description of hell and the treatment of sinners in it, and of the eternal enjoyment in Paradise by the souls of those men who reverenced and observed the commandments of God is given. It also lays down rules for the observance of funerals and ceremonies connected with them.
XVIII. — The Brahmanda Purana is that which relates the origin or evolution of the world in the shape of an egg. It contains an account of the crea- tion of the elements and every thing appertaining to the Universe as also the birth and life of Parasu Rama.
Independent of the above eighteen Puranas, there are eighteen more, denominated TJpa Puranas; 1, Sanalkumara Purana; 2, Narasimha; 3, Naradeya;
EAELY HISTORY OP TRAVANCORE. 11
4, Siva; 5, Durvassa; 6, Kapila; 7, Manava; 8, Ausan- ohap. asa; 9, Varuna; 10, Kaliha; 11, Samba; 12, Nandi; lm 13, Saura; 14, Parasara; 15, Adithya; 16, Maheswara; 17, Bhargava; 18, Vasishta.
Besides these there are three other Puranas equally sacred and more popular. These are the Ramayana, Bharatha and Harivamsa, composed by Rishies, the first by VaJmiki, and the other two by vyasa. These three Puranas are more generally read among modern Hindoos . The contents of these may be briefly sketched.
1st. — The tijgrwyanfr commences with a treatise on the cause of themcarnation of Vishnu as Sree Rama and that of his three brothers, Rama's progress in life, his going to the wilderness as an illustration of parental respect and obedience, the abduction of Seetha by Havana, his erecting Sethu (Adam's Bridge), his victory over Ravana in Lunka (Ceylon), his crowning of Vibheeshana (Havana's younger brother) as king of Lunka, his recovery of Seetha and his return to Ayodhya (Oude); his ruling over India as Chakra- varthy for several thousand years with justice and wisdom and the existence of the kingdom of Keralam I jT are also recorded in this Purana.
2md. — The Bharatha opens with a general history of all the kingdoms and kings of the Solar and Lunar races in Bharatha Khanriarn. It contains an account of the birth and life of all the Rishies, the Couravas and the Pandavas; Arjuna's pilgrimage and his visit to Madura, Cape Comorin and Keralam (Malabar) ; the pilgrimage of Bela Rama (Krishna's brothers), to all the holy shrines ; Sree Krishna's embassy to the court of Duryodhana; Vidura's instructive lecture to the old king Dhritarashtra ; the commencement of the great war between the Couravas and the Pandavas; the conclusion of the war ; installation of Dhurmaputhra as Chakravarthy (Emperor) after being victorious and levying tribute from all the kings of Bharata Khandam, including the king of Keralam (Travancore) ; the performance of the great sacrifice Aswamedham,
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12 EARLY HISTOEY OP TEAVANCOBE.
chap, his reigning over India with justice for a period of thirty-six years; Sree Krishna's deification, the end of the Dhurmaputhra!s reign, and his translation to Heaven. This is one of the largest Puranas and i contains most of the Hindu canons and laws, the
*J^ duties of kings and the government of kingdoms. P In this are laid down the highly renowned Hindu doctrines called Bhagavat Geeta and several others equally instructive. It contains narrations up to the end of the Dwapara Yugam and the commencement of the present age Kali Yugam. That the king of Keralam (Travancore) fought in the Bharata Yudhiim on the side of the Fandavas and was killed in battle is also mentioned in it.
3rd. — The Earivamsa describes the origin of the world and the creation. It contains some treatises on religion, gives a full and detailed genealogy of Kshatria kings both of the races of Soorya and Soma from their very origin to the early part of the present age x Kali Yugam, and describes the origin of the Chera,
4< Chola and Pandya dynasties as already stated.
There are various other works branching out from the Puranas and Upa Puranas. Almost every place of note has a work of its own, denominated Sthala Mahatmyam, which narrates particular events connected with the city or town about which it treats, with historical notes in some cases. But such writings chiefly dwell upon the sanctity or virtue of a shrine or a river in its neighbourhood. These being almost all exaggerated appear fabulous at the very first blush. Nevertheless, valuable and reliable accounts will be found in them. For instance, the Sthalapuranam of Madura contains a description, in highly exaggerated terms, of the Madura Temple and its surrounding buildings, with an account of the then ruling Pandyan dynasty. Though the accounts and descriptions are exaggerate^, yet no one can deny the magnificence and grandeur of the Temple as well as the existence of the ancient dynasty of the Pandya kingdom.
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EABLY HISTORY OF TBAVANCORE. 13
The Sthala Mahatmyam of Thiru Avanasi, Peroor, chap Chera Maha Devi, Mannar Kovil, and other places, L contains exaggerated accounts of the existence of Chera, while that of Conjepuram contains historical remarks on the dynasty of Chola.
There are two special works called Kerala Mahat- myam and Kerala Ulppathy ; the one in Sanscrit and the other in Malayalam, which narrate the origin of Keralam. Both of these works contain reliable accounts concerning Keralam (Travancore).
The Hindu geography which corresponds with that of the European, particularly in regard to the shape of the earth, divides the world into nine divisions, of which Asia is denominated Jemboo Dwipu, in which is included Bharata Khandam (India).
This land of Bharatha is divided into 56 kingdoms,
viz. : Casmeerah, Nappala, Kosala, Camboja, Paun-
chala, Simhala, Aunga, Kalinga, Kamaroopa, Saovira,
Kuroo, Bhoja, Vithaiha, Valmeeka, Kekaya, Vunga,
Sourashtra, Punnadaga,Parpara,Kuluntha, Soorasena,
Dangana, Martha, Saindhava, Purashara, Pandhara,
Saliva, Kudaka, Neisheedha, Thoorka, Durga, Marda,
Poundra, Magatha, Chethiya, Maharashttra, Gundhra,
Carnadaka, Dravida, Kukkada, Lada, Mahrva, Magara,
Desarna, Ottiya, Bachu, Yavana, Baguvane, Konkana,
Kashyva, Dungana, Latcha, Chola, Pandya, Chera and
Kerala.
Of these, the last two kingdoms, Chera and Kerala, were owned by one and the same king, viz., that Travancore.
The kingdom of Chera was the most southern and largest among the three States already alluded to.
The boundaries of the kingdom of Chera which are variously defined by ancient Tamil authors, were according to one, the Pulney Hills in the north, the town of Peroor in the east, the sea about Cape Comorin in the south, and the range of the great mountains on the west, extending about 80 cathams (800 miles).
CEUfP.
14 EARLY HISTORY OP TRAVANCORE.
cHip. Another Tamil author extends the northern boundary 1 to the Coorg Hills and the western to Calicut.
But Dr. A. C. Burnell, who is a more reliable authority than many others, says in his Paleography already referred to, that the Chera kingdom existed in the early centuries A.D., that it then extended over Mysore, Coimbatore, Salem, Tondainadu, South Mala- bar and Cochin, and that it was one of the three great Dravidian kingdoms and was divided into the eastern I and western Chera, the former extending up to Madras.
The Chera Dominions bordered on the Pandyan- and Chola countries, the principal towns being Salem, Avanasi or Thiru Avanagi in Coimbatore, Trichencode near Trichinopoly, Thenkasi, Valliyoor, Thrikanankudy and Chera Maha Devi, all south-east of Avanasi in the District of Tinnevelly.
On the Malabar coast or in Keralam, the capitals were Thiru Vanjicolam1 (Sree Vanji Kovilakam, the residence of the prosperous Vanji dynasty), Colicode (Calicut), and Kollum (Quilon).
In India (Bharatha Khandam), the mode of Govern- ment followed from the earliest times as narrated in the Puranas, was that any king on becoming more powerful than all the others conquered them and declared himself Chakravarthy (Emperor).
A few of the most renowned emperors whogoverned as Chakravarthies in each Yugam from Kritha to Dwapara and almost all the Chakravarthies in Kali Yugam (the present age) according to the Puranas are the following : —
In Kritha Yugam (the first age), Harrischundren, Muchukunden, Pariyawathen, Hirannyakshen, Banen, Maha Bali and others.
1. Sera metropolis, we conjecture to be no other than Tiruvanche, the capital of the Sera Desam, according to our Manuscripts.— Eev. W. Taylor, page 13. Preface.
EAELT HISTORY OF TRAVANCOBE. 15
In Thretha Yugam, Sagaren, Karthaveeryen, Reghu, chap. Desarethen, Sree Ramen and others. ^ L
In Dwapara Yugam, Budhen, Pariasathen, Nalen, Pandu, Dhurmaputhra and others.
In the Kali Yugam (the present age which has now come to the 4979th year), Pareekshithu (Abhimanyu's son), Jenamejeyen, Sathaneekan, Prakrethirethen, Jehganu, Chithrarathen, Chithrasenan, Thrisanku, Pariplavan, Stinayan, Madhavee, Robhunjeyan, Thi- kunan, Shathaneekan, Thendapani, Nimi, Autchana- kan and twenty-six other kings, who reigned up to the year 656 in the early part of this Yugam*
Subsequent to the above period, the system of / Chakravarthy or imperial Government by the northern J Kshatria kings appears to have been at an end, and I each of the various rulers of India irrespective of caste, became supreme in his own kingdom. Some of the most powerful sovereigns contrived to bring the neigh- bouring potentates to subjection by war and declared themselves petty Chakravarthies over a few other kings. Of such Emperors, we have accounts written both in the Puranas, as also in modern histories. The authors of the Puranas, we find, record the history and the heroic exploits of the Chakravarthies up to the early part of Kali Yugam, and the subsequent history of the emperors and kings and their kingdoms in India is narrated by modern historians.
We have instances of the above kind in the Dynas- ties of Nanda, Mourya, Kala Bhoorya, Yadava, Aola, Vicramadithya, Salivahana, Bhoja, the Yavanas, the Mohamedans of Delhi, the Rayer of Anagoondy (Vija- yanuggar) the Mahrattas and the English.
So also there have been instances of the Southern kingdoms of Pandya, Chola and Chera being ruled alternately by one among themselves as Chakravarthy, and at other times each governing his own kingdom. Narratives, however imperfect and brief, could be found regarding these longs and their kingdoms in various works.
16
BABLT HISTORY OF TEAVANCOBE.
\x
\
\
The origin of the ancestral line of the Chera dynasty (Travancore), in the first age of the world, Kritha Yugam, has been already shown and we will now endeavour to trace out and follow this dynasty down to the present time in an unbroken line.
In describing the Pandyan dynasty through all its revolutions, Mr. Taylor shows the existence of the Chera dynasty as co-existing1 with the Pandyan, up to the time of the dissolution of its original house.
The Purana called Halassya Mahatmyam already alluded to makes mention of sixty-four Leelas (amuse- ments), and the king of Chera is mentioned in the 12th, 14th, 42nd, 49th, and 62nd Leelas, which Mr. Taylor in his Historical Manuscript Translation calls " Thiru- vilaudel."
In Thretha Yugam, Kerala or Malayalam is said to have been recovered from the sea by Parasu Rama, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu. Several Puranas relate the story though the versions vary. One account says that with the permission of Varunen (the God of the sea), Parasu Rama flung his weapon from Cape Comorin and it fell at Gokurnam, where- upon the sea receded from those two points to the present extent of the Malabar Coast and he called it K.eralam ; that in the reclaimed part of the land Parasu Rama established cities, towns, villages, &c, and in- vited people from various countries and peopled the land throughout; while another account states that the weapon was flung from Gokurnam and it fell at Cape Comorin. A third account states that the holy temple at Gokurnam having been buried under the sea in the first age (Kritha Yugam), and in the next age (Thretha Yugam), Parasu Rama, at the request of the people, asked the lord of the sea to recede, and from &okur- nam flung his wooden spoon (used for sacrificial pur-
1. The Sora-desam, Sera-desam and Pandya-desam, are most frequently alone enumerated as co-existing ; and onr manuscript autho- rities in the first volume allude to no other, in the remote period of antiquity.
*
EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCOBE. 17
poses) which fell at Cape Comorin and the sea receded, chap. Of the fabulous accounts of the Puranas we have L already said enough, and so we shall now try to sift out the probable facts.
The western part of the range of hills called Sahhyen (between Canara and Quilon) must have been a tract of land at the creation of the earth but had been sub- merged in the sea. Subsequently, the sea receded and a large portion of the land between Quilon and Mangalore remained uncultivated during the reign of the Chera King Keralen, when the Brahman warrior Parasu Rama visited this land of Keralam, estab- lished himself there, organised a Brahman commu- nity, introduced a new system of Government, lived there for a considerable period of time and then retired.1 A writer in the Cottayam Gollege Quarterly Magazine, in its issue of July 1866, has the following observations in regard to the origin of Keralam.
" Can there be a doubt that this legend chronicles in the style of the Poets, the effects of volcanic agency on this coast centuries ago ; first that there was once a subsidence, probably sudden, at Gokurnam, " and secondly, that there was afterwards a perceptible " uprising, Aost probably in this case gradual, of at " least some portion, if not of nearly all the coast " between Gokurnam and the Gape.91 .
" The whole appearance of the coast of Kerala, " wherever at least we find the low-lands and back- <c waters, would appear to indicate, that it has thus " been raised, certainly during the present era ; and " if, as our legend would seem to tell, this has happened " under the eye of man, it becomes the more deeply " interesting. Nor can we forget that even now there " are decided evidences of unstable " equilibrium"
1. Kookel Keloo Nair the District Munsiff of Malabar and after- wards Sub- Judge of Calicut, gives a similar opinion in a Memorandum on the Syrian and Jewish Copper Plates, published in Vol. 5, No. 9. New Series of the Madras Journal of Literature and Science. Keloo Nair's opinion on the land of Keralam alone is accepted here, and not his opinion on the Copper Plates.
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18 EARLY HISTORY OP TRAVANCORE.
" along the coast line. The sea at Alleppie is con- " siderably further from the town than it was but a " few years ago, which shows that the shore is rising ; " the same is the case at Cochin to an extent that we " think can scarcely be accounted for by accumulating " sand ; while to the north of Cochin the sea is as " evidently encroaching, and in some parts has for "years past caused great destruction of property. " Moreover we are not altogether strangers in Kerala "to the shocks of earthquakes; in 1856, especially, " repeated shocks were felt; in 1823, 1841, and 1845, " shocks have also been recorded at Trevandrum. In " several cases the shocks seem to have been propa- " gated from the north-west ; and on September 1st, " 1856, a ball of a pendulum in the Trevandrum Obser- " vatory 17 feet long, is recorded to have been moved " about 4 inches in the direction north-west by north " and south-east by south which is about the direc- " tion of the coast line."
" All these facts would appear to favour the conclu- " sion that the low-lands of the Malabar coast have IC been raised from beneath the sea-level by subter- " ranean forces, and that this has happened, in all «* probability in comparatively modern times."
The fact of the land between Gokurnam and Kunnya Cumari having been submerged in the ocean at one time is testified to by the Brahmanda Purana in which it is said that the holy pagoda of Gokurnam had been under water for a long time ; that certain Rishies and others interested in the pagoda went to Farasu Rama and begged him to take steps for its recovery; that Parasu Rama proceeded to Gokurnam and prevailed upon Varuna, the Neptune of the Hindus, to recede to a certain distance between Gokurnam and Cape Comorin; and that the land of Keralam was thus reclaimed.
As Parasu Rama is generally represented to have been the sole creator of the land of Keralam, it would not be uninteresting to give here a brief account of his life.
PARASU RAMA.
EABLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCOBE. 19
According to the Brahmanda Purana, this celebrated Brahman was a descendant of the renowned Rishi Bhrigu and is beheved to have been the sixth incarna- tion of Vishnu. He is said to have been born in the second age of Thretha Yugam in a hermitage on the banks of the river Nurbuda. His father was a sacred devotee named Jamadagni. His mother's name was Renuka. Jamadagni had five sons of whom Kama was the youngest. While the whole family was living comfortably in the hermitage during Kama's minority, a sad event disturbed their quiet and peaceful life.
One day Jamadagni left his hermitage to procure
things for his devotional services, while Renuka left it
to bring water from the neighbouring river Nurbuda.
Jamadagni returned, but did not find his wife as usual.
He grew angry at her absence. After a while, Renuka
returned, and on being questioned, she confessed that
she was detained at the bank of the river Nurbuda by
seeing the reflection in the water of a Gandharvan
(Genii) called Chithrangaden, passing through the air.
The shape of the spirit was so beautiful that she was
tempted to have a moment's look at the shadow and
thus a little time was lost. At this declaration of his
wife's weakness, the enraged Rishi was so vexed that
he resolved on her immediate death and calling his
sons one by one before him, ordered them to kill their.
mother, but four of them refused on the plea that the
Law prohibits the killing of a female and further that
in this case the female was their mother. But Rama,
on being ordered, declared that nothing would prevent
him from obeying his father. So saying he cut off
Renuka' s head at once. When Renuka fell on the
ground, Jamadagni was exceedingly pleased with the
prompt obedience shown by his youngest son and said
to Rama that he might ask for anything which he
liked and that he would have it immediately. Rama
said that he wished to see his mother restored to
life without loss of time. Jamadagni, being a Rishi
who had gained the blessings of God by his devotions,
prayed to the All-powerful Being for the resuscitation
20 EAELY HISTORY OP TRAVANC0RE.
chap, of Renuka and God vouchsafed life to her at once. L Kama was delighted and they all lived comfortably for some time more.
Subsequently, Rama was sent by his parents to the hermitage of his great-grandfather Bhrigu, to be edu- cated in the Vedas and other literature. Here he spent some time to complete his education and af- terwards, acting upon the advice of that venerable sage, Rama proceeded to the Himalayas to meditate on the deity Siva. Here he spent many years in meditation and penance. These devotional exercises pleased Siva, who appeared to Rama in person, con- ferred on him all sorts of blessings and directed him to visit all the holy places on the face of the earth which Rama did and returned to the Himalayas where he resumed his devotional meditations. While Rama was thus engaged, & war broke out between the Devas and the Asuras. The former, being defeated and driven out of Swarga, went to Siva and represented their grievances. Whereupon, Rama was sent for and Siva asked him to assist the Devas giving him' all necessary instructions as to the mode of conducting the war and the use of various weapons. Siva pre- sented him with a battle-axe called Parasu and from this day Rama was called Parasu Rama. He proceeded to the war, with great energy fought against the Asuras and gained a decisive victory. The Devas, as well as Siva were extremely pleased with Parasu Rama and conferred upon him the choicest blessings. Parasu Rama again repaired to the Himalaya mountains and recommenced his devotional penance. A considerable time afterwards, Siva, having been exceedingly pleased with Parasu Rama, paid a visit to him and presented him with a supernatural chariot and an arrow which were to appear before him whenever he wanted them. Parasu Rama entrusted these to Siva's own attendants, Kundodaren and Mahodren. Thus, having obtained all his wishes, and his wants being supplied, Parasu Rama left the Himalayas and came to his great-grand- father Bhrigu. There he spent some time, and then
EAELY HISTORY OP TRAVANCORE. 21
returned to his parents on the banks of the Nurbuda, chap. "where the family were living together comfortably. l Now, Karthaveerarjuna, the king of Hehaya came to the neighbouring forests on a hunting excursion and being fatigued entered the hermitage for a little re- freshment. Jamadagni, Parasu Rama's father, enter- tained the party, and on the departure of the king: on the next Wring, he took a fancy to the Bishi'! cow called Kamadhenu. This the king informed his minister, who resolved to get the animal at any risk. He sent a messenger to ask Jamadagni to sell the cow to the king* On his refusing to part with it, a party of soldiers was despatched to the hermitage and they took the cow by force. Thereupon a severe struggle ensued between Jamadagni and the king's men, in which the Bishi was killed. Parasu Rama was absent from the hermitage at the time. On his return he had the mortification of seeing his father's body mutilated and lifeless and his mother and brothers weeping. When the mother saw Parasu Kama, she beat her breast with her hand twenty-one times. Bhrigu divining the state of affairs in his relatives' family, immediately repaired to the scene and on carefully examining the body of Jamadagni, he found that life was not extinct and by the aid of certain • medicines Jamadagni was restored to life. Parasu Rama after- wards proceeded to Karthaveerarjuna's capital, and standing at the Palace gate, with his Parasu, bow and arrow, sent a message to the effect that the king should give an explanation of his cruel conduct in ill-using a Brahman and forcibly taking away his property. At the same time he asked him to restore the cow and seek the pardon of the venerable Brahman for the outrage he had committed and in case of his refusing to do so to meet Parasu Rama in single combat.
The king, when he heard of this proposal, sneered at such a ridiculous menace and ordered his guards to drive away the Brahman. The guards were, however, killed by Parasu Rama, whereat the king grew angry and equipped himself to meet Parasu Rama. A severe
22 EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
chap, and sanguinary battle ensued and Arjuna was defeated l' and slain.
Afterwards, five of Arjuna's sons, who survived him met Kama in battle. When they were about to fall victims to Rama's Parasu, they, under divine inspira- tion, put down their weapons and besought Parasu Rama's pardon, promising to give up the cow and make full reparation for the wrongs doneMiy their father.
Parasu Rama after restoring the cow to his parents, retired to the Himalayas and resumed his penitential exercises. In his absence, the then reigning king, one of the sons of the late king Karthaveera of Hehaya, happened to pass by the Nurbuda, and casting his eyes on the hermitage of Jamadagni, enquired whose property it was, and he was told that it belonged to Jamadagni. On hearing the name, the king entered the hermitage sword in hand and meeting Jamadagni severed his head from his body at one blow, and on the funeral pile of Jamadagni perished Renuka, Parasu Rama's motW. * P
Some time afterwards, Parasu Rama returned from the Himalayas and learning the fate of his parents set out for the country of the Hehayas, and in order to fulfil his vow, proceeded with his bloody axe to continue the work of destroying the Kshatria kings. After going one round and finishing his work of destruction, he retired to do penance again. He repeated these deeds twenty-One times.
It is also said that on the last occasion he collected all the Kshatria kings at a place called Kurukshetram and having beheaded the whole of them he performed certain ceremonies with their blood for the salvation of the souls of his parents !
After this, Parasu Rama retired to the Mahendra Mountains, and performed penance for some time. He then went round the earth three times and returned to the hill of Mahendra, where he performed the Aswa- medha sacrifice and many other religious ceremonies.
EARLY HISTOBY OP TBAVANCOBE. 23
While at Mahendra, Kasyapa and other Rishies visited him and he consulted them as to the best means of expiation for the sin of killing his own mother and the Kshatria race. Acting upon their advice, he gave up the whole of the conquered lands to the Brahmans. Parasu Kama then continued his religious penance in a grotto of the Mahendra hills, and there passed many ages.
During the interval, certain peculiar circumstances occurred which caused a sudden rise of the ocean, and the sacred shrine of Gokurnam, together with several other remarkable shrines on this coast were sub- merged in the ocean, as has been already mentioned. The Rishies interested in these sacred places repaired to Parasu Rama and besought his help in recovering the sacred buildings. Rama came to Gokurnam, and after making arrangements with Varuna, flung his wooden sacrificial spoon, thus causing the sea to recede from Gokurnam up to Cape Comorin.
Parasu Rama then invited the Brahmans, who having received grants of lands were located in sixty-four gramams. He invited other castes also from foreign countries to occupy his new land, restored the sove- reignty of the original Chera, and after living on the coast for a long time, retired to his grotto on the Mahendra hills, where he is supposed to be still living.
The time occupied in the establishment of Keralam as well as the exact period of Parasu Rama's abode in this land are not exactly ascertainable from any accounts in the Purana. The period mentioned in the Kerala Ulppathy is fifty thousand years.
The labors of Parasu Rama, in re-establishing Ke- ralam and peopling the country between Cape Comorin and Gokurnam, and his oth|XJiCCU4XaJiQa^^e described in detail in a work called Jterala JfrahatmyS
This work, which consists of one hundred and five Chapters, is an interesting one, but the narratives recorded are like those in the Puranas, intermingled with exaggerations and romances, so that it requires
24 EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
chap, no small amount of discriminative power to strip it of L its poetical embellishments.
This work corroborates the above facts. In it we find it stated that Parasu Rama, after founding Ke- ralam, invited Brahmans from the north to settle in the country which he divided into sixty-four gra- mams; that he ordained several grades of Brah- manical heads ; consecrated numerous shrines between Gokurnam and Cape Comorin ; and that the superin- tendence of each pagoda was entrusted to a Samuntha (Soma Kshatria called " Kovil Adhikarikal," i. e.9 manager of pagoda) . After finishing almost all his works, and consecrating the Temple at Sreevardhanapuram (Padmanabhapuram), Parasu Rama invited a Soma Kshatria (certainly a member of the family of the king of Chera since there were no other Soma Kshatria kings then close at hand) named Bhanu Vicrama and three of his brothers, the last being named Kulasekharen, and assembling the Brahmans of the sixty-four gramams, declared to them that the capital of his newly reclaimed country, between Cape Comorin and Gokurnam, shall be Sreevurdhanapuram (Padmanabhapuram) near Sree- valumcode (Thiroovithancode and Veera Keralapu- ram) ; that Bhanu Vicrama shall be the king over his land of Keralam, and that he was then placed on a throne of gold set with gems and had holy water and pearls poured over his head. Parasu Rama then giv- ing him his own sword, together with many royal privileges, styled him king of the land between Cape Comorin and Gokurnam. A gold coin, called Rasi, was then minted and made over to the king for circu- lation as the currency throughout his dominions. One of the three brothers of this king was stationed at I Gokurnam. This was the king of Kolathnaud who l ruled South Canara under the designation of Cola. It is also stated that a long time afterwards, Parasu Rama personally crowned Bhanu Vicrama's nephew, Adithya Vicrama, at Sree Vurdhanapuram, presenting him with a sword as bright as the sun, and nominating eight ministers under him.
• *»eza***r urmi maohM.
EABLY HISTORY OF TEAVANCOBE. 25
It is likewise stated that latterly, Parasu Rama took a great interest in TTdaya Vurmah, the head of the Cola Royal family, who was called the Northern Perumal, and made him the king of North Kerala, that a relative of TTdaya Vurmah, who was in charge of a separate portion of the Cola country, became a Bhuddist, and built several temples and lived apart from the Royal family ; that the Jihuddist king pro- ceeded to Mecca and died there; that his funeral rites having been accidentally performed by one of the females of his house the Brahmans excommuni- cated the whole family with which King TJdaya Vurmah was connected, whereupon Parasu Rama, consulting the great sage Narada, instructed TTdaya Vurmah to perform the great ceremony called Hirannya Garb- ham, by constructing a golden cow and a silver bull, each weighing hundred thousand f anams (about ninety fcs.), to perform certain ceremonies, and to distribute gold and silver among the Brahmans; that Parasu Rama instituted a national ceremony called Mahamak- ham1 and performed it with great splendour at Thiru- nawaye on the banks of the Bharathapulay (a river running to the south-west of Shoranore) : that when the Brahmans of the sixty-four gramams and the chiefs and petty rajahs of the country between Cape Comorin and Gokurnam were assembled at that place, the first seat in the assembly was assigned to Kulasekhara Perumal, king of Travancore, and the next to TJdaya Vurmah of Kolathnaud, to the latter 'being assigned the duty of the future performance of this ceremony every twelfth year. We find also that the art of war was introduced by Parasu Rama and that the kings were taught the use of various weapons; that Parasu Rama then retired from Keralam, promising the Brahmans that on an emergency, he would appear at Trichoor, should the Brahmans of the sixty-four gramams meet together, and meditate on him; that the Brahmans wanted to make a trial and Parasu Rama
1. Madras Journal of Science and Literature, No. 30, page 124.
4
/
\
26 EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
chap, appeared, but having learnt that there was no parti- L cular occasion for his being summoned, pronounced an imprecation on the Brahmans of the sixty-four gramams saying that they would never in future be able to meet there together.
This Mahatmyam is said to be an TTpa Purana, deriving its origin from Bhoogola Purana, and is in the form of a discourse between Yudhishtira and the sage Gurgga.
In " Valmiki Ramayana" we find that the emissaries of Rama were ordered to search for Seetha in Keralam also. We have now got through the second age, Thretha Yugam.
In the third age, Dwapara Yugam, the king of Kerala is often mentioned in the renowned work " Maha Bharata." The king of Kerala was as already mentioned one of the tributaries of the Emperor Yudhishtira, and during the great war, the Kerala king fought on the side of the Pandavas and died in the war. It is also said that the Pandavas, during their secret wanderings, visited Trevandrum and made several vows to the Deity Padmanabha Swamy.
During his pilgrimage, Arjuna visited Madura, where he married the daughter of the Pandyan king, and by her he had a son named Bebhruvahanen. On his way to Dwaraka, Arjuna visited Cape Comorin and Tre- vandrum and is generally believed to have consecrated a temple dedicated to the Goddess Durga on the banks of a tank, which is still called Phalgunan Kulam (Arjuna* s Tank). He is said to have visited several places in Keralam before he returned to his capital.*
In a certain Tamil poem, the author says that Bela Rama, Sree Krishna's brother, visited the Chera king- dom, and attended the coronation of the then king, crowning him with his own hand.
* W. Taylor's Historical Manuscript Translation, vol. I, p. 226.
EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORJ5. 27
Now we enter into the present age (Kali Yugam). In the early Dart of this age Bharatha Khandam (India) was under the rule of the Emperor Yudhishtira, and the king of Kerala, as heretofore, was tributary to him. After the close of Yudhishtira's reign, which is said to have ended in the 36th year of Kali, the subor- dinate relation to the succeeding emperors continued as a matter of course.
Up to the tenth century of the Kali Yugam, 48 kings [ reigned over the Chera kingdom. A list of their names has been preserved by one Kodumudi Ramalingam Kavirayer (Poet), now residing in the Erode Talook, most likely belonging to an ancient family of poets formerly attached to the Chera king's court.
This list shows that these kings reigned fe06^years in the Kali Yugam. The 8th, 17th, 26th Ifea 48th names in the list being unintelligible, are omitted, and the rest are the following : —
1, Yadukula Cheren ; 2, Vamsothunga Cheren ;
3, Manumurainatatha Cheren; 4, Veeraprathapa
Cheren ; 5, Vikramaheswara Cheren ; 6, Ripukulak-
sheya Cheren ; 7, Samasardoola Cheren ; 8 — 9, Puli-
kotiparitha Cheren; 10, Ellaikarakanda Cheren;
11, Rajagambheera Cheren; 12, Rajamarthanda
Cheren ; 13, Raja Rajeswara Cheren ; 14, Rajaprathapa
Cheren ; 15, Munril Maniyitta Cheren; 16, Mummur-
thi Cheren; 17 — 18, Ananthaguna Cheren; 19, Vamsa
Paripala Cheren; 20, Mangalakara Cheren; 21,
Dhana Vishthara Cheren ; 22, Varagunotpala Cheren ;
23, Asramanilayitta Cheren ; 24, Anubhuthi Cheren ;
25, Ava Cheren ; 26 — 27, Sivapada Sikhara Cheren ;
28, Tiruneetu Cheren ; 29, Eludisa Cheren ; 30, Mai-
S>rul; 31, Banarku Nidhi Thantha Cheren; 32, haskara Bhanu Cheren ; 33, Aksheya Pathra Cheren ; 34, Siva Dharmottama Raja Cheren; 35, Sivanesa Cheren; 36, Sivotpala Cheren; 37, Daivakunjara Cheren; 38, Sindhuvarunya Cheren; 39, Thrikedara Cheren ; 40, Thridesaranga Cheren; 41, Athulaprathapa Cheren; 42, Aganithakeerthiprathapa Cheren; 43,
ir
28 EAELY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
chap. Veera Bajendra Cheren; 44, Bheemeswara Cheren ; 45, L Nirmala Cheren; 46, Panchakshara Cheren; 47, Kantabharana Cheren ; 48.
The above sound more like regal titles than the real names of kings.
In the 28th Prabhava year i. e., 1860 of the Kali Yugam there waa born at Tbiruvanjicolam, in the month of Masi, Thursday, Punar Poosham Asterism, one of the most celebrated of the Chera kings, Kulasekhara Perumal, of the royal family of Chera. His father was Kshatria Dhrida Yrita, Maha Rajah. Kulasekhara was installed when he passed his minority and became Kulasekhara Perumal. He is also known by the titles of " Kolly Kavalan," " Chalpi Kon," and " Kukuda Puradheesen."
Kulasekhara Perumal unlike his predecessors evinced a very extraordinary attachment to his reli- gion. After ruling the kingdom for some years he abdicated in favour of his heir, and became a Vaishnava devotee, and added Alwar to his name, a common epithet of Vishnu, as shown above. He was from that time known as Kulasekhara Alwar and Kulasekhara Thiru Adikel.
He set out on a pilgrimage to all the renowned Vishnu shrines, especially Thripathi and Sreerangam, where he commenced preaching the Vaishava religion. He was known as a great Vaishava devotee and had numer- ous followers. He was also a poet and composed numerous hymns in praise of Vishnu at various Vishnu Temples, especially at Thripathi, Sreerangam, Thirumala, Alwar Kovil, Ayodhya, Thiruvithoocode, Van Purushothaman, Thrikkannapuram, Thillai and Thrichithrakoodam.
Kulasekhara Perumal Alwar lived to the age of 57, and was deified at his residence in the Brahmadesam Talook of the Tinnevelly district. His body was interred inside the Mannar Kovil Pagoda and the Vishnuites consider him to be a saint. His image is cut in granite and is placed in the Pagoda close to the
KULASEKHARA ALWAR.
EABLY HISTORY OF TBAVANCORE. 29
image of Vishnu where poojas and other religious rites chap. are performed along with those to the deity to the L present day. His image has also been consecrated and placed for public worship in several other Vishnu Pagodas. This saint was highly respected by the kings of Pandya and Chola. Several inscriptions, containing the terms of grants allotted for poojas and other ceremonies to this saint, are to be found on the walls of the Mannar Kovil Temple. There are also copper sasanams in the possession of persons attached to that temple.
Though many of the works composed by Kula- sekhara Alwar are now extinct, still there is a sacred hymn called Thiruvamoli in existence which is printed and published in Tamil and which the Vaishnavas reverence as Christians do the Holy Bible.
The correct name of the successor of this venerablq sovereign as well as of many others of his line cannot be found but that the monarchy continued to rule its Chera possessions is a fact supported by traditions and several works.
In continuing our researches, we find that the rule of Vicramadithya is said to have ended in the three thousand one hundred and seventy-ninth year of the Kali Yugam. In the Bhavishyat Purana, the ninth in the list of Puranas, it was predicted in the eleventh chapter, that Vicramadithya will be born one thousand years after the commencement of the Kali Yugam, and will live to rule, by the divine blessing, for 2000 years ; that Dheera Kerala Vurmah, king of Keralam, will be a contemporary of Vicramadithya and that that king will rule Keralam with great vigour and success.
Now from this prediction, we may conclude that Vicramadithya was born in the Kali year 1179, and that there were kings of Chera during that great monarch's reign.
It will be seen from the Bevd. W. Taylor's manu- script translation already alluded to that some of the Pandyan kings who ruled Madura hundreds of years
30 EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
chap, subsequent to the reign of Vicramadithya, Salivahana L and Bhoja, had jurisdiction over the Chera and Chola kings and that " Veer a Vurmah Pandyan inherited the Pandyan kingdom and reigned forty years. He con- quered the Malayalam (or Sera) country and other E laces, and derived tribute from them." Thus we ave now come down to above 4000 years in the Kali Yugam, in our narrative relating to the Chera dynasty, which, in a great measure, is buried in obscurity, both in regard to chronology as well as to its successive rulers, and in their attempts to throw light on what is obscure many writers have been baffled. Our endeavours, however, have not been totally abortive.
The policy of the Chera kings would appear to have been peace at any price and their policy and avocations were decidedly more of a commercial than of a warlike nature.
Though there were continual feuds between Chola and Chera, and occasional misunderstandings and quarrels with Pandya, Chera appears to have been of a peaceable disposition and during any great struggle, retired to his Kerala possessions, which always afforded him an asylum from its peculiar situation, it being a well known fact that south Kerala is the only province in India which has escaped foreign invasion.
It is seen that the Malayalam country afforded an asylum to the Pandyan king whenever his kingdom was invaded by his enemies. And it is perhaps in consequence of this, and their friendly relations, that Chera is confounded with Pandya by some persons, and the one taken for the other. These are the two kingdoms known to the earliest European travellers.
Ptolomey the author of Periplus, Marco Polo, Strabo, and other early writers, allude to these two kingdoms as existing in the Peninsula of India.
The Chera dynasty continued in power, though constantly engaged in warfare with its neighbours Pandya and Chola, till central Chera was overrun
EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE. 31
by the Konga Rajahs ; the original dynasty of Chera chap. then finally retired to its southern possessions, and L joined the family residing in the south (Travancore). Many seem to suppose that Konga is identical with Chera, but in our opinion it is not. For these two dynasties, Konga and Chera, are separate families. The Kongas having invaded and ruled over a part of Chera, came to be considered as the kings of Chera itself ; but several local and circumstantial facts prove the absurdity of this supposition.
The very word Konga will show that that dynasty had its origin in the north about Concan.
The names of the kings of the Konga dynasty greatly differ from those of the Chera. The names and titles of the kings of the former dynasty are so unlike those of the Cheras, that it is impossible to suppose that Malla Deva, Trivicrama Deva, Kumara Deva, Givuda Deva, &c, men with titles mostly of Canarese origin were kings of Chera.
It is also noteworthy that the name Kongani Vurmah is often applied to the Konga kings, and not even once to the Cheras. The word Kongani, we find, is used in naming the inhabitants of Concan; for instance, the whole community who emigrated from Canara to Malabar and settled at Cochin, Alleppy, &c, &c., is called Kongani.
All the great deeds, sasanams, as well as stone inscriptions of this early period given by Chera kings, begin with Sree Veera Kerala Chakravarthy, or Chera Marven Thribhuvana Chakravarthy, while all the Konga deeds of grants, &c., begin with Sree Veera Baya Chakravarthy.
The word Raya, which appears along with the names of all Konga kings and which does not even in a single instance appear with the names of either the Kerala or Chera kings, is an additional proof of the former being Canarese. The word also often occurs in the names of the people of the north Canarese and Telugu countries. The king of Chera has for his title
32 EAELY HISTORY OF TRAVANCOKE.
chap. Kulasekhara Perumal, which is a title borne by the *' Mandala kings as already said, but such an appellation could scarcely be found in other countries or in that part of the Cnera country which was assumed by the Konga Rajakal.
It is also to be observed that in the southern part of Chera, no Konga inscriptions are to be found in any of the temples or other places, while there are many inscriptions connected £ith the Chera grants. That Chera and Konga are not one, has been main- tained by the Bevd. Mr. Taylor in his addendum to the translation of the Konga Desa Rajakal.*
This conclusion is supported by the statement of Cumper, a Tamil Poet, attached to the court of Chola, who flourished in the 7th century and who is the author of the popular Tamil work called Cumper Ramayana. This Poet defines the boundaries of the Chera and Konga possessions separately in his poem, and states that Chera is the kingdom which lies between Pulney, Thencasi, Calicut, and the sea extending over an area of eight hundred miles, while Konga, he points out to be a smaller one, extending to 120 miles and situated within the limits of Thalamalah, Vygavoor, Vallikunnu and Kulithalay.
These two dynasties had their separate capitals; Chera having Salem, Thiruavanasii Chera Maha Devi, Valliyoor Kalacaud, &c, in the south Sreevalumcode (Travancore) and Thiruvananthapuram (Trevandrum) Kolicode (Calicut) &c, in the west. The Konga had Scandapuram or Talicaud or Dalavapuram for its capitals. The Revd. W. Taylor observes in his criti- cism of Mr. Dowson, "that the boundaries given "by Professor Wilson and quoted from Dowson (Des. " data. Int., p. 62) may be allowed to pass as a general " approximation, only supposing that Chera and Kon- "ganaud, have been at some period one. It begs "however the question, because it proceeds on the
* Madras Journal of Literature and Science, Vol. 7.
EABLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCOBE. 33
" assumption, in the catalogue, that the Konga Desa chap. "Rajakal is a history of the Chera Rajahs; which L " I submit it is not ; but only of a few rulers of " Konganaud before the latter was conquered by " the Chola kings. I cannot submit to Dr. Francis " Buchanan's authority, unless I were assured that he " too has not confounded Konganaud and Chera Desa "together."
A further proof is the caste of the two dynasties. The Konga Rajahs belong to the Reddy caste, while the Chera kings are Kshatrias ; a fact to be borne in mind, as we shall have to speak of it hereafter.
Konga, we see, was conquered by the Cholas, Oissallas, Hari Hara Raya dynasty and Veeranara- singa Raya dynasty. And in the thirteenth and four- teenth centuries A.D., we find that the Konga kings Narasinga II., (1237 — 1278) and Hari Hara Raya, (1367 — 1391) exacted tribute from the m Chera or Kerala kings. This proves that the Chera dynasty had not become extinct, but that it existed in its southern possessions of Kerala (Travancore) in the 13th and 14th centuries, and retained the name Chera. The list of sovereigns in the Travancore calendar also bears testimony to this fact.
The remnant of the Chera kingdom appears to be then extended to the Mysore Frontier on the north, the District of Salem on the east, the Travancore coast up to Calicut on the north-west, as described by Mr. Dowson in his account of Chera. This was the latter kingdom of Chera called Travancore, in our opinion.
It must have been at this period that the old Chera was finally incorporated with Travancore and its ori- ginal name Chera forgotten.
Now .Chera is generally recognized as Kerala or Travancore. Many eminent, ancient and modern authors indiscriminately use the one for the other. In his manuscript translation Mr. Taylor often writes
5
34 EARLY HISTORY OP TRAVANCORE.
ohap. Chera for Travanoore* and vice versa. In the collec- .J^ tions from the Asiatic Journals, page 484, the same use of the term is made. Other facts can be adduced in favor of this view.
Almost all the southern possessions of Chera were included in the Travancore dominions till their con- quest by the Madura rulers, and from them by the Carnatic Nabob. Several pagodas in Erode, Coimba- tore and Tinnevelly which were once in the kingdom of Chera have still inscriptions on their granite walls commemorating the names of Chera, and Travancore kings ; and besides, there is still a village called " Chera Maha Devi" in the Ambasamudram Talook of the Tinnevelly District, where we see, to the present day, the site on which the Chera long's palace once stood. In this locality, there are also villages built and presented to Brahmans by the Chera kings and in the possession of the descendants of the original reci- pients, deeds of grants are to be found.
In Chera Maha Devi, Thencasi, KaJacaud, Thrikanan- kudy, Valliyoor, &c, the Travancore Rajahs resided up to the seventeenth century, a fact clearly proved by documents and inscriptions.
Though there are numerous inscriptions of earlier dates in almost all the renowned pagodas between Coimbatore and Tinnevelly, we shall notice a few of the later ones, as our object is to prove the amalga- mated state of Chera with Travancore, and its conti- nuance in that condition : —
1. An inscription on the inner stone- wall of the Chera Maha Devi Pagoda, dated Malayalam or Kollum year 614 (1439 A.D.) commemorating a grant by the Travancore King Chera Oodiah Marthanda Vurmah to the pagoda at that place while the grantee was residing in the Chera Maha Devi palace.
* Pandya Desam is the Madura country ; Sera Desam the Travail* core and Malayalam country.
Taylor's Manuscripts Translation, Vol. L, page 51.
EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE, 35
" 2- iS^d! On the large bell at% Thrikanankudy, caap. denoting that the bell was presented by the Travan--< core king Adithiya Vurmah.
" &> sra Commemorating a grant to the pagoda fcy king Marthanda Vurmah while residing in the Veera Pandyan Palace at Kalacaud.
" *• iS> *£d. Commemorating a grant of land to the pagoda at Mannarkovil by the same king Marthanda vurmah, and also making provisions for lighting a lamp in the palace where the king's uncle died.*
" 5. JS ^* Commemorating a grant of land to the pagoda of Chera Chola Pandyswaram in Thrikaloor near Alwar Tinnevelly, by Marthanda Vurmah, Rajah of Travancore."
We have already said that the king of Travancore is styled " Thiruadikel" (sacred feet) to denote his sanctity, and his kingdom " Vanavanaud" (abode of Devas) which was corrupted into Venaud, a term now commonly used for Travancore. The antiquity of this appellation " Thiruadi" is seen from a copper plate in the possession of a Brahman in the village of Chera Maha Devi, one of the old capitals of the Chera king. The history of this plate runs thus : It would seem that a Telugu Brahman, commonly known by the name of Kunnadia, received a donation of a large number of gold coins from the Maha Rajah Prathapa Rudra of Veloor ; that this Brahman, by the advice of the sage Agastyar, who resided on a hill in Thiruadi Desam (Travancore), built an anicut (still in existence) across the Thambraverni river, and opened an irrigation canal from that spot to the extent of about twenty-one miles ; that with the surplus money he built a sathram at Chera Maha Devi for feeding a certain number of Brahmans daily; and that he
* It is customary in the royal family to keep a lamp continually burning for a long time in the room where the reigning king breathed his last.
36 EABLT HISTORY OP TEAVANCOEE.
ohap. appointed the holder of the copper plate as the per- petual manager of that institution.
A copy of the copper sasanum in question was pro- cured by us. It purports to have been executed by Narayanappaya of the Kunnadian family of Bharad- waja Gothram (line) of Brahmans, professing the Big Veda, and who received a donation called Kalapurusha Danum from Maha Rajah Ga jap at hi Prathapa Budra Bayer, who reigned at Veloor ; that he, the recipient, resolving to perform some charity with the money proceeded to Thrippathi, and on invoking Vencata- chala Swamy, obtained that deity's blessing and in accordance with the commands of the swamy, he repaired to the southern kingdom called Thiruadi Desam (Travancore country) where on the Malaya- chala mountain, he met the sage Agastyar by whose order he excavated an irrigation canal for the bene- fit of the Brahmans: with the surplus money he resolved to institute a sathram for the daily feeding of Brahmans and accordingly constructed a building on the southern banks of the Thambraverni, and on the western side of Chera-Maha-Devi — Alakiyappen Swamy Kovil: Narayana Pillay, the son of Gopala Pillay, Brahman of Sreevatsa Gothram (line), profess- ing the Yajur Veda, and residing in the old village or Brahman hamlet, built by Cheren Perumal Rajah, was entrusted with the management of this sathram, a perpetual grant being made to Narayana Pillay by this copper plate document, executed on Thursday, Shra- wava asterism, Punchami Aushada month, Sowmmya Nama year of Kali 3342, (242 A.D.) for the mainte- nance of the sathram of certain lands purchased for 2587 Kali Yuga Ramen* Madura vella f anams, together with nine slaves of the soil at the rate of one hundred and thirty five-fanams accompanied by a scale of the daily expenditure to be made and mentioning a fixed sum as remuneration to the Superintendent Narayana Pillay.
* One Kali Yuga Ramen fanam is still the currency of Travancore.
EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE. 37
The antiquity of this plate may be proved by the chap. wording of the inscription. A Brahman is not called L now-a-days PiUay, whereas such a term was used in ancient times.
To this sathram, pepper was to be supplied from Travancore as that spice was a produce of that country and could not be obtained without the king's permis- sion. It was given gratis, and in the year 970 M.E. (1795 A.D.), three years previous to his death, the old Rama Rajah ordered a commutation price of one hundred and eighty Kali fanams to be paid to the sathram, which sum is paid to the present time.
Thus we have traced the history of the Travancore dynasty in an unbroken line, from the earliest period, and brought it down through all the four Yugams.
Ignorant of the foregoing history, and dwelling exclusively on local and untrustworthy information, many seem to have labored under mistaken ideas and have been misleading the public as to the antiquity and origin of Travancore, its dynasty, its caste, and its position amongst the present Hindu rulers of Southern India.
In narrating the ancient history of this peculiarly remarkable kingdom, in chronological order, various particulars have been left out, and as such may be interesting to the reader, and may tend to dissipate many false impressions, we shall go back to the earliest period once more.
The general impression in regard to the dynasty of Travancore appears to be that it is the creation of Cheraman Perumal, and that the kingdom was his gift to one of his sons named Veera Keralen from whom the dynasty originated. But no authentic accounts can be found to support this view in any reliable work.
Kerala Ulppathy is the only work which gives any information regarding the kingdom of Keralam, but the greater portion of this work seems to have been derived from Kerala Mahatmyam.
V
I
38 EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
Kerala Ulppathy was composed by Thunchathu Ramanujen, commonly known as Bamen Eluthashan, who flourished about the seventeenth century of the Christian Era. This work, like many other MaJayalam productions of this renowned author, is a compilation from the Mahatmayam above alluded to.
The original compilation of the author must have had several interpolations and changes made in it, especially as there appear now-a-days copies of several Kerala Ulppathies written in different styles, and each differing from the other in its account of Kerala. In such interpolations, numerous discrepancies and glaring mistakes are visible, for we find the interpolators, in their anxiety to prove the correctness of their accounts, confusing occurrences ofnaedem with those of ancient days. For instance, 0haramaij) Eerumal, who lived and ruled in the f our^r^ceBtury jjO^'f as recorded even in the version of the Kerala U ippathy itself, and corroborated by Cona Thoma, an eye wit- ness, is said to have fought with Anagoondy Krishna Row of Beejnuggur. The Beejnuggur dynasty flou- rished, or rather came into power, only in the ninth century A.D., while Krishna Rayer ruled Southern India in the sixteenth century.
Besides, in this work, many events of Parasu Rama's
?eriod have been introduced as if they occurred in the 'erumal period.
It is obvious that^ on such a work as the Kerala Ulppathy, little reliance can be placed. But, however, we will try to sift out the trustworthy portion of its contents, and chromcle briefly the origin of the Perumal period.
It would appear that after the retirement of Parasu Rama from Keralam, the Brahmans rose in power, shook off the yoke of the Kerala kings and commenced their own rule within the limits of their sixty-four gramams. In the first century B.C., the people of the sixty-four gramams convened a congress and after holding a consultation, resolved to establish four
EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE. 39
divisions of their gramams, called Kalakams which oaip, division they denominated — Parinchaloor, Payennoor, * Parppoor and Chenganiyoor respectively. Thus, the Brahimanical possession within the gramams was ruled for a very long time. But owing to dissension amongst them, anarchy and misrule prevailed, and the Brah- mans again resolved to have a President called Bakshapumshen, appointed to each of these four Kalakams, for a term of three years. This form of rule continued for a considerably long period, and these Presidents who were also called Numpies (trustees), were paid at the rate of one-sixth of the produce of the land. But considering that they had each only three years tenure of office they availed themselves of their position to amass wealth for them- selves and thus brought on ruinous results. The Brahman community finally resolved to introduce a system of elective Government and to appoint a ruler for a term of twelve years, but disputes having arisen at the election, they at last determined to apply to the king Cheren or Keralen and so proceeded to Ceyapu- ram (Coimbatore) and brought from thence a Viceroy called Ceya Perumal to Keralam.
The name of this Perumal, the Kerala Ulppathy says, was " Gheraman Keralen" a Kshatria, and he was the king of Malanaud (Malay alam). The date of his installation is said in the work, according to a certain astronomical mode of^oalculation, to have been in the Kali year 3316 (^gJA^.D.) m It further observes that in all twenty-five Pemimals ruled over Keralam. The last Perumal finishedVhis rule as stated in this work, in Kali year 3528 (*28)A.D.) and so the J*eru- mal period we may considers have been tg^hundre and twelve years.
Even in the Kerala Ulppathy, it is not said that the Travanoore dynasty was descended, from the Perumal or that the kingdom of Travancore was a gift from Cheraman to the present dynasty, neither does it say that the king of Travancore Ttfas a Sudra. We
"S*.
40 EARLY HISTOBY OF TEAVANCOEE.
ohap. wonder therefore how, and upon what authority, the !^ authors of the " Land of the Perumals" and the " Land of' Charity' ' and other learned writers state that the Rajah of Travancore is a Sudra. If these authors will but search the Sanscrit works, wherein an account of Kerala or even' of any other kingdoms in Southern India is given, they will be obliged to acknowledge that they are in the wrong as no mention is made therein as regards the caste of the Travancore sovereigns except that they are Soma Vamsa Kshatrias.
In the Kerala Ulppathy itself will be found, on care- ful examination, that the Travancore and Kolathnaud dynasties were in existence at the close of Cheraman's rule, and that Cheraman had simply recognized those dynasties but did not make a grant of the kingdom to them.
In the days of Parasu Rama and during the sway of the Travancore Kulasekhara Perumals as Emperors of Keralam, sgvgral local chieftains appear to have been nominated, partly by Parasu Hama Mmself, and partly by the Kerala emperor to assist him in the adminis- tration. So these chieftains were all holding their various possessions at the beginning of the Perumal viceroyalty.
The very fact of the Brahmans asking for a Viceroy from the king of Chera and that monarch appointing a Eemmial (a member of his own family) as Viceroy, ^ov^ that the king: of Chera was the legitimate owner of Keralam. y$ $ \
Kerala Ulppathy mentions the names of Pandya and Chola Perumals at intervals acting as Viceroys during the Viceregal period of two hundred and odd years • This may be correct, as there had been often wars between Chera, Chola and Pandya, and these three kingdoms have been ruled alternately by those powers, and hence, perhaps the cause of the appointment of Viceroys from those kingdoms. Though there have been such changes of rule in the Chera country, the title of the Viceroys in Keralam was unchanged
(
EABLY HISTORY OP TRAVANCORE. 41
all along, as will be seen from the fact that the first chap. and last Perumals retained the title of "Cheraman ^J^^ Perumals" they being members of the Chera royal family, for, as said above, the Kerala Ulppathy states that the first Perumal was from Ceyapuram (Uoimba- tore), and his name was " Cheraman Keralan" and that he was a Kshatria. The name of the last Cheraman Perumal was Bhaskara Revi Yurmah also a Kshatria by caste. Revi Vurmah and Kerala Vurmah are names borne generally by the members of the Tra- vancore royal family. In the Cochin Rajah's family, which is believed to be descended from the last Perumal, such names are also commonly found.
Neither the Kerala Ulppathy nor any other work shows that the Travancore sovereign had ever been subject to the rule of the Perumals. On the other hand, the Perumals considered the sovereigns of Travancore as their superior authority.
Local and traditional information appears to have misled a good Sanscrit scholar, Pachu Moothathu, alluded to in the Preface ; he has fallen into an error, as it would seem from his small pamphlet in the Malayalam language published by him in the Malaya- lam year 1043, wherein he says that the kingdom of Travancore was established under the auspices of Cheraman Perumal, that it was given as a gift to his son Veera Kerala Vurmah by his third wife in the Kali year 3412 (311 A.D.), and that since then the kingdom flourished. If he had only taken the trouble he would have found that Cheraman Perumal was installed in his vice-regal office not before the Kali year 3445, as has been shown. We do not know upon what authority our author has arrived at such an extraordinary conclusion. We have already shown that the kingdom of Travancore was in existence on the advent of the Perumals. The author appears to be laboring under a mistaken idea when he asserts that Cheraman Perumal is an individual title and that he was a king. He seems to have been ignorant of the
6
42 EAELT HISTORY OF TRAVANCOBE.
chap, fact that Cheraman Perumal is the name of the x* w Viceroy sent out to Keralam by the king of Chera to govern his Kerala Province. The only inference one can draw from the author's erroneous statement is that he, like many other Sanscrit and Tamil authors of Southern India and especially of Keralam, derived his data, in composing his work, from local and I hearsay information, embellishing it with ideas and ' statements supplied by his own imagination, a practice common among Sanscrit authors.
In Keralam, Cheraman Perumal was reckoned as the greatest and the most powerful emperor in the realm. He was a pure Kshatria of the solar race and to con- nect a royal family with such a personage was thought to be the highest honor in Keralam as was the case with the Cochin royal family. Consequently, under such an impression, our author must have composed his work. The Sanscrit scholars in Keralam generally begin their education from their earliest years. After mastering a little Grammar, they are taught the Kavyems, i. e.9 poetical compositions founded upon the Puranas. In this study, they are made to pay attention to Grammar and none at all to facts. Prom Kavyem, the scholar turns to the study of the Natakum, Drama- tical works, and afterwards to the Alumkaram and Tharkam, Logic and Rhetoric. When these studies are over, the scholar considers that he has completed his Sanscrit education and is perfect in all knowledge. He then begins to compose Shlokams (stanzas), not on facts, but simply upon fiction, as his ideas suggest to him. Acquiring at the same time a Puranic mow- ledge, he tries to become an author, and begins to write basing all his conclusions on his own fancies, while he is utterly ignorant of Geography or History. He draws profusely on the Puranic accounts of animals speaking, horses drawing chariots in the air, or going on wings in the firmament, and so forth. He is unable to speak as to historic facts which every man of intelligence ought to know, neither can he say how far the land he lives in, extends, and what nations
EAELT HISTORY OF TEAVANCOBB. 43
inhabit the various countries of the world. But he chap. is able to tell in a minute the names of the fifty-six L kingdoms in the Bharatha Khandam. He would also repeat the names of the kings who ruled those king- doms in the past three Yugams (ages), and the com- mencement of the present Kali Yugam so far as the Puranas describe them and beyond that he can go no further. He knows nothing of modern history and the existence of the European kingdoms and their kings, since the Puranas do not treat of them, neither does he know much of his own land nor any modern accounts concerning it. He is ignorant of the early visits of foreigners to India such as the Phoenicians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. He is in the dark as to who Alexander the Great was, when he lived, what were his achievements, and when he visited India; neither is he aware of the rule in India, of the Nunda, Mourya, Chalookya, Kalabhoorya, Chola, Chera, Pandya, Kadamba, Belala Raya and other dynasties, the Mohamedan conquest and rule, and lastly, the extraordinary enterprise of a handful of English merchants and their wonderful military exploits, by which they finally became the masters of this vast empire. To obtain such inform- ation and knowledge, English education is the easiest road, and a Sanscrit scholar of the present day, without any knowledge of English cannot, shine as an author of a useful work and procure the approbation of the public by a work like that composed by Pachu Moothathu.
Though we have clearly shown the origin of the Travancore dynasty citing unquestionable authorities, yet for the satisfaction of Pachu Moothathu, as well as of A. Sashiah Sastri, C.S.I., the late Dewan of Tra- vancore, who, confiding in the statements of Pachu Moothathu sanctioned the publication of erroneous accounts in the English calendar of Travancore for the year 1877, we shall give further evidence and proof to show that the Travancore king was in existence and in power on the advent of the Perumals.
44 EABLT HISTOBY OF TBAVANCORE.
The ancient Ipqppei plates in the possession of the Syrian Christia&SrCottayam and the Jews of Cochin (copies of which with reliable translations have been published in the Madras Literary and Asiatic Journals of Science and Literature, No. 30, pages 116 to 164) contain grants which were made by three of the Cheraman Perumals, including the last Perumal Bhaskara Revi Vurmah. They sh^w that the Peru- mals considered the king of Travancore the first sovereign in Keralam, so much so that the three Peru- mals, viz., Sree Veera Raghava Perumal, Sthanu Revi Guptha Perumal, and Sree Bhaskara Revi Vurmah Perumal (the last of these is the one commonly called the Cheraman Perumal), whose names the copper plates bear, invariably bring the name of the king of Travan- core as the first power to witness their deeds ; nay, one of them Sthanu Revi Guptha says that "that document, was executed with the sanction of the Travancore sovereign," and in making allusion to the king, uses the honorific term " Vanaud Iyean Adikel Tiruadikel." The prefix "Iyean" denotes the su- perior authority of the king.1 In these ancient copper plates the names of all the subordinate chiefs are introduced with the exception of those of the Cochin Rajah and the Zamorin, who were therefore not then chiefs at all, i. e., at the time when the documents were executed by the Perumals.
As the Cochin Rajah was the creature of the Peru- I mal and is said to have been his heir2 as authoritatively I acknowledged, that Rajah could not have been in ? power at the time, a fact which the Jewish plate fully corroborates. The Eranadu mentioned in the docu- ment cannot be accepted as being the Zamorin of Cali- cut, if we are to place any reliance in the versions of the Kerala Ulppathy wherein it is distinctly said that
1. The Travancore king is still oalled Venad Adigal " the adorable feet of Venadu." Madras Journal of Literature and Science, No. 90, page 130.
2. Cochin Administration Report for 1875, page 4.
EAELT HISTORY OP TBAVANCOBB. 45
the Zamorin was created by the last Perumal who chap. granted him his own sword and two small pieces of L ground called Colicode and Chullicaud and invested him with regal power (Kerala Ulppathy, pages 42 and 43.)
There appears to have been a good deal of dis- cussion as to the dates of these documents, as well as to the use of such words as Anjuwannam and Manigramam in these plates. I think it will not be out of place here to say a few words on these relics of an ancient period. We find on consulting a learned Astronomer of Travancore, that the date of the first document is Kali year 3331 (230 A.D.) This was found by an astronomical process, calculated from the data given in the first document, the working of which cost no small labor to the Astronomer. The period and date specified in the plate is 21st Meenam, Satur- day, Rohini Asterism, Jupiter in Capricornus. This phenomenon occurs once in 12 years. From this cur- rent Kali year, the Astronomer calculated back to the first day of the Kali year, and from that day he calcu- lated forwards and ascertained the year in which Jupiter was in Capricornus on the 21st of the month of Meenam, Saturday, Rohini Asterism, and by this process, he fixed the Kali year 3331 to be the date on which all the given conditions were found to exist. Prom this, it may be inferred that this document was executed by the successor of the first Perumal Cheraman Keralen,* for the date given in the Kerala Ulppathy of the installation of Ceya Perumal is Kali year 3316 (216 A.D.), so that this document was executed fourteen years after the commencement of the Perumal Viceroyalty.
The author finds that the calculation of the Astro- nomer agrees with that of Kookel Keloo Nair, the late Munsiff of Calicut, as published in the Madras Journal of Literature and Science, Vol. 5, No. 9, New Series.
• Kerala Ulppathy, page 10, Cottayam C. M. Press, Edit., 1863.
46 EAELT HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
Plate No. I shows that Veera Kerala Chuckravarthy was the first of the line, and the rule of this dynasty existed without interruption for many hundred thou- sands of years. Now in the face of this valuable evidence can any other power in Keralam claim having originated the title of Veera Kerala than the Chera or Travancore dynasty. It would be ridiculous to say that the title Veera Kerala belonged to the Cochin dynasty, whose origin is shown by the Kerala Ulppathy and corroborated by the Copper Plate No. 3, as well as the Cochin Administration Report to have been from the Perumal period.
Our account of Manigramam and Anjuwannam varies materially from those of numerous other writers. We think that Manigramam is a distinction given to the Syrian Christians by the Perumals, as they were then regarded as a class of respectable people. Parasu Rama divided Keralam into sixty-four Brahman "gramams" each having a particular name, but to the new community of Syrians, the second Perumal must have granted a gramam, denominated Manigramam, with the title of a Principality* as a distinctive name, the head of the community being invested with the dignity of citizenship. Mani in Tamil means a gem and is applied to all things of peculiar excellence. We find from the copy of the plate in Tamil in- serted in the abovementioned Journal the following : — " Makothayer Pattanathoo Eravicorttenaya Chera- maneloka Feroomchattikoo Manigramaypatam Koo- duthome" the literal translation of which is : — " We have granted to Bravi Cortten of Makothaperpatnom, the grand merchant of Cheraman world, the high office of Manigramamship." " Pattum" is a word used both in Tamil and in Malayalam and, according to Bailey's Malayalam Dictionary, means " ordination* ' " a high office or dignity."
* Still I thought myself justified in calling Manigramam a Christian Principality. The Kevd. Peet, Madras Journal of Literature and Science, No. 30, page 146.
EABLT HISTOEY OF TRAVANCOBE. 47
The translation of this plate by the Rev. H. Gundert chap. as given in page 118 of the Journal appears to be L correct, but with a slight difference. Mr. Gundert's translation is : — " We have given to Eravi Cortten of Maha Deverpatnam (henceforward to be called grand merchant of the Cheraman world) the lordship of Manigramam."
The original settlements of the Syrian community appear to have -been at Makothayerpatnam, near the port of Cranganore, and Curakkeni Kollum at Quilon. This community continue to this day to call themselves the residents of Curakkeni Kollum and Makothayer- patnam. This last name may be linked with that of the Chera king styled Makothayer, as we find it stated in the Tamil Peria Purana, a celebrated work very popular in the Tamil countries, that the Chera king named Makothayer lived at Thiru Vunjeecolum, near Kodungalore, and ruled the Malanaud (Malayalam country) with great success, for a considerable length of time. Hence we conclude that a town near Kodungalore, must have been established in honor of this king under the name of Makothayerpatnam and probably it was there that the Syrian community established themselves at first.*
In .like manner, the author is of opinion that Anjuwarnam, alluded to in the plate in possession of the Cochin Jews, is a distinction given to the Jews. Warnam is not here intended for colour as the Jews understand it, but caste. There were already four Warnams, Brahmans, Kshatrias, Vysias, and Sudras. The Jews, when they came to Keralam, were considered as a peculiar nation, and the Brahmans and others
* "Curakkeni Kollum." Tradition states that the Syrians came to this country in two bodies, one party landed near the modern Quilon at a place now engulphed by the sea, the other at Kodungalore or Maha Deverpatnam. The practice in documents observed till within the last 80 years was invariably to mark to which of these two bodies a Syrian belonged." Madras Journal of Literature and Science, No. 30, page 146.
The Beyd. Feet of Mavalikaray.
VL
48 EABLT HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
seeing their strict observances of religious rites and knowing not how to designate them, styled them Anjuwarnam, that is, the fifth caste. This, the last Perumal had publicly recognized in his grant by the third copper plate, creating one of the community as the head of tneir village. Plate No. 2 supports the conclusion that Anjuwarnam is a title of the Jewish Principality.
In Keralam the carpenter, blacksmith, goldsmith and brazier castes are all collectively called Nanku Warnum, (four sorts of castes.)
The Lubbays (Mahomedans) of the South, prefix Anjuwarnam to their names in all their deeds and documents. This the author thinks is a continuance of the Jewish designation adopted by the Southern Mahomedans, who must have been converts from the Jewish faith after the establishment of Mahomedanism in South Keralam.
The plates are properly arranged in the Journal No. 30. The last document was executed in the Kali year 3481, and Dr. Day seems to be correct in his cal- culations in this respect.
Cheraman Perumal assumed his viceregal power, according to the KeraJ^IHppathy and other accounts, in the Kali year 3445 ^24^sA.D.), and the copper plate document referred to aboro was executed in the 36th year of his reign. The " Yadir" 2nd year, mentioned in the plate, is not a cycle as has been supposed by many, but we conclude it to be the second century of the Perumal period, for this agrees with the fact that the Perumal period commenced in(^l& A.D.; 100 years afterwards ends the first centur^OMhe reign of the Perumals. The last Perumal having come to the viceroyalty in 345 A.D. naturally wrote the document or rather executed it in the second century of the Perumal period, and in the 36th year of his rule in the Kali year 3481.*
* " Land of Perumals," page 342.
EARLY HISTOET OF TBAVANCOBE.
49
4
By the peculiar mode of calculating dates on chap. astronomical principles in India, errors are very sel- L dom likely to occur. For in a work, or in a stanza, a particular sentence is laid down for discovering the date on which such work or stanza was produced, and the calculation is made entirely by an astronomical process, every letter being numbered agreeably to the , rules of Astronomy.
Primary education throughout Keralam commences with a study of the elements of Astronomy, and till the youth is taught Kavyem, his time is exclusively devoted to astronomical problems, and he thus learns to calculate the exact time of the rising of the sun, moon and stars. Even during the grammatical and Kavyem studies he is continually taught calculations regarding the planets and soon acquires the knowledge of finding out the dates of eclipses. Under* these circumstances, the astronomical calculation of the Natives is considered to be generally correct and seldom wrong.
Thus we have cited additional proof that the dynasty of Travancore existed before the rerumal period ; that the southern-most part of Keralam now known as Travancore, was not a division made at the time in favour of the Travancore dynasty ; and that the origin of Travancore cannot be dated from the Kali year 3412, as Pachu Moothathu and the compiler of the Travan- core calendar would have us believe.
Another fact deducible from these documents is, that the statement in the Kerala Ulppathy regarding the division of Kerala by the last Perumal is without foundation and here we cannot do better than quote the opinion of the learned Malayalam scholar, Dr. Gundert, on this important point : —
" That whole part of the Kerala Ulppathy in which " the present dynasties of Malayalam are represented " as dating their origin from the last PerumaTs distribu- " tion of the country, is fully disproved by this and the " Jewish document, and the relation of the Kerala
7
50
EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
' Mahatmyam, according to which the several families 1 were placed here and there by Parasu Rama for the ' purpose of protecting certain temples and Brahmin c villages, comes much nearer to the truth, if we ' understand by Parasu Rama the old time of Brah* c manical rule/*
Indeed the Kerala Ulppathy is the only work which gives any account regarding Keralam down to the modern period, the Kerala Mahatmyam treating exclusively of Parasu Rama's period. Of this period, we have no other accounts whatever. The Kerala Mahat- myam says that Parasu Rama appointed a Samunda, as manager, to almost every pagoda in Keralam. The families of these governors of the temples assumed power in course of time, and became petty chiefs under the supreme sovereign, the king of Travancore, whom Parasu Rama had invited and installed as already shown. The families of these Kshatrias are still called Kovil Adhikarikel or Kovil of whom the Cochin Rajah is one. This Rajah's caste name is Koviladhikarikal or Kovil,* and in issuing his writ he adopts that designation. All the Kshatria families of his caste who are now found in Keralam, divested of royalty, are called Thirupaud.f
While we have histories of the Pandya and Chola kingdoms, we have no separate history of Chera apart from Kerala, a fact which proves that Chera being embodied with Kerala, a history of the former is unnecessary, and consequently the Kerala Mahatmyam and Kerala Ulppathy give only the history of Kerala.
In the Kerala Mahatmyam, as well as in the Halassya Mahatmyam, Kshatrias are called Samanthas, and allusions to the king of Chera and Kerala are often made as Samanthas. The newly created Numboory Brahmans, who are mostly residents of the locality
* Kerala Palama, pages 78 and 114.
t The Schatriya or (Tirripaud, Mai.) or royal caste is that from which His Highness the Kajah of Cochin has sprang. "Land of Perumals," page 312.
EABLY HISTOEY OF TBAVANCOBE. 51
between Quilon and Korempulay, within which limits lay the sixty-four gramams established by Parasu Rama, seemed to have had no free intercourse with the royal family of Travancore, whose capital was originally established at Kerala Puram which subsequently was called by Parasu Rama, Sree Yardahana Puram popu- larly known as Padmanabha Puram.
In the division of castes by Parasu Rama, he does not appear to have aimed at anything like complete- ness, as he left the sections of the minor castes alone. But in the subsequent modifications by the renowned Sankara Acharyar,* there was established a particular class of people known by the name of Samanther, a degraded section of the pure Kshatrias who are found residing here and there between Quilon and Kolathnaud. These are also called Pandala, Unnia- yathiri, Thirupaud, &c., &c, according to the locality in which they reside.
The name of Samantha is mistaken for Samanther, and the Travancore family was considered by the ignorant to be included in the latter class. The Puranas describe two classes of Kshatrias, as has been already shown, viz., Soorya, Samantha, and Soma Samantha : but in our opinion the former are now not to be found in Southern India, though the Cochin Rajah is generally called a Soorya Ksh atria. Kerala Mahat- myam calls the Cochin Rajah a Soorya Samantha, but the present dynasty having been descended from Cheraman Perumal, who being a member of the Chera family is a Soma Samantha, cannot be considered a Soorya Samantha, as is generally believed, and it consequently follows that the present dynasty of Cochin cannot be the same as that mentioned in the Mahatmyam.
Cheraman Perumal being a member of the Chera dynasty which is the same as that of Travancore, the I >L
* Sankara Acharyar was born in Kerala and his mother's family is still in existence at Paloor near Poravem. This mendicant devotee's residence is still preserved in the neighbourhood of Alwaye.
52 EARLY HISTORY OP TRAVANCORE.
caste of the Cochin Rajah must of course be the same as that of the Travancore royal family, as the original stock was both one and the same.
Almost all the caste rites and observances of the Travancore and Cochin royal families are similar with the exception of marriage. The former adhere to the original custom of marrying their females to a Kshatria, whereas the latter have adopted the system of marrying their females to Numboory Brahmans. Both of these modes are sanctioned by the Sastras.
There is scarcely any difference in the observances of the Shodasa Kriya (sixteen ceremonies to be per- formed from birth up to marriage) between the Brah- mans and the Kshatrias. These ceremonies are duly performed by the Travancore and Cochin royal fami- lies. The male members of both families wear the Brahmanical emblem called Poonunool.
A Samanthren of the class alluded to, cannot wear the Poonunool. For instance, the Zamorin being a Samanther is not permitted to wear the Brahmanical thread. He cannot, by caste observances, even touch a Brahman or Kshatria without the taint of contamina- tion. Whereas the royal families of Travancore and Cochin, being both Kshatrias, move among and associate freely with the highest class of Numboory Brahmans and both have as their menial servants Numboories and other Brahmans.
The names of the male members of the Travancore royal family and those of the Cochin house are similar, and there is the striking fact that the name of Veera Kerala Vurmah, the first king of Kerala, is adopted by the Cochin dynasty on its coming to power.
That Veera Kerala was the name of the first Emperor of Keralam, who was of the Cher a dynasty, has been already proved by various authorities. A modern writer (Kookel Kelao Nair Munsiff) observes in his memorandum to the Madras Journal of Literature and Science, that " it is difficult to learn the clear history " of the family of Veera Kerala, but from various
VEERA KERALA VURMAH KALI YEAR 3412 (511 A.B.)
it cc
EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE. 53
f Sanscrit and other works such as the Mahatmyam, chap. c Ulppathy, and others, it appears pretty clearly, if we L € reject obvious fables, that Parasu Rama, a Brahman, c eventually gained possession of the country from ' Veera Kerala's descendants and after improving it ' to a great extent, introduced therein his own caste ' people to whom he ultimately committed its govern- ' ment."
Dr. Gundert, a generally acknowledged authority, is of the same opinion that Kerala was the appellation belonging to Chera (Travancore). He says that " Cheraman is the name of the whole dynasty of Chera " or Kerala rulers, for these two names are the same. Kerala being only the Canarese pronunciation as appears from the Deccan inscriptions of W. Elliot, Esq., in which no Chera is associated with Pandya " and Chola but only a Kerala."
The failure in discerning the difference between the two words Samantha and Samanther has created a confusion in the minds of the people of Kerala, as has been already shown. It is generally the case that people are easily led away and deceived by first impressions without taking tne trouble to analyze facts and ascertain their accuracy. We often find that writers rely much upon local accounts and regard them as being a chronicle of indisputable facts. For instance, Fra. Bartolomeo, a well informed writer on South Indian affaire, who had been residing in Travancore for a period of 13 years, says, in his work that "before "Veera Marthanda undertook his expedition, he "celebrated at Tiroovanadapurum a horrid festival " which I have described in my Systerna Brahminacum ; " he had caused several of the pagan temples to be " burnt, and this crime, one of the most heinous " according to the principles of the Indians, could " not otherwise be atoned for, than by a very peculiar " kind of purification. He was obliged by the Brah- " mins to get a cow made of gold, under which he was " forced to creep in order to be freed from his sins.
54 EARLY HISTORY OP TRAVANCORE.
( Niebuhr and Anquetil du Perron are therefore in
* great error when they assert that the object of this i ceremony was to raise the king to the degree of
* nobility. Both these authors ought to have reflected
* that this tale was invented by the conquered people (to
* whom the king behaved with great severity), merely i for the purpose of ridiculing him. The above golden 'cow was preserved in the year 1787 in the royal c treasury at Padmanabhapoorum. I was at least told ' so by M'Donardi, a Captain in the King's service € who nad seen it."
4
This account of the Hirannya Garbham ceremony is surely incorrect as will be seen further on.
The notion, that by the performance of the Hiran- nya Garbham, an individual or a family would be raised in rank and caste, is simply ridiculous. A Sudra or a Samanther could not be raised to the rank of a Kshatria by any such process. If such a wished- for change could be effected, every rich and influential Sudra would have been raised to the rank of a Ksha- tria, and some of the Kshatrias would have thought of transforming themselves into members of the twice- born class, Srahmans.
The Zamorin Rajah, who had become himself Nadivirippu and latterly very powerful, and the richest among the Malabar sovereigns, would have been the first to avail himself of this means of becoming a Kshatria. He was highly influential in his kingdom, where almost all the great Numboory Brahmans such as Aloovancherry, Narary, Poovooly, and Kanhgnoor and other priestly jemmies were *y j residing, and besides, the Zamorin proclaimed himself 1 as the head of the sovereigns in Keralam in order to superintend the great national ceremony held at Theroonawaye called Maha Makhum. It must, there- fore, have been to the interest of the Brahmans them- selves to raise him, if possible, to a higher caste particularly as the Zamorin had to mingle much with the Brahmans during that festival.
EABLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE. 55
It is said that the pure Kshatria is he who is born chap. of parents of the Kshatria caste. He who is born of ^Jt- a Kshatria mother but by a Brahman father is a Soma Samantha or Soma Kshatria so that though the race of the Travancore royal house was of the latter description (Soma Samantha), yet it maintains a higher degree of purity in its marriage relations than does the Cochin Rajah and, therefore, in the social scale, the Travancore royal family may be considered better Kshatrias than those in the north.
So the king of Travancore does not appear to stand in need of performing any ceremonies to raise him either in dignity, or in caste and rank. Hirannya Garbham and Padma Garbham are two great danams (donations) which the kings of Travancore are bound by their religion to perform as coronation ceremonies. King Veera Kerala Vurmah, who reigned in the Kali year 3412, performed both of the costly ceremonies called Thulapurusha danam and Hirannya Garbha danam, at his coronation.
Tradition shews that on the 12th Magarom 3412, of the Kali year, corresponding with the 24th January 311, A.D., king Veera Kerala Vurmah, after assem- bling aQ the Brahmans of the several gramams, both Chowara Koor and Panniara Koor, and the family priest Tharanallore Numboory Paud, performed these important ceremonies, and was crowned by that high priest according; to the rules of the Sastras, and, in accordance with the canon laid down by Sree Parasu Rama, he assumed the family titles of Kireetapathi and Kulasekhara Perumal.
A brief and clear account of the two ceremonies, Thulapurusha danam and Hirannya Garbha danam, will be given further on as many erroneous notions are prevalent in regard to the character and real object of these two ceremonies.
Thulapurusha danam is a ceremony performed by weighing the body of the king against an equal weight
56 EAELY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
chap, in gold, and distributing the same, among Brahmans.* For this purpose the required quantity of gold is procured, and after purifying it, it is coined in different sizes and weights with the inscription "Sree Padmanabha," the appellation of Vishnu and the house- hold deity of the Travancore king, on one side.
A pair of ornamental scales of sufficient size is next constructed, and on the appointed day, the sovereign proceeds to the temple of " Sree Padmanabha Swamy," attended by all the learned Brahmans, not only of Travancore, but also of other parts of Malabar, Tinnevelly, Madura, &c, some of whom are specially invited while the rest crowd to the capital for the occasion. After the assembled Brahmans have per- formed the ceremonies according to the Vedas, the sovereign is seated on one of the scales, and the coined gold is heaped on the other till it rests on the ground and the other scale is raised into the air with the king. After the performance of this ceremony, the gold coins are distributed among the Brahmans, males, females and children. There is a difference in the weight of the coins given; learned Brahmans and such others have a more valuable coin than ordinary Brahmans, while children and females have coins of less value. To determine who are the proper men to receive valuable gifts there is a regular examination of the Brahmans in their knowledge of the Vedas, and those who pass successfully reap a good harvest. This ceremony and the distribution of the gold coins last about a week, during which time the Brahmans are sumptuously fed.
" Hirannyat Garbham or Padma Garbha dan am" is a costly ceremony like the other, but performed
* Sevajee's Coronation. " He now determined to satisfy his pride and dazzle his followers by a formal coronation, modelled upon that of the Mogul, in which the weighing against gold and other childish cere- monies were not omitted. Gins to an immense value bestowed on the Brahmans, save lustre to this as well as to several other political festivals." Murray's History of British India, page 258.
f Note. — In Sanscrit, Hyrannya is gold, and Gurbhum, belly or inside, and so the real meaning of these words is " Golden womb."
» •
1 *
r •
« »
* •
REPRESENTATION OF GOLDEN TUB FOR RADMA GARB-HAM CEREMONY
EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANOORE. 57
by the greatest of Emperors only at their coronation. A vessel in the shape of a lotus flower, ten feet high and eight feet in circumference is made of pure gold, with a cover in the form of a crown, somewhat in the shape of a " Prize Cup," and this is half filled with punchagavyum, water mixed up with ghee, milk, and other substances ; and the Brahmans perform their devotional prayers and hymns over the vessel according to the canon of the Vedas. The king, after performing his devotions, approaches the
Elace where the vessel is kept, accompanied by all the igh priests, Brahmans of note and learning in Malabar, Tinnevelly, Madura, Canara, &c, and gets into the golden vessel by means of a beautifully lined ladder, expressly made for the purpose. When His High- ness enters it, the cover is put on and he dips himself into the holy water five times, while all the assembled priests and Brahmans continue praying and chanting Vedic hymns. This ceremony lasts about ten minutes, after which the king comes out of the vessel by the same ladder and after going through certain other ceremonies prostrates himself before the image of Sree Padmanabha Swamy, when the high priest, who is the chief celebrant of the ceremonies, and who acts the part of a bishop, takes the crown and placing it on the king's head pronounces the title "Kulasekhara Perumal." The place then resounds with Vedic re- citations, prayers and hymns from the learned Brah- mans. These ceremonies account for the Travancore kings being styled in Malayalam and Tamil " Ponnu Thumpooran" (Golden King). In giving an account of this ceremony, we cannot do better than quote in extenso a small pamphlet published in 1870, on this subject by " A Travancorean."
8
58
EAELT HISTORY OF TRAVANCOBE.
CHAP. I.
THE GREAT TULAPURUSHADANAM.
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" His Highness Rama Vurmah, G.C.S.I., Maha- rajah of Travancore, has performed the "great Tulapurushaddnam," or, as it is more commonly termed Tulabharam, a ceremony, which five of his immediate predecessors have, without interruption, and several others before them, performed. Tula- purushadanam is a compound of three Sanskrit words ; — Tula (scales), Purusha (man), and danam (gift particularly of a religious character). The chief part of the ceremony is the donation of a human figure of equal weight with the donor. But on account of the evident impracticability of construct- ing a figure on the same day of weighing, a small gold plate with the effigy of the donor raised in relief on it, is given along with the whole quantity of gold. It will be perceived that in the Sanskrit word explained above there is no mention whatever of the precious metal which forms the subject of dona- tion. There is abundant proof that, in Malay&lam at any rate, Tulabharam is often performed with other substances than gold. In several Pagodas people perform it as a vow with sugar, molasses, sandal-wood, gingely-seed, pepper, plantain fruits, brinjals, &c. The Maharajah of Travancore of the same name as the present ruler, who reigned forty years, was a contemporary of George III, and was Tippu Sultan's enemy, performed a golden Tula- bharam in the beginning of his reign and a silver Tulabharam by about the end of it. It may, how- ever, be well conceived that, in the instance of a sovereign Prince, and granting that the ceremony takes place only once in his life as a matter of duty, the requirements of dignity and reputation among a people proverbially fond of splendour and magni- ficence, if not the strict prescription of religion, would
EAELY HI8T0EY OP TBAVANCOEE. 59
" render it necessary that the most precious substance chap. " obtainable should be adopted. Religion itself pre- L " scribes gold as the highest order of merit among the " various substances with which the Tulabharam " may be performed/'
f * The Tulabharam is not a ceremony peculiar either " to Travancore or the Malabar Coast generally. It " is one of the Shodasa (sixteen) Mahadanams (great " donations) mentioned in Sanskrit works. A detailed " description of this great donation is said to be " given in the Padma Puranam, one of the eighteen " Puranas ascribed to Vyasa. The sixteen Maha- " danams or great donations, as described in a u Sanskrit work, named Hemadri, are as follows : — " 1 Tulapurusha Danam.
2 Hiranyagarbha do.
" 3 Brahmanda do.
" 4 Ealpapadapa do.
" 5 Gosahasra do.
6 Hiranyakamadhenu do.
" 7 Hiranyasva do.
8 Hiranyasvaratha do.
" 9 Hemahastiratha do.
10 Panchalangalaka do.
" 11 Dhara do.
" 12 Visvachakra do.
11 13 KalpalaU do.
u 14 Saptasagara do.
" 15 Rathadhenu do.
" 16 Mahabhutaghata do.
" The Tulabharam is, of course, one of the most " costly of these great donations and is, by its nature* " befitted only to Kings. That it was performed by " many Hindu Kings, not in the mythical but historical " ages, we have tangible proof. In the September " number of 1869 of the Pandit, a monthly Anglo- " Sanskrit periodical published at Benares, there is a " paper on a copper plate bearing old inscription, dug " up by a carpenter named Jagat when ploughing a " field in the village of Sivhkr near Benares. The
60 EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
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A.
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copper plate purposes to be a grant of a village to a " Brkhman by Rkja Jaya Chandra Deva, long of " Kanouj in 1232, Samvat (1172 A.D.) The plate " is inscribed with a number of Sanskrit verses in the " way of preface to the actual grant — the verses tracing " the geneology of the royal donor and glorifying " each successive King. Among them is the follow- u ing verse : —
' T&rthkni Kksikusikottarakosaledurasthkniyaka- niparipalayatad'higamya,
i Hema Atmatulyam Anisam dadata dvijebhyah, " * Yena Ankitk Vasumatil Sktasah tulkbhih.* " ' It may be translated thus :
" € The earth was marked with hundreds of scales by " him (name being given in a previous stanza) who, " going to Kksi, Kusika, Uttarakosala and other " holy places, always distributed gold of his own " weight to'Brkhmans.'
"As in all flights of oriental adulation, there is
exaggeration in the above ; but exaggeration, though
it mayjo^agnify number and quantity, does not f alsify
theW^wNof bounty. Hence we may safely assume
that tKexulkbhkram was performed by Hindoo Kings
in, or anterior to, th^twelrai century. It is also well
known that the celeDr&tetT Mahratta Queen Ahalyd
Bhayi performed the Tulkbhkrain and other great
donations, and so also successive Peshwahs up to
" Baji Rao. But what is really strange is that some
" of the Mogul Emperors of the House of Baber
" should adopt this purely Hindu mode of religious
" gift. The " Calcutta Review," No. XCVIII, October
" 1869, in an article headed * The death of Jen-
" hanger and the accession of Shahjahan' contains the
" following passages : ' To-day Prince Khurram (Shah-
11 jahan) was weighed* * * *' (page 131). 'The
" presents which Jotikrai received were enormous ; he
if was even once weighed in gold. * * **
/ " It is believed that Cheruman Perumkl, in dividing
" his Malayklam or Keralam Empire into four parts
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tt tt
EABLT HISTOET OF TEAVANCOEE.
61
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and assigning each, to a separate chief gave a crown chap to the Travancore king, and enjoined on him and L his successors the performance of Tulabharam and the other great ceremony. Hiranyagarbham, as preliminary to the wearing of the crown. Authentic written records are extant which testify to their performance by several of the ancient sovereigns of Travancore. Since the reign of Raja M&rtinda- i varm£, who ascended the musnud in 1758-59, these 1 V ceremonies have been performed in unbroken succes- sion by every sovereign. In connection with the sub- ject it may be worth mentioning that there is a tradition that both the Zamorin and the Rajah of Cochin have been unable to perform these cere- monies as each of them could perform them only in a . pagoda situated in the heart of the other's territories, \ which would always be jealously guarded against. Trichtir is said, to be the Zamorin' s Jerusalem, or place to be won, and Taliparambu the Cochin Rajah's. It is a fact known to history that the Zamorin invaded the Cochin territories during the last century, but whether he performed Tulkbharam at Trichiir is not certain. That the Cochin Rajah has a crown but does not wear it on his head is well known. He carries it on his lap on the annual State procession of Attachamayam in August."
" The two immediate predecessors (maternal uncles) of the present Maharajah of Travancore performed their Tulabharams in the years 1829 and 1850 res- pectively. The first of them performed it in his seventeenth year, and the second in his thirty-sixth year. The present Maharajah has performed it in the thirty-eighth year of his life and the tenth of his reign. The Maharajah had long been desirous to perform the ceremony as a preliminary to his coro- nation, but the moral dissuasion which the outlay of large sums of public money in ceremonies, the benefit of which would not be admitted by any except those who are within the pale of the most orthodox Hinduism, must naturally meet both from the
62 EAELT HI8T0EY OP TRAVANOOBE.
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British authorities and from enlightened public opinion, necessitated its postponement. The great ease and buoyancy which the finances of Travancore " have, of late years, attained, and the unstinted allot- ment of money to useful public works and other purposes of public benefit, under the able adminis- " tration of Dewan Sir T. Madhava Rau, have served to reduce the difficulty which must beset the perform- ance of this costly religious ceremony. Moreover, " the British Resident, Mr. Ballard, with a broader " cast of mind than some of his predecessors, perceived " the propriety of letting the Maharajah act upon " the urgings of his religious solicitude to perform what, " from several generations past, has been considered " a matter of duty in his family, and what was looked " upon by far the great majority of his subjects as " calculated to promote the dignity and glory of their " sovereign to which they would gladly contribute. " Under this correct representation the Madras Go- " vernment had no objection ; and in July last year, " the Maharajah issued formal orders for the per- c< formance of the ceremony. The date first appointed " was the 7th of February, which was about a month « after the last day of the great Murajapam ceremony. " This arrangement, apart from the full cost of the " ceremony itself, would have entailed the great addi- " tional one of feeding at least ten thousand Brahmans " twice a day during the interval of the two ceremonies " not to speak of the severe trials to which the sanita- " tion of the town would have been subjected during " the time. But these evils were obviated by a timely, " and masterly coup worthy of a Napoleon. About a " fortnight before the conclusion of the Murajapam " ceremony the date for the Tul&bhkram was suddenly " altered from the 7th February to the day following " the last one of the Murajapam. By this, almost the " whole expense of the seven days' preliminary feast " was saved, and also that of welcoming the great " Nampilri chiefs residing in Malabar and in the " Cochin State, who had come in for the Murajapam.
EARLY HISTOEY OF. TBAVANCOEE. 63
" If this saving of expenditure was in itself a very chap. " gratifying achievement, doubly so was the saving of *â– " trouble to the large body of Viruttikdrs or service " land-holders. The Murajapam sheds were utilised " for the Tuldbhdram and in that too there was consi- " derable saving. Indeed, it may be said that the " expenditure was narrowed to tne strictly religious " part of the ceremony and general distribution of " gold.
" Several months before the ceremony the Travan- " core Government, through its energetic Commercial " Agent, Mr. Hugh Crawford, purchased from Messrs. " Apcar and Co., of Calcutta, 7,808^ tolahs (about €f 200f lbs. avoir, or 244 lbs. troy) of pure gold <c at the rate of 15 Rupees 3 annas per Tolah or " 1,18,586 Rupees 13 annas 6 pie, for the whole. " Including the cost of freight, insurance, and duty " amounting to 3,011 Rupees 11 annas, 9 pice, the " total outlay was 1,21,598 Rupees 11 annas 3 pice " for the whole quantity or 15 Rupees 9 annas 2 pice " per tolah. This gold was received in sixteen rec- " tangular equiponderous (488 tolahs 2f each) slabs or ingots. Out of these, twelve slabs were taken for coinage, the rest being reserved for use if required. " The work of the dies was commenced by about the " end of November. The device for the coin, on the " present occasion, underwent considerable changes " from that of these former Tuldb'hdram — Ulustra- " tions of both are appended to this narrative. From " these figures it will be seen that the coins of the " former Tulab'haram consisted of circular pieces with " simply the letters " Sri Patmandbha" in Malay&- " lam, on the obverse, the reverse being a blank. " Whereas, those now coined contain those letters " encircled by a wreath on the obverse, and the conch " shell (the State device of Travancore) with a wreath " around it on the reverse. The wreath on the " reverse is a copy of that on the reverse of the old M Company's Rupee. Upon the whole, the new " Tul&b'h&ram coin is decidedly more handsome than
cc
64 EARLY HISTORY OP TRAVANCORB.
chap. " the old. The gold, being of a superior quality, was L " found sufficiently malleable to preclude the necessity " of melting ; and so, chances of fraud were immensely " reduced. As shewn in the plate appended to this, the coins are of four different sizes and weights.
1 Kalanju = 78-65 grains, approximately. I „ = 39-32
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9> »
£ „ = 19-66
CC
99 »
£ „ = 9-83
" Of these, the work of the smaller pieces was first " undertaken, and as it proceeded in a leisurely man- " ner, the impressions have been sharp and complete. But the change of date of the ceremony, which was suddenly made, necessitated the hurrying over of the " coinage of the larger pieces ; and consequently the " stamping turned out very imperfect. Subjoined is " the number of coins of each size struck :"
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|
" Of 1 Kalanju pieces ... 3,564 |
|
|
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»> 2 » 99 ••• f,yu4« |
|
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99 "t 99 99 ••• l0f«7O«J |
|
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99 8 99 99 ••• 10,yb4* |
" Total ... 43,421
" They amount to 13,508£ Kalanjus or about " 590,544 tolahs.
" The only preparation, besides the coining of gold, " which had to be made specially for the ceremony, c< was the erection of the Tulamandepam, where the if scales were put up and the weighing and other rite " performed. The Mandapam was, as usual, built in " the south-east corner of the interior yard of the great " Anantasayanam pagoda. The Mandapam was a " strong shed, about 45 * 40 feet, thatched with " cocoanut leaves, and palisaded with split cocoanut c< trunks, driven horizontally into vertical posts of the " same material. In the middle, a platform, about " 22 x 15 feet and a foot in height, was raised. It " was on this that the chief ceremony was performed."
EAELT HISTOET OF TEAVANCOBE.
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" The religious preliminaries of the Tuldb'haram < hap. extend over eight days — the weighing being on the " last day. To describe the several little religious ceremones in detail would be neither intelligible nor interesting to the general reader. However, they may be very generally touched upon."
" First Day. — The Maharajah gets shaved, bathes, dresses unbleached clothes, goes to the pagoda and makes pecuniary and other offerings, then proceeds to the Bhadradipamandapam, where he stays all the while that the chief priest purifies and performs piija to ten pratimas or golden plates with figures in relief. These Pratimas represent Vishnu, Siva, Yinayaka, and the seven M&trls. Then twelve Brahmins are specially fed and gifted with DaJc- shina. The Maharajah then asks their permission to perform the ceremony thus : — " Aham Tul£- purushaddnam kartum ic'hami" — They, in reply, say, " Eriyat&m," which means € do so.* The Maharajah then worships the pratimas and goes back to the interior square of the pagoda. There the ceremony of Quruvarana or the appointment of Rltviks or officiating priests is performed. Of these priests they are 27. They are, one Ach&ryah, one Brah- man, one Sadasyah, eight Rltviks, eight J&pakas (repeaters of Yedas) and eight Pdthakas (readers of Purdnas). The Achdryah is the head priest and occupies the place filled by the Ad'hvaryuh in Y&gam. Each of these twenty-seven is appointed with all attendant religious ceremonies. After Gwrwvarana the Maharajah returns to the Palace, There are certain minor ceremonies that night, such as the sowing of the nine grains" in silver flower pots filled with earth and cowdung moistened with milk."
cc Second Day. — This day the high priest anoints " the Maharajah with sacred water. The water is " rendered red by boiling in it the barks of four c< different trees of the ficus tribe. It is prepared on
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66 EARLY HISTORY OP TRAVANCORB.
chap. " the previous evening, poured into a silver pot and ^^ " subjected to piijas and incantations.' '
" On the third, fourth, and fifth days, there are no " ceremonies excepting piijas to the pratimas already " mentioned."
" Sixth Day. — This day the high priest consecrates the Tulamandapam and propitiates with Vastu Bali, " the spirits winch are supposed to dwell in new buildings."
Seventh Day. — This day the Maharajah goes to " the pagoda as on the first day ; and after worshipping " and making offerings, preceaes to the Tulamandapam " accompanied by the Achkryah or head priest and the " twenty-six others, and there stays till the Achkryah " performs pfrja to the three pratimas of Vishnu, Siva u and Vin&yaka, and returns to the Palace. After this " the Acharyah purifies the Tulamandapam and " plants a toranam or ornamental arch at each of the " four entrances. The toranam post at the eastern " gate is made of Asvattha, (Ficus Religiosa), at the " southern of TJdvmbara (Ficus Glomerata), at the " western of Vata (Ficus Indica), at the northern of Plaksha (Ficus Inf ectoria) . These are further marked, with one of the four weapons of Vishnu; viz., Conch " shell, Chackra or wheel, Gad£ or Warclub, and the " Lotus. The Dhwajasor flag staffs are then planted at the eight chief points of the compass, the chief one being at the north-east corner. These are then conse- crated. The high priest's assistants purify with " Mantras 120 pots of water of Kolasas to besprinkle various parts of the Mandapam with. The Achkryah or high priest then performs a Piija to " the goddess Lakshmi on the platform. Then the " scales and beam, specially made, are brought in " procession with attendant music, &c, and after " certain sacrificial Homos and purification with " Kolasas, the scales are put up. Inclusive of the " Tul&purusha Pratimk there are 93 golden Pratimas, " and of these some are stuck on the beam with wax,
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EARLY HISTOEY OF TEAVANCOEE. 67
" others are placed on the scales, while the chief Pratimk chap. " above mentioned is hung up in the middle of the ^J^, " beam just beneath the index of the scales. Golden " pots, filled with water and covered with silk and " garlands, are placed beneath the scales. The eight " Jdpakas repeat the four Vedas at the four gates in " the following order: Rig, east, Tajus, south, Sdma, " west, and Atharvd, north. The eight Pathakas read " the Furknas, among which are the Ramdyana, Maha- bhkrata, and Bhkgavata. This night, in the presence of the Maharajah, the Achkiyah performs Piija to (( the beam and scales, and after this, twelve Brahmins " are specially fed and presented with Dakshinas. " After this, the Maharajah, together with the Achkryah " and the rest of the priests returns to the Tulkman- dapam and the Ach&ryah performs Piija to Indra, AgniJ Yama, Nirrlti, Varuna, V£yu, Kubera, and Isana, the eight Dikpalas in their due points of the compass. Brahmk and Ananta are propitiated in the S.W. and N.E. corners. The Maharajah per- " forms Pushparchana or bestowal of flowers to " these several deities and lastly to the scales, " accompanied with prayers, and then returns to the " Palace."
Eighth Day. — This day, the Achkryah makes a Piija early in the morning to the Tul&purusha Pratim&, after which the Maharajah goes to the Pagoda, bathed " and religiously attired. After worshipping and making offerings he proceeds to the Tulkmandapam, " where in the south-east corner he is sprinkled with " Punydham water. Thence he goes to the side room u where the "nine grains" are sown in silver flower " pots, where the Achkryah anoints him with nine fresh " water Kolasas. Thence the Maharajah retires to the Palace, changes clothes, wears certain golden jewels specially made for the occasion and, holdinj " the State sword in his right hand and the State shield of black leopard's skin and a scimitar in his left, he proceeds to the Pagoda, and having presented a " bull elephant at the foot of the great golden flag
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68 EARLY HISTORY OP TRAVANCORE.
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staff, and silks, gold coins, jewels and other rich offerings in the interior, he walks round by the " Sivaimandapam and re-enters the Tulkmandapam. " He walks thrice round the scales, prostrates before it, prays, performs certain preliminary donations, bows before the priests and elderly relatives and obtains their sanction to perform the Tuldpurusha- ddnam. He then mounts the western scale, holding Yamds and Suryds Pratim&s in his right and left " hands respectively. He sits facing to the east on a " circular heavy plank cut out of a fresh jackwood " and covered with silk. The sword and shield are " placed in the lap. He repeats Mantras in this iC position. The opposite or eastern scale then receives " the gold, both coined and in ingots, till it not only " attains equality but touches the ground, and the scale " occupied by the Maharajah rises high. The Maha- " rajah then coines down, and sitting facing to the " east, places the gold, the Tulapurusha Pratimd and " other Pratim&s with flowers, sandal paste, &c, in a basin of water, and meditating Brahma or Supreme Being, he offers the contents to Brkhmans " generically. The Ach&ryah then dismisses with " Mantras the several deities invoked for the occasion, " and anoints the Maharajah with Avabhrl'ha Kalasdm " in the north- west corner of theMandapam. TheMaha- " rajah is again sprinkled with Punydha, and he then " prostrates before the Achkryah and other great' men " and receives their benedictions. Leaving the " Tulimandapam he walks round the Pagoda in State " and having dismissed the Achkryah and other " priests near the golden flag staff, retires in the " Palace, after once more worshipping and offering " presents in the interior of the Pagoda. Thus ends " the Tuldb'hdram ceremony. One remarkable feature " in it will not escape notice. It is that it has more " of the Vaidik cast than that of later Hinduism. The " Vaidik Gods, Indra, Angi, Varuna, VAyu and others " are all propitiated. The priests who conduct the " ceremony bear, for the time, the several appellations
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EAELY HISTORY OP TBAVANCORE. 69
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given to those who take part in the Vaidik Yajnam chap. " ceremony. L
" Of the whole quantity of gold placed in the scale, " one-fourth is divided among the priests who conduct " the ceremony. The Division is thus : —
" 1. Achdryah gets „ £ofthe£th
" 2. The Brahman, Sadasyah and the
eight Bltviks £ „ „
" 3. The eight Pithakas and the eight
Jdpakas together £ „ „
" In these, the third item is subjected to equi-divi- " sion, " — each of the 16 men getting ^Tth of the £th. " But the second is not so. Each of the ten does not " get 7Vth. The Brahmin gets about TVth, the Sadasyah " about fVth,and each of the eight Rltviks and Achkryah (who again has a share in this also) gets about irVth, — the whole making up about one-third. The whole " quantity of gold used in the scale to weigh the Maha- " rajah was 18,150 kalanjus and 19£ machaties or 7934-80 tolahs approximately, which is 266 tolahs in excess of the total gold specially ordered. This excess was supplied by the Manarajah's private Treasury in anticipation of payment from the public Treasury."
" The shares of the 27 priests are approximately as " follows : —
" The Ach&ryah (major share) 661-07 tolahs.
" Do. (minor share) 50*9
" The Brahman 110-18
The Sadasyah 94-43
Each of the eight Rltviks at 50-91.. 407-28
Each of the eight Jdpakas at 41-33.. 330*64
Each of the eight P&thakas at 41-33.. 330-64
" It will be seen from the above that the Achiryah " or head priest, has the lion's share of nearly 712 " tolahs, which, even at 15 Bs. per tolah, amounts to
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70 EABLT HISTORY OP TRAVANCOBE.
chap. " 10,680 Bb. He has other emoluments besides this. ^_^ " His family or Tarw&d name is TarunanaMr Nam- " piiripid, and is the religious head of the great Pagoda, " and the head State priest.
%
" The remaining three-fourths of the gold is distri- " buted generally among Brahmans. On the former occasion the rate of payment was as follows :
Nampiiri Brahman Adhyas (Lords) of ordinary description 3 Kalanjus.
Nampiiri Brahman Karmis (who have performed Yajnam) 3
Ordinary Nampiiri Brahmans 2
Canarese Brahmans \\
Tamil Brahmans \
Do. Women and Children \
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" From this rate a reduction was made on the " present occasion, by which the Adhyas and Karmis " got 2 k, ordinary Nampiiris 1£ k, and the Canarese "Brdhmans 1 k, no alteration being made in that " of the Tamil Br&hmans. Besides this, the great "Nampiiri Lords receive varying quantities the " maximum being 100 k. Tamil Brdhmans who pass an examination in Vedas and Sdstras get extra gold, about £ k. at an average. Great Pandits and " Vaidiks get much large quantities. On the former " occasion the maximum under this item reached 45 k, but now this was kept down at 15 or 20 k. Certain privileged families, hereditarily depending on the "court receive extra payments. The Maharajah " also makes discretionary gifts to friends and depend- " ants. But whenever a present of this gold is made " to any person not a Brdhman a deposit of its value " in money must be made, for the gold being the " property of the BrAhmans after the ddnam cannot " be appropriated for other purposes. The late Maha- " rajah strictly adhered to this, and it is unlikely " that the present Maharajah has deviated from it.
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SABLT HISTOBT OF TRAVANCOBB.
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It may be mentioned that the Maharajah has, with ohap. his wonted kind consideration presented all his L European friends with specimen corns. Lord Napier, and probably H. R. H. the Duke of Edinburgh him- self, must have had the addition of this curiosity to their cabinets. The subjoined is a comparative state- ment of the total distributions of gold on the recent and the immediately previous occasions. It is given in halanju sxxi mancMti. One kalanju is about 78' 65 grains or about 4th of a tolah, and one manchdti is about 3*979 grains.
Items of Distribution of Gold.
" 1. — To the Acharyah and the twenty-six other priests who conducted the cere- mony :
" 2 — To the great Nampuri chiefs and heri ditary grandees «
" 3. — To Nampdri and Oanarese Brihmans generally •
" 4. — To Tamil Brahmans generally
"5. — To do. Women and Children
" 6.— To do. Brihman Pandits and those who were examined in the Vedas and Sastras
" 7. — To friends, dependents, servants and miscellaneous •
"Total... " Total Qold used for weighing
" Gold unspent...
TuWtKardm of I860.
M.
5731
846
4778 3666 1243
3707 2867
22924 22924
84
1
5
10 5 5
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9
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Tuldbhardm of 1870.
4537
712
3626 2845 1416
2790
M.
14J
10
15
15
5
10
Not ascer- tained.
• • •
18150
• • •
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" It will be seen from the above that except in the item of Tamil Brdhman women and children there has been decrease on the present occasion. But the total quantity of gold was smaller than on the former occasion and the rates of distribution to the Namp&ri and Canarese Brdhmans and to the Pandits have been considerably lowered. This, together with the decrease of influx of people from distant
72 EAELT HISTORY OF TBAVANCOEB.
parts of India, owing to the sudden alteration of date, will account for the general decrease. The chief saving, however, was in the items of feast, the " erection of sheds, and the travelling expenses of the 4€ great Nampilri Chiefs, &c, which, owing to the " coincidence of the great Murajapam, were almost " nil. The whole ascertained expense amounts to " 155,427 Bs., and a few more unaudited items will " probably swell the total to 160,000 Rupees in round " numbers. The Hiranyagarb'ham ceremony, which " must be performed likewise before the Maharajah's " coronation, may cost about 140,000 Rs. Three " lakhs of rupees is doubtless a large sum in a small " State like Travancore, which has yet to undertake " many important public works and extend the bene- " fits of Education ; but it is not too large to be spent " once in the lifetime of a Hindu Ruler, who has " seldom been oblivious to the just wants of his people " and never been misguided in the use of public money, in religious ceremonies the performance of which by the head of the State undoubtedly has the exultant sanction of the whole Hindu population " in it.
" In the plate appended the figures in the line marked " A represent the coins or medals struck on the pre- " sent occasion, and those in the line B show those of " the last TuldbMram."
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EABLY HISTORY OF TBAVANCOBJ.
73
Both of these ceremonies, Thulapurusha danam and chap. Hirannya Garbha danam, are preliminaries to the L coronation ceremony in Travancore. Parasu Rama himself performed Thulapurusha danum at Thiroona- waye, before he performed the great national feast Mahamukhum.
The chief actors in both of the above ceremonies are the Numboory Brahmans in whom Parasu Rama vested the duty of performing all the religious and Vedic ceremonies in Kerala.
Aluvanchery Samrattu, now vulgarly called Tham-
grakel, the supreme authority among the Numboory >rahman community, in regard to Vedic functions, is the chief preceptor to the Travancore royal family : he has to be present at all such ceremonies and is the principal person at the ceremony called TTpanayanam, investiture of the young Princes with the Brahmanical emblem Poonunool, when they attain their proper age.
An account of this great Brahmanical chief will be found in Dr. Buchanan's work, wherein h£ is called Rajah. The denomination Thamprakel has led the
Seople to call him Rajah, for Rajah is called in the [alayalam language, Thumpooran. The Numboory community was held in great reverence and high regard in Kerala, and none would venture to offend a Num- boory, who is supposed to possess the power of impre- cation and cursing.
Though several Rajahs and petty chiefs rose up subsequent to the Perumal period, still the Numboory community maintained its power within the sixty- four gramams, but owing to neglect of the devo- tional observances and "religious performances, the prosperity of the community began to decline and the precepts and commands of Parasu Rama were indif- ferently attended to.
At such a period, the great and renowned Vedan- thist, Sankara Acharyar was born. His birth-place is
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74 IABLT HISTORY OF TEAVANCOBB.
Kalady on the northern bank of the Alwaye river, and eight miles from the town of Alwaye; he was a Numboory of some rank and distinction.
We have only a traditional account of the period of Sankara Acharyar's birth, which is said to have been about half a century before the beginning of the Kollum era or the Malayalam year, and in the eighth century of the Christian era.
This account coincides with that given by the Author of the " South Indian Gods."*
Sankara Acharyar, while very young, began to criticise the religious proceedings of the Numboories and their Vedic knowledge and studies generally, and consequently the community was offended with the youth and began to persecute him in every possible manner. The community pronounced a verdict of excommunication upon the family (a cowardly mode of retaliation pursued by the Numboory community even up to this day.) The Brahmans were prohibited to associate with the family and even the lower orders were prevented from serving at Sankara's ilium (house.)
When about sixteen years of age Sankara is said to have set out on a pilgrimage as a hermit.
An account of the pilgrimage, &c, of Sankara Acharyar is given in eight stanzas composed in San- scrit, by one of his disciples. These verses are to the effect that Sankara Acharyar was born in the Brahman village Kalady in Keralam ; that he became omniscient by the time he attained sixteen years of age, attained the religious degree of ascetism, proceeded to Bade- rikasramam where the Soothra Bhashya was composed that Vyasa, the great Rishi met Sankara Acharyar
* The most celebrated professor of the Vadanta was Sankara Acharya ; and regarding him we learn from Professor H. H. Wilson's Hindu Sects, that he lived about the eighth or ninth century, and was, according to most accounts a native of Kerala or Malabar, of the tribe of Numboory Brahmans, and in the Mythological language of the Sect, an incarnation of Siva. South Indian Gods, page 114.
EARLY HIST0EY OF TEAVANOOEE. 75
there; that the Bhashya was shown him, and that chap. he fully approved of the work; that they resided L there together for some years ; that subsequently Sankara Acharyar returned to his mother to whom he administered spiritual aid in her last moments; that after her death, he returned to Baderikasramam and ordained a fit disciple there; that he set out from thence with his disciple, went to Gaya, and performed certain ceremonies for his deceased mother; that he was here engaged in a religious discussion with a learned Brahman whom he converted and made his disciple ; that they came together to Gokarnam and con- verted there an unmarried Brahman who also became his disciple ; that he proceeded to Kalastri and other holy places, accompanied by all his disciples; that subsequently he came to Kanchi, and after visiting Sreerangam, continued his pilgrimage to Kamaswarum and Sethu, and that finally, the Acharyar visited Tri- choor, constituting several religious ordinations and establishments at various places during the pilgrimage.
Sankara Acharyar finished his worldly career at the early age of thirty-two years at Baderikasramam, or, as is generally believed, at Badrikadarum near the Himalaya and this is corroborated by the author of the " South Indian Gods," page 115. The Acharyar's dis- ciples composed several works called Acharya Chari- tham, Acharya Vejayem, &c, but such works have now become very scarce.
Sankara Acharyar introduced various improvements amongst the Numboory community of Keralam, in modification of the laws and ordinances of Parasu Rama, which are now observed by the Brahmans as their religious bye-laws. He also made several divi- sions of caste in the lower orders, the particulars of which will be found detailed in Kerala Ulppathy, page 33.
At this period, the Numboory community continued as they were originally, in two sections, viz. : Chowa- rahoor and Panniarakoor.
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76 EJJtLY HISTOET OF TEA VAN CORE,
The improvement effected by Sankara Acharyar was that each of these divisions should have a Wad- hyan (spiritual Preceptor) called Thirunawaye Wad- hyan and Thrishivaparoor (Trichoor) Wadhyan ; that there should be under these two personages six Wydeekens (Vedic Judges) a set of Meemamsakens (expounders of spiritual laws,) and Smarthens (Pro- fessors of spiritual laws.) All spiritual affairs to be guided and conducted by these men in perfect accord* ance with the Vedic law.
Sankara Acharyar introduced also certain rules and observances regarding matrimony amongst the Num- boory Brahmans, most rigid in their character. The married female is not allowed to be seen by any males even of the family or of her caste people. She is to move under the screen or cover of a large-sized um- brella purposely constructed with the Tallipot palm leaf, and is always to be attended by a female servant, who goes before her whenever she steps out of doors. She is not permitted to adorn her person with costly ornaments and clothes ; her ornaments consist of a pair of golden ear-rings of a peculiar make and description, different from the pattern worn by females of other classes. She wears a string of neck ornaments called Tholihoottam, and a number of brass bangles on both hands. She wears a long country-made coarse cloth round her waist and covers her body from the neck downwards with a coarse sheet of cloth.
The costume, the ornament and the condition of the Numboory females continue to this day just the same without the least change from the original rules laid down for the sex by Sankara Acharyar.
The rules laid down for protecting chastity amongst the females are extremely rigorous and severe. The following is a brief outline of the mode of enquiry in cases of adultery among the Numboory Brahmans as established by Sankara Acharyar.
When a female member of a family is suspected of having violated the laws of chastity, the headman of
BABLT mSTOET OF TBAVANCOBB. 77
the family generally takes the lead in an enquiry ; he chap. communicates the information to his kinsmen, and s-- i, they together with some of the headmen of the neigh- bouring village assemble in the house and hold a private enquiry with the maid servant attached to the suspected female, as also with the other maid servants of the house* This enquiry is a very minute and searching one, and if the suspicion is found ground- less, the enquiry is stopped and the matter dropped altogether. On the other hand, the suspected female is ordered to be located in a separate place which is called by the technical term Anjampwra, and there she remains apart from the others. The owner of the house and his kinsmen, together with the elders, now proceed to the king and represent the matter in a particular form. The King, his family Priest, and other Pandits of the Court, assemble and the sovereign himself puts several questions to the complainant and his kinsmen as to the nature and grounds of the suspi- cion and their own knowledge of the matter, their opinion, Ac. &c., and the courtiers also follow the same course, and then the king issues a writ to the Smarthen and deputes the king's agent or deputy in the person of a learned man and Yedic scholar of the Court. The prosecutor, together with certain men of the com- mittee, go to the Smarthen, lays down a sum of money as a complimentary present to the Smarthen, and apprises him of the affair and of the king's order ; the Meemamsakens are then assembled and all now proceed to the house of the suspected female, and the Smar- then, with all the respect due to a Numboory woman, standing at a good distance without being seen by the female, makes a maid servant his intermediary and commences asking a series of questions. If the Smar- then is satisfied that there is no ground for proceeding with the enquiry, he communicates the same to the Mee«> mamsakens and to the king's agent, who are also present there. After mutual consultation and consideration of the nature of the questions and answers, should they agree with the Smarthen that the accused is innocent,
N.
78 EARLY HISTORY OP TRAVANCORE.
the enquiry, is discontinued and the ceremony known as Eshama Nama&karvm is gone through, i. e., lying prostrate before the suspected female and asking her pardon for the vexatious procedure to which she was subjected, and thus the female is honorably exonerated. On the other hand, should the suspicion be confirmed by her answers, and good reasons be found for believing the charge, the Smarthen shows himself before the accused female and confronting her, begins question- ing her. From this stage, the female is called and addressed " Sadanam" (thing). This examination continues about three days, and by that time the guilt is likely to be completely established, mostly by confession strengthened by evidence, and then the case is summed up and considered by the Smarthen, Meemamsaken and others in the presence of the king's agent. At this stage, the female is closely watched, not only to prevent out-side advice from reaching her i<
but also to frustrate any intentions of suicide which . she may entertain. The result of the enquiry is re- ported to the king, who, after hearing all the facts sanctions the excommunication of the female and allows her a small pittance of rice and provisions to be issued from one of the Oottupurahs (feeding houses) . The sentence of excommunication is announced by a foreign Brahman, called Patter. This person, standing on a platform erected for the purpose, declares in a loud voice the names of the adulteress, and the adulterer ; he next announces that the crime has been proved against them and that they have both been excommunicated. For this service, the Patter gets the prescribed fee. The cost of this enquiry, which is generally called " Smarthavicharam" is somewhat considerable, and the whole is borne by the head of the family who is bound to go through certain '
ceremonies after performing the mock funeral cere- monies of the female, who is now considered as dead and severed from the family. This concluding cere- mony is called " Svdhabhojanam" (messing after purification).
KABLY HISTOBT OF TBAVANCOBE. 79
During the enquiry the assembled committee is ohap. sumptuously fed by the head of the family. *~Jt**~
This enquiry shows that the Numboory Brahmans depend solely upon the king for sanction in such cases, and that such an enquiry is essential to the Brahmans for preserving the purity of their race.
The Brahmans have to perform a most important ceremony in accordance with the canons of the Veda. This ceremony is called " Yagam" (sacrifice) and it is also to be performed with the sanction of the king, who, as in duty bound, is to attend the ceremony as a protector.
Parasu Rama himself respected and observed the above law when he performed the great Mahama- kham sacrifices at Thirunawaye, where the Kerala Mahatmyam says that that great Brahman celebrated the ceremony with great pomp and in the presence of the kings, of whom the Travancore sovereign was reckoned the foremost.
We find that during the sway of the Numboories over each of the various Devaswams (temples of worship) instituted by Parasu Rama, a Samantha Kshatria called Kovil Addikarikal was. appointed as , manager. These Adhikarikals rose in power and in \\i& course of time established themselves as petty chiefs, [y*
These Devaswams became possessed of immense wealth and landed property, to which latter numerous tenants were attached and who established them- selves as ryots or subjects, so much so that the Devas- wam managers and trustees enacted rules and laws for the management of the Devaswam property and began to enforce these laws, independent of the king, within the limits of their landed property.
Tradition shows that the life and property of the Devaswam tenants were at the mercy of the Devas- wam community. In every pagoda, before the com- y* mencement of the annual XJlsavam festival, which ' * generally begins by a flag being hoisted, such of the
ik
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80 UABLT HISTORY Of TftAVANCOBB.
chip. Devaswam tenants, as had committed any breach of I# the Devaswam rules were gibbetted before the hoist- ing of the flag and the commencement of the Ulsavam. By such arbitrary conduct of the Devaswam people the sovereign power was overshadowed, and the king became indifferent to the mode in which affairs were administered within the jurisdiction of Devaswam and Brahmaswam lands.
These powers of the Devaswam appear to have con- tinued up to the early part of the><aghfti century, as will.be seen from accounts of the Tfavandrum De- vaswam.
The rise of the Devaswam to power greatly affected the military resources of the king, whose forces are chiefly constituted of militia trained out of the popu- lace. Now, the Devaswam ryots became the largest portion of the people and they were not permitted to form a portion of the militia.
( The military strength granted by Farasu Rama to \ the Travancore King as mentioned in the Kerala Ma- \ hatmyam was 3,50,000 men, and these were all militia.
We have already said that the art of war and the uses of warlike weapons were introduced by Parasu Rama.
The system of training soldiers adopted by that Brahman warrior and followed by the kings of Travan- core and Kolathnaud was that every village should maintain its own militia. The name of every male child of the Nairs and others, six months after birth, was to be registered as belonging to the militia. Fencing and gymnastic schools, called Kalery, were established in every district under the superintendence of certain authorised masters, denominated Gurukals and Asans to educate boys in the art of war which consisted chiefly of sword exercises, arrow-shooting, spear, lance and dagger exercises, wrestling and tne use of the shield, and several other arts of offence and defence. These masters were required not only to give the boys military education, but also to train
EABLY HISTORY OF TEA VAN CO BE. 81
them in gymnastic exercises, sword and rope-dancing chap. for the entertainment of the public, L
For the command of the milita, trained men were expressly nominated, such as Mvmm/ilaharen^ (one who stands in front of a company) Cherumianakaren, (the one behind or close to the first.; ranking perhaps with the present grades Subadar and Jemadar). Over several of these men there were noblemen, with the titles of Karthavu (Lord), Kymal (nobleman), and such others like the old Barons and Knights of England. The head of the numberjotihese noblemen was a petty chief of a State called^jaJr who had to appear before the king with his levde-oHighting men in time of war. The Qv/rukal had Writhi (means of livelihood or main- tenance), now called Virithi, allowed them by the king, which consisted of portions of lands. Similar privileges on a large scale were granted to all the chiefs for maintaining the militia. By the appointment of Parasu Rama, the king of Travancore and his relative the chief of Kolathnaud, had each 350,000 militia men, and these, were recognized even by the last Perumal. The Kerala Ulppathy1 as well as the Kerala Mahatmyam2 fully certify to this fact. The extent of the possessions of these two sovereigns, and the importance of Travancore and Kolathnaud may be justly and rightly judged from the strength of the militia, for to raise a militia of 700,000 men would undoubtedly require a large population, with an extensive area of land, and it is an additional proof that the whole of Kerala was in the possession of these two sovereigns, and that almost all the rajahs and chiefs and their nobles who were each head of thirty, fifteen, ten, five and three thousand men of the militia, according to the account in the Kerala Ulppathy (vide pages 41 and 42) were subject to these two kings of Travancore and Kolathnaud.*
1 — Kerala Ulppathy, pages 40 and 41. 2— Kerala Mahatmyam, Chapter 86.
* The Kola conquest of the Belalas might be cited as an instance of the power of these kings.
li
82 EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE.
ohap. We see remnants of the above system still in lm existence in Travancore, though not in its original fornj. nor for the same purposes. Some of the originally established kaleries are to be seen here and there, with their privileged Asans or masters. Such kaleries are found now-a-days in the territories of the king of Travancore, where all such ancient relics are preserved and the services of the grade of men with their original title such as Munnilakaren and Charumanakaren, and the militia men as Yirithi- car are still retained, and they even to this day perform oolium services in the villages, and in the possession of lands allotted to them as Virithi. The aggregate number of such persons amounts to about '20,000 and the lands to the extent of about 14,000 acres and 5,000 gardens. In no country in India are such services found to exist.
That the supremacy of Keralam devolved upon the Travancore king we find borne out by the fact of the currency of Kerala.
We have already shown that Farasu Rama had minted a gold coin called Rasi, and that it was the sovereign coin of Kerala, till the commencement of the Kali Yugam. Though the coin Rasi has become almost extinct, since the last few centuries, still in all transactions relating to landed property in the northern parts of Travancore, this coin is to this day the standard for fixing the value thereof.
Travancore minted its coin from the earliest time in the Kali age and it is the principal currency of the kingdom and is called Kaliyuga Rajen fanam, which coin, though not current now, is the acknow- ledged currency in Travancore, like the star pagoda of the Carnatic. The old Kaliyuga Rajen fanam was a close imitation of the Madura Vella fanam (the Fandyan coin), and both had a faint resemblance to the Rasi fanam. These coins were certainly minted long after the coinage of the gold Rasi fanam by Farasu Rama. Subsequently, the Travancore mint
EARLY HISTORY OF TRAVANCORE. 83
issued gold coins the form and stamp resembling ohaf. very much those of the Rasi, called Anantha Eajen L fanam and Anantha Varahan (gold pagoda). A silver coin, under the designation of Chuckram, was issued from the Travancore mint from the earliest period and it was current even in the Pandyan kingdom.
Inscriptions and copper Sasanams show that the Kaliyuga Rajen fanam was the currency in the early part of the Kali Yugam. The Telugu Brahman Kanna- dyan's copper Sasanam already alluded to, corrobo- rates the fact of Chuckram being the currency during that period.
All the designations by which Travancore coins were known had special meanings, viz*, Kaliyuga Rajen fanam means the coin of the king who ruled Keralam in the beginning of the Kali age. Anantha Rajen fanam means the Travancore king's coin, so also Anantha Varahan; and Chuckram denotes the emblem or weapon of Vishnu, the household deity of the Travancore sovereign. Gold Chuckrams were minted in Travancore at one time, but they are not current now.
All these coins were current between Cape Comorin and Qokarnam. During the time of the Perumal period and that of the Brahmanical rule, the Rasi appears to have been the currency as also other coins which were minted and circulated in Keralam by the Travancore king. A few centuries subsequent to the Kollum era, Malayalam year, the Kolathnaud Rajah issued a gold coin of his own, resembling the Rasi and called the gold fanam. When the Z amor in flourished under the assumed title of " Nad/ivirippu" that potentate issued a coin of his own, being an imitation of the Kolathnaud Rajah's coin and he called it Veera Rayen Puthia fanam or Zamorin's new fanam, which, as well as the Kolathnaud Rajah's coin became the currency in all the northern countries and every one of the chiefs accepted them as such; but the Kolathnaud king's
84 EAELT HISTORY OP TRAVANCORE.
coin was now called Palaya fanam, old coin. Even the Perinpadappu king accepted the Zamorin's new f anam as legal tender in his country, a practise which still continues, and money transactions in the Cochin Rajah's territories are calculated chiefly according to the Zamorin's new gold fanam. But the Zamorin's coins were not a legal tender in the Travancore king's territories.
Perinpadappu latterly issued alloyed silver coin called Puthen, which appears to have scarcely been acknowledged out of his own territories.
The Travancore coins were current in Keralam up to the time the Zamorin rose to power. The Kaliyuga Rajen fanam and the Chuckram have been current in the kingdoms of Pandya and Chola from ancient times. Thus we have traced the currency of Kerala from the time of Parasu Eama up to the present day, and, though we have already shown that Kerala was no other than Travancore, yet it is necessary to refer once more to the subject and trace the names of localities in connection with our narration.
The coronation of -Bang Veera Kerala Vurmah, Kulasekhara Perumal, in the Kali year 3412, has been chronicled above. This took place in the middle of the Perumal period and the coronation was attended by the then Perumal, and by all the chiefs and nobles of Kerala ; the ceremonies of Hirannya Garbham and Thulapurusha danam were performed by the Num- boory Brahmans of both Chowarakoor and Punniara- koor.
This sovereign occupied the Kerala throne for a long time and ruled his kingdom with prosperity and popularity.
The capital, where this monarch resided, was Veera Keralapuram close to Sreevalumcode, (Thiroovithan- code) and Sreevurdhanapuram (Padmanabhapuram,) where Parasu Rama installed two of this king's ancestors.
CHERAMAH PERUMAL.
JEAELY HISTOET OF TEAVANCOEE. 85
Veera Keralapuram or Keralapuram is still in existence ; there are the palace, the pagoda, the Brah- man and Sudra villages. On the right side of this city is Sreevalumcode, and on the left, Sreevurdha- napurum, not far from each other.
This king appears to have ended his most praise- worthy career after an unusually long reign, during the Viceroyalty of Bhaskara Revi Vurmah, the last Cheraman rerumal.
There are many localities, capitals and towns in the eastern side of the Ghauts the names of which perpe- tuate the memory of the Chera dynasty and its fangs, such as Chera Maha Devi, Marthandaswaram, Kula- sekharapatanam, &c., &c., In like manner, in Keralam also similar names are abundantly found.
We find that besides Veera Keralapuram, the deno- mination connected with Kulasekhara is freely and largely adopted in Keralam, such as Kulasekhara- puram, Kulasekhara Mangalam, &c. Keraladithya- puram and Keraleswaram are also used as denomina- tions of pagodas, villages, &c.
Veera Kerala Vurmah, Kulasekhara Perumal, was succeeded by his brother, whose name is not very clear. No particulars of the reign of this king can be gathered from any reliable account; all that is known of him is that he was unable to follow in the track of his predecessor and that he did not perform the costly ceremonies and wear the sacred crown and become a Kulasekhara Perumal. This king's successor was the nephew of Veera Kerala Vurmah, whose name he bore.
It appears that it was in his reign during which nothing extraordinary occurred that the rerumal Viceroyalty ended.
The last Cheraman Perumal closed his worldly career at Thiruvanjicolam ; the traditional account is that he disappeared suddenly from his residence. Certain Tamil accounts say that he ascended to heaven
*
86 BABLT HISTOBY OF TRAVANCOEB.
chap, with one Sundra Moorthy Swamy, while the Kerala 1 Ulppathy narrates that Cheraman proceeded to Mecca, met the prophet Mahomet, embraced Mahomedanism, lived some years there, married the daughter of the Arabian king, had children by her, and died at that place. This statement, on the face of it appears to be utterly false, as the prophet was not born at the time when Bhaskara Revi Vurmah Perumal died.
>atements strengthen the doubts as to the
" of the Kerala Ulppathy, which is the chief
source of information respecting the PerumaPs rule, subsequent to Parasu Rama's period ; but the narra- tion in this work (Kerala Ulppathy) subsequent to the Perumal period still further bewilders the reader, especially as almost all accounts therein related, are not annotated. There is no means of knowing exactly at what period the chronicles of this work end.
The division of Kerala; at the time of the last Che- raman PerumaTs retirement as narrated in the Kerala Ulppathy, is generally disbelieved, and almost dis- proved, as has been said by Dr. Gundert. Besides, the perumal as a Viceroy had g@ power to make ter- ritorial divisiOllB uf tho dominium] OfTiis master, the Chera king.
It would appear from all accounts, that the Cochin chief, under the designation of Mada Bhoopathy or Madathin Kovil (vide Kerala Ulppathy, page 62,) also called Kovil Adhikarikel, as the relation of the Peru- mal, as a matter of course took possession of the Perumal' s residence at Thiruvanjicolam (the original home of the Chera dynasty,) and enjoyed the Peru- mai's possessions and property as Ananthiravan (heir).
There is another account which says that the Cochin Rajah is not a real descendant of the last Cheraman Perumal, but that his family is descended from the fifteenth Perumal, called Mada Perumal (vide Kerala Ulppathy, page 18), and that they resided on the western bank of the broad back-water, Bampanaud Kayel, a few miles north of Alleppey, and in the Share-
EABLT HISTORY OF TEAVANCOEE. 87
talay district. The locality is still called Madathin- chap. karay, and tradition shows that the Cochin Rajah had L a residence there till the district fell into the Travan- core sovereign's hands.
The above view was adopted by Kookel Kelu Nair, in his memorandum published in the Madras Literary Society's Journal already alluded to. He says : " Again " there is no ground to suppose that the Cochin Rajah " is descended from the said Veera Kerala, for, from " various authors, it is clear that the Cochin Rajah is " decended from Mada Perumal, one of the predeces- " sors of the last Perumal, and therefore, even up to this day the Cochin Rajahs are called Mada Bhoo- patis or Mada Rajahs." This may perhaps account for the general belief that the Cochin Rajah is a Soorya Vamsa Kshatria, for, if his family were descended from the last Cheraman Perumal, it must be a Soma Yamsa Kshatria, as that Viceroy was a Soma Kshatria, as has been already shown.
Kerala Ulppathy says in its forty-second page, that the last Perumal gave his sword and two small pieces of land to an attach^ of his (an Eradi), with the title Kimnala Konathvri (Z amor in), and also that a few Arabs, residing at the locality were made over to him.
Such is the origin of the Cochin Rajah and of the . . Zamorin of Calicut, as narrated in the Kerala Ulppa- J IsjT thy, which account appears to be fully corroborated I j ^ by tradition.
The king of Chera (Travancore), had been till then the Emperor of Kerala, but the principal seat of royalty was gradually transferred to the southern part and embodied with its branch, as we have already stated.
The nephew of king Veera Kerala Vurmah ruled the kingdom satisfactorily during his reign ; he established a residency at Kulladay, south-east of Quilon, where he consecrated a pagoda, and established
88 EAELY HISTORY OF TEAVANCOEB.
chap, villages, &c. The successor of this king, whose name
^£^ is unknown, did not govern his kingdom ably and
well, and tradition has it that since that time other
powers in the north commenced to rise and prosper
in Southern India.
For the next two or three hundred years, we find no precise accounts of the affairs of north Kerala; it was the period of the flourishing dynasties of Kadamba and Chalukya, and northern Kerala had been subject to the supremacy of those powers. During this interval, there was an alliance between Travancore and the Kolathnaud Rajahs to repel the invaders of northern Kerala.
In the Kali year 3831 (731 A.D.), the Travancore king, Veera Marthanda Vurmah, performed Hirannva Garbham and Thulapurusha danam and ruled the kingdom for a long time. His nephew succeeded him as usual. This sovereign, whose real name it is difficult to find, died in the Kali year 3902 and was succeeded by his nephew, TJdaya Marthanda Vurmah, who was an educated and highly accomplished monarch. His rule was very prosperous and more remarkable than that of many of his predecessors.
At this period, the Travancore royal family resided at different places and was commonly known by five different denominations, viz., (Vanavanaud) Venaud, (Sreevaiumcode) Thiruvithancode, (Sreepatha) Trip- pappoor, (Sreevey) Sheravaye and ( Jayuthunaganaud) Desinganaud Swaroopams.
All these five Swaroopams, when collectively referred to, were styled either V enadu, Travancore or Trippap- poor, and sovereignty was assumed under these three designations only. Latterly they became to be known exclusively under one name, i.e., Travancore.
^ J In the Kali year 3926 (825 A.D.), when king Udaya
Marthanda Vurmah was residing in Kollam (Quilon), he convened a council of all the learned men of Kerala with the object of introducing a new era, and after making some astronomical researches,
15ABLY HISTORY OF TRAYANCOBE. 89
and calculating the solar movements throughout the chap. twelve signs of the zodiac, and counting scientifically ^Jt« the number of days occupied in this revolution in every month, it was resolved to adopt the new era from the first of Chingam of that year, 15th August 825, as Kollam year one, and to call it the solar year.
This arrangement was approved of by all the wise men of the time, and every neighbouring country began to adopt the same. And this system of reckon* ing the year, continues up to the present day through- out Keralam, as well as in every part of the kingdom of Chera, then possessed by the king of Travancore. This era has been adopted by other kings also, as we see that in Madura, Tinnevelly, and other countries, the Kollam era is commonly used in reckoning the
?ear. Stone inscriptions are generally found in 'innevelly, and other localities, which corroborate this statement. The old records in the Trevandrum pagoda -shew that on the 5th Chingam of the first Kollam year, i.e., five days after the promulgation of the new year, the members of the five royal Houses of the Travancore family, the Swamyar, (ecclesiasti- cal head), and all the nobility, <fcc, assembled in the Trevandrum pagoda and introduced certain new rules or ordinances for the conduct of the daily, monthly, and yearly performances of poojas and other cere- monies in the pagoda. These rules are still in force in the said pagoda.
In these old writings, it is found recorded that king u Cheraman Perumal" (not the Viceroy), laid the found- ation stone of this pagoda, and that he passed all the ordinances appertaining to the pagoda, and appointed certain classes and castes of men for the different duties of the Devaswam.
In the Kollam year 5, (830 A.D.), Udaya Marthanda Vurmah, Kulasekhara Perumal died, but his succes- sor's name and the particulars of his reign are not traceable from the records. The names and other
12
90 BAELT HISTORY OP TRAVANCORE.
chap, particulars of many of the succeeding kings are also I# not in the records.
The Panthalam Rajah, now a pensioned feudatory chief of Travancore, was a subordinate Kshatria Rajah under the Pandyan king, and his family was privileged to wed the females of the Chera or Travancore royal family. This chief emigrated to Travancore under the sanction of the then sovereign, as is recorded in a copper-plate writing, dated llthPurattasi Kollam year 79, (904 A.D.)
It was about this period that the combined army of Travancore and Koluthnaud drove out the Bellalas from Kerala, and pursued the fugitives into the Dravida country. Subsequently the kings of Travancore and Koluthnaud reverted to the enjoyment of their res-
?ective possessions originally assigned to them by 'arasu Rama, i.e., the former from Korempulay (the great river) to the south, and the latter from that stream to the north.
On northern Kerala being cleared of the outsiders, the local chieftains began to rise and much fighting amongst them resulted.
The Eradi, whom the Perumal called Kunnala Kon or Konathiri, as the Kerala Ulppathy calls him, and to whom the Perumal gave his sword, now rose up, and with the assistance of the Arabs, conquered almost all the northern chiefs, acquired large territories between Ponnani and northern Kollam, and estab- lished himself as a powerful monarch assuming the title "Nediviruppu Swaroopan" (the greatly spread power. )
j Kerala Ulppathy narrates the particulars of the > f j Zamorin's military exploits and victories (vide, pages ~ 46 to 56.)
The last Perumal, Bhaskara Revi Vurmah, was, as stated above, far more popular than all the other Perumals, and he was held in such great veneration and affection by the people, as well as by all the chiefs
)
EABLY HISTORY OP TBAVANCOBE. 91
throughout Keralam that he was considered by chap. most of the people as an incarnation of Vishnu, L and many even worshipped him as a deity. This PerumaTs image, together with that of his wife, were cast in metal and placed in the Thiruvunjicolam pagoda.
The Cochin Raj^h, being considered the legitimate heir to the Peromal^Fefle^in the estimation of the people, especially ofthe Syrian community, who were rich and very influential, some of them being mer- chants carrying on business between Kodtingalore and Quilon, and greatly attached to the chief ever since the end of the Perumal rule. In the course of a few years the Cochin Rajah also became a great power, and like the Z amor in, changed his title and declared himself Perinpadappu Swaroopam (the highly extended or stretched power). As almost all the northern subjects of Travancore acknowledged the Cochin chief as king, the title " Perinpadappu, applied to Cochin - was not inappropriate." The then reigning king of Travancore being of a quiet and peaceable disposition, the ascendancy of Cochin was easily established. Hence, the king of Travancore lost his sovereignty over almost all his northern possessions, and the dominions of the Travancore sove- reign were reduced to small dimensions, i.e., between Edavaye near Vurkalay in the north, Erratta Malay (eastern side of Udayagherry) in the south, to a distance of about seventy miles in length and twenty miles in breadth : Nanjenaud and all other southern
Essessions having been assumed by the Pandyan lg. Sree Vurdhanapuram (Padmanabhapurum)y Sree Valumcode (Thiruvithancode) were at the time the capitals of the kingdom. This little possession, wa find, was ruled without any disturbance, either exter- nally or internally, for a long period. During this period, two members of the Travancore royal family were adopted into that of Madathinkoor Swaroopam (Mavalikaray,) which was originally related to the