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{{Short description|Maharaja of Travancore (1922–2013)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox monarch
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
| name = Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
| title = Titular [[Maharajah of Travancore]] (monarchy abolished)
| title = Titular [[Maharajah of Travancore]] (monarchy abolished)
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| full name = Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma Maharajah of Travancore (Titular)
| full name = Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma Maharajah of Travancore (Titular)
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1922|03|22}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1922|03|22}}
| birth_place = Travancore
| birth_place = [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kingdom of Travancore]], [[British Raj]] (present-day Thiruvananthapuram, [[Kerala]], [[India]])
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2013|12|16|1922|3|22}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2013|12|16|1922|3|22}}
| death_place = [[Thiruvananthapuram]], India
| death_place = Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| burial_date =
| burial_date =
| burial_place = <!-- <br /> {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
| predecessor = [[Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma]]
| predecessor = [[Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma]]
| successor = [[Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma]] (titular)
| successor = [[Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma]] (titular)
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| issue = Ananthapadmanabhan Thampi and Parvati Devi Thankachi<ref name="ReferenceB">The male and female children born to the Maharajah were dignified with the honorific of Thampi and Thankachi respectively.</ref>
| issue = Ananthapadmanabhan Thampi and Parvati Devi Thankachi<ref name="ReferenceB">The male and female children born to the Maharajah were dignified with the honorific of Thampi and Thankachi respectively.</ref>
| royal house = [[Travancore royal family|Venad Swaroopam]]
| royal house = [[Travancore royal family|Venad Swaroopam]]
| dynasty = [[Kulasekhara dynasty (Second Cheras)|Kulasekhara]]
| dynasty = [[Travancore royal family]]
| father = Ravi Varma Kochu Koil Thampuran
| father = Ravi Varma Kochu Koil Thampuran
| mother = ''Queen Mother'' Moolam Thirunal [[Sethu Parvathi Bayi]]
| mother = ''Queen Mother'' Moolam Thirunal [[Sethu Parvathi Bayi]]
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| signature =
| signature =
}}
}}
⚫
'''Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma''' (22 March 1922 – 16 December 2013) was the titular<ref>"Though by the 26th amendment to the Constitution, Article 363 was repealed whereby the rights and privileges of the rulers of Indian states were taken away, still the name and title of the rulers remained as such and unaffected in so far as names and titles were not contemplated as rights or privileges under the repealed Articles 291 and 362 of the Constitution."</ref> [[Travancore royal family|Maharaja of Travancore]]. He was the younger brother of the last ruling monarch of the [[Kingdom of Travancore]], [[Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma|Maharajah Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma]].


⚫
Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree '''Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma''' (22 March 1922 – 16 December 2013) was the titular<ref>"Though by the 26th amendment to the Constitution, Article 363 was repealed whereby the rights and privileges of the rulers of Indian states were taken away, still the name and title of the rulers remained as such and unaffected in so far as names and titles were not contemplated as rights or privileges under the repealed Articles 291 and 362 of the Constitution."</ref> [[Travancore royal family|Maharaja of Travancore]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Keleney |first1=Anne |title=Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma: The Maharajah of Travancore |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/uthradom-thirunal-marthanda-varma-maharajah-travancore-9169048.html |access-date=2 September 2021 |agency=Independent |date=4 March 2014}}</ref><ref name="Times Of India" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Titular Maharaja of Travancore passes away |url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/titular-maharaja-of-travancore-passes-away-1288711.html |access-date=2 September 2021 |agency=Firstpost |date=16 December 2013}}</ref> He was the younger brother of the last ruling monarch of the [[Kingdom of Travancore]], [[Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma|Maharajah Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma]].
⚫
Named [[Heir Apparent]] from birth, as per the [[Travancore]] matrilineal law of succession, he joined the firm of Plymouth and Company at [[Bangalore]] in 1952, working there as a clerk and truck driver briefly to study the functioning of industries at a basic level. He was the Chief Scout of the regional Boy Scout troop, and is also a patron of local hospitals and charities.<ref name="Times Of India">{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-17/thiruvananthapuram/45294183_1_sree-padmanabha-swamy-maharaja-sree-padmanabhaswamy-temple |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219035652/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-17/thiruvananthapuram/45294183_1_sree-padmanabha-swamy-maharaja-sree-padmanabhaswamy-temple |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 December 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] |title=Travancore bids adieu to its maharaja |access-date=18 December 2013}}</ref>


⚫
Named [[Heir Apparent]] from birth, as per the [[Travancore]] matrilineal law of succession, Sree Uthradom Thirunal joined the firm of Plymouth and Company at [[Bangalore]] in 1952, working there as a clerk and truck driver briefly to study the functioning of industries at a basic level. He was the Chief Scout of the regional Boy Scout troop, and is also a patron of local hospitals and charities.<ref name="Times Of India">{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Travancore-bids-adieu-to-its-maharaja/articleshow/27510695.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219035652/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-17/thiruvananthapuram/45294183_1_sree-padmanabha-swamy-maharaja-sree-padmanabhaswamy-temple |url-status=live |archive-date=19 December 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] |title=Travancore bids adieu to its maharaja |access-date=18 December 2013}}</ref>
⚫
He married the daughter of Lt. Col. Krishnan Gopinathan Pandalai, the sometime Supt. of the Government General Hospital, [[Madras]], namely [[Ammachi Panapillai Amma]] Shrimati Radhadevi Pandalai and has a son, Ananthapadmanabhan Thampi and a daughter, Parvathidevi Kochamma. He resided at Pattom Palace, [[Trivandrum]] till his death in 2013.<ref name="Times Of India"/>


⚫
He married [[Ammachi Panapillai Amma]] Shrimati Radhadevi Pandalai, the daughter of Lt. Col. Krishnan Gopinathan Pandalai, a medical doctor, military veteran, and superintendent of the Government General Hospital, [[Madras]], from 1921 to 1935. The couple had a son, Ananthapadmanabhan Thampi and a daughter, Parvathidevi Kochamma. Sree Uthradom Thirunal resided at Pattom Palace, [[Thiruvananthapuram]] until his death in 2013.<ref name="Times Of India"/>
⚫
==Early life==


⚫
==Early life==
⚫
Sree Uthradom Thirunal was the youngest son of H.H [[Queen Mother]] [[Sethu Parvathi Bayi]] of [[Travancore]] by her consort, Ravi Varma Kochu Koyi Thampuran of [[Kilimanoor]] Royal House, a [[Sanskrit]] scholar and the [[great-nephew]] of the celebrated painter, [[Raja Ravi Varma]]. He was born on 22 March 1922 in Travancore. His siblings were [[Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma]] and [[Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi]]. His mother, [[Sethu Parvathi Bayi]], was distantly related, by birth, to the [[Travancore Royal Family]] in the direct female line. In 1900, following the absence of heirs in the Travancore Royal Family, she had been adopted by her maternal great-aunt, [[Maharani]] Lakshmi Bayi. According to the matrilineal traditions of the Travancore Royal Family, Sree Uthradom Thirunal, at the time of his birth, was proclaimed the Heir Apparent of Travancore with the title of : Sree Padmanabhadasa Maharajkumar Sree Marthanda Varma, Elaya Rajah ([[Crown Prince]]) of Travancore.


⚫
Sree Uthradom Thirunal was the youngest son of H.H [[queen mother]] [[Sethu Parvathi Bayi]] of [[Travancore]] by her consort, Ravi Varma Kochu Koyi Thampuran of [[Kilimanoor]] Royal House, a [[Sanskrit]] scholar and the [[great-nephew]] of the celebrated painter, [[Raja Ravi Varma]]. He was born on 22 March 1922 in Travancore. His siblings were [[Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma]] and [[Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi]]. His mother, [[Sethu Parvathi Bayi]], was distantly related, by birth, to the [[Travancore Royal Family]] in the direct female line. In 1900, following the absence of heirs in the Travancore Royal Family, she had been adopted by her maternal great-aunt, [[Maharani]] Lakshmi Bayi. According to the matrilineal traditions of the Travancore Royal Family, Sree Uthradom Thirunal, at the time of his birth, was proclaimed the Heir Apparent of Travancore with the title of : Sree Padmanabhadasa Maharajkumar Sree Marthanda Varma, Elaya Rajah ([[Crown Prince]]) of Travancore.
[[File:Karthika_thirunal_and_brother.jpg|left|thumb|Uthradom Thirunal with his older sister, [[Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi]]]]
Sree Uthradom Thirunal was educated privately by a group of 14 tutors in various subjects. He later graduated from the then [[Travancore University]] with Economics, Politics and History as specialisations in 1943. He was the recipient of the Moncombu Aandi Iyer Gold Medal for the best student in Sanskrit from the varsity. He was respected for his erudition.<ref name="Sheshagiri">{{cite news|last=Sheshagiri|first=Sangeetha|title=Marthanda Varma, Titular Head of Travancore Royal Family, Passes Away|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/530446/20131216/marthanda-varma-passes-away-travancore-royalfamily-sreepadmanabhaswamytemple.htm|access-date=3 March 2014|newspaper=International Business Times India|date=16 December 2013}}</ref>
Sree Uthradom Thirunal was educated privately by a group of 14 tutors in various subjects. He later graduated from the then [[Travancore University]] with Economics, Politics and History as specialisations in 1943. He was the recipient of the Moncombu Aandi Iyer Gold Medal for the best student in Sanskrit from the varsity. He was respected for his erudition.<ref name="Sheshagiri">{{cite news|last=Sheshagiri|first=Sangeetha|title=Marthanda Varma, Titular Head of Travancore Royal Family, Passes Away|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/530446/20131216/marthanda-varma-passes-away-travancore-royalfamily-sreepadmanabhaswamytemple.htm|access-date=3 March 2014|newspaper=International Business Times India|date=16 December 2013}}</ref>


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[[File:Radha Devi.png|thumbnail|left|The consort of Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma]]
[[File:Radha Devi.png|thumbnail|left|The consort of Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma]]
Sree Uthradom Thirunal joined the firm of Plymouth and Company at [[Bangalore]] in 1952, working there and also studying the functioning of industries at a basic level. He was the Chief Scout of the regional [[Boy Scout]] troop, and was also a patron of local hospitals and charities. He married [[Ammachi Panapillai Amma]] Srimathi Radhadevi Pandalai of Kayamkulam,<ref name="ReferenceA"/> daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Krishnan Gopinathan Pandalai. He has a son, Ananthapadmanabhan Thampi and a daughter, Parvathi Devi Thankachi. Uthradom Thirunal resided at Pattom Palace, Trivandrum. A vegetarian and teetotaller, he did not drink coffee or tea or smoke. He won several trophies as an amateur horse rider. He played tennis, hockey, golf, football and polo. He learned photography in 1934 when his brother Sree Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma Maharaja gave him a Rolleiflex camera, and built up a collection of about 5,000 negatives. He drove a lot,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Telegraph|first1=The|title=Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma – obituary|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10528924/Sree-Uthradom-Thirunal-Marthanda-Varma-obituary.html|access-date=28 November 2014|date=19 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=INDIAN EXPRESS|first1=THE NEW|title=An Avid Shutterbug, Driving Enthusiast, Sanskrit Scholar|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/An-Avid-Shutterbug-Driving-Enthusiast-Sanskrit-Scholar/2013/12/17/article1949554.ece|access-date=28 November 2014|agency=Express News Service|issue=THIRUVANANTHAPURAM}}</ref> and won several medals from the Benz company at Stuttgart.
Sree Uthradom Thirunal joined the firm of Plymouth and Company at [[Bangalore]] in 1952, working there and also studying the functioning of industries at a basic level. He was the Chief Scout of the regional [[Boy Scout]] troop, and was also a patron of local hospitals and charities. He married [[Ammachi Panapillai Amma]] Srimathi Radhadevi Pandalai of Kayamkulam,<ref name="ReferenceA"/> daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Krishnan Gopinathan Pandalai. He has a son, Ananthapadmanabhan Thampi and a daughter, Parvathi Devi Thankachi. Uthradom Thirunal resided at Pattom Palace, Trivandrum.
A [[Vegetarianism|vegetarian]] and teetotaller, he only drank milk.<ref>[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sri-uthradom-thirunal-marthanda-varma-vrn2f7h8mrj "Sri Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma"]. thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2023.</ref> He won several trophies as an amateur horse rider. He played tennis, hockey, golf, football and polo. He learned photography in 1934 when his brother Sree Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma Maharaja gave him a Rolleiflex camera, and built up a collection of about 5,000 negatives. He drove a lot,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Telegraph|first1=The|title=Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma – obituary|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10528924/Sree-Uthradom-Thirunal-Marthanda-Varma-obituary.html|access-date=28 November 2014|date=19 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=INDIAN EXPRESS|first1=THE NEW|title=An Avid Shutterbug, Driving Enthusiast, Sanskrit Scholar|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/An-Avid-Shutterbug-Driving-Enthusiast-Sanskrit-Scholar/2013/12/17/article1949554.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112053545/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/An-Avid-Shutterbug-Driving-Enthusiast-Sanskrit-Scholar/2013/12/17/article1949554.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 January 2014|access-date=28 November 2014|agency=Express News Service|issue=THIRUVANANTHAPURAM}}</ref> and won several medals from the Benz company at Stuttgart.


==Death==
==Death==


Sree Uthradom Thirunal was hospitalised in early December 2013 following gastrointestinal bleeding. He died of [[cardiac arrest]] at a private hospital in [[Thiruvananthapuram]] on 16 December 2013. He died during the Murajapam Ceremony in the [[Padmanabhaswamy Temple]] which he had organised . The state government declared a public holiday on 16 December as a mark of respect to him.<ref>Thousands pay their last tribute to Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma – ''The Times of India'', By Laxmi Ajai Prasanna, TNN | 16 December 2013 – "The state government declared a public holiday as a mark of respect to the late Maharajah. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who was in Delhi for official work has planned to cut short his trip to attend his funeral here at the palace in the afternoon, though delayed he is expected to take part in the cremation. "</ref> Though Sree Uthradom Thirunal was the Titular Maharajah, the people called him 'Thampuran' and 'Thirumanassu' (lord or His Highness) with high esteem. Sree Uthradom Thirunal attended all cultural programmes in the Capital City of [[Thiruvananthapuram]] and escorted Sree Padmanabha his family deity twice a year for Arattu procession. His wife, [[Ammachi Panapillai Amma]] Srimathi Radhadevi Pandalai predeceased him in 1993. He is survived by his two children, Ananthapadmanabhan Thampi and Parvathi Devi Kochamma.<ref name="Times Of India" />
Sree Uthradom Thirunal was admitted to SUT Hospital in [[Thiruvananthapuram]] on 6 December 2013 following gastrointestinal bleeding. He died there of a [[cardiac arrest]] in the early hours of 16 December 2013, aged 91. He was cremated with full state honours at Pattom Palace, his residence, on the same day. He died during the Murajapam Ceremony in the [[Padmanabhaswamy Temple]] which he had organised. The state government declared a public holiday on 16 December as a mark of respect to him.<ref>Thousands pay their last tribute to Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma – ''The Times of India'', By Laxmi Ajai Prasanna, TNN | 16 December 2013 – "The state government declared a public holiday as a mark of respect to the late Maharajah. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who was in Delhi for official work, cut short his trip to attend his funeral at the palace in the afternoon. "</ref> Though Sree Uthradom Thirunal was the Titular Maharajah, the people called him 'Thampuran' and 'Thirumanassu' (lord or His Highness) with high esteem. Sree Uthradom Thirunal attended all cultural programmes in the Capital City of [[Thiruvananthapuram]] and escorted Sree Padmanabha his family deity twice a year for Arattu procession. His wife, [[Ammachi Panapillai Amma]] Srimathi Radhadevi Pandalai predeceased him in 1993. He was survived by his two children, Ananthapadmanabhan Thampi and Parvathi Devi Kochamma, both of them who died later.<ref name="Times Of India" />


==Successor==
==Successor==
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* [[Colonel]] [[Travancore University]] Labour Corps
* [[Colonel]] [[Travancore University]] Labour Corps
* [[Lt. Col]] in The [[Nair Brigade]] (Bodyguards of [[Maharajah of Travancore]]) and ([[Travancore-Cochin]] State Forces)
* [[Lt. Col]] in The [[Nair Brigade]] (State Army of Travancore ,.Madras Regiment) and ([[Travancore-Cochin]] State Forces)
* [[Title of honor|Honor]]ary [[Lt. Colonel]] in the [[Indian Army]]
* [[Title of honor|Honor]]ary [[Lt. Colonel]] in the [[Indian Army]]


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==External links==
==External links==

{{commons category}}
{{commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
{{wikiquote}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igbm5qG6JDo In Conversation With His Highness Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Youtube.com]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igbm5qG6JDo In Conversation With His Highness Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda], Youtube.com. Accessed 18 January 2023.
*[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Thousands-pay-their-last-tribute-to-Uthradom-Thirunal-Marthanda-Varma/articleshow/27480164.cms "Thousands pay their last tribute to Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma" THE TIMES OF INDIA, Laxmi Ajai Prasanna, TNN | 16 December 2013]
*Laxmi Ajai Prasanna, TNN [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Thousands-pay-their-last-tribute-to-Uthradom-Thirunal-Marthanda-Varma/articleshow/27480164.cms "Thousands pay their last tribute to Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma"], timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 6 December 2013.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131221091242/http://www.outlookindia.com/printarticle.aspx?288940 Outlookindia.com]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131221091242/http://www.outlookindia.com/printarticle.aspx?288940 Profile], Outlookindia.com. Accessed 18 January 2023.
*[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Thrippadi-danam-popular-at-the-book-fest/articleshow/12169515.cms , ‘Thrippadi danam’ popular at the book fest by THE TIMES OF INDIA]
*[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Thrippadi-danam-popular-at-the-book-fest/articleshow/12169515.cms ''Thrippadi Danam'' Popular at Book Fest], timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Accessed 18 January 2023.

{{s-start}}
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{{s-hou|[[Travancore royal family|Kulasekhara Dynasty]]||22 March 1922}}
{{s-hou|[[Travancore royal family|Kulasekhara Dynasty]]||22 March 1922}}
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{{Travancore}}
{{Travancore}}
{{Kingdom of Travancore}}
{{Kingdom of Travancore}}

{{authority control}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Varma, Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Varma, Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda}}

[[Category:1922 births]]
[[Category:1922 births]]
[[Category:2013 deaths]]
[[Category:2013 deaths]]
[[Category:People associated with Scouting]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educators]]
[[Category:Maharajas of Travancore]]
[[Category:People from Thiruvananthapuram district]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian photographers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian photographers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian royalty]]
[[Category:Educators from Kerala]]
[[Category:Educators from Kerala]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educators]]
[[Category:Maharajas of Travancore]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Thiruvananthapuram]]
[[Category:People associated with Scouting]]
[[Category:Indian racing drivers]]
[[Category:People from Thiruvananthapuram district]]
[[Category:Photographers from Kerala]]
[[Category:Photographers from Kerala]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian royalty]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Thiruvananthapuram]]

Latest revision as of 20:13, 9 January 2025

Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
Titular Maharajah of Travancore (monarchy abolished)
Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
Reign1991–2013
Coronation1991
PredecessorChithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
SuccessorMoolam Thirunal Rama Varma (titular)
Born(1922-03-22)22 March 1922
Thiruvananthapuram, Kingdom of Travancore, British Raj (present-day Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India)
Died16 December 2013(2013-12-16) (aged 91)
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
SpouseAmmachi Panapillai Amma Srimathi Radhadevi Pandalai of Kayamkulam [1]
IssueAnanthapadmanabhan Thampi and Parvati Devi Thankachi[2]
Names
Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma Maharajah of Travancore (Titular)
HouseVenad Swaroopam
DynastyTravancore royal family
FatherRavi Varma Kochu Koil Thampuran
MotherQueen Mother Moolam Thirunal Sethu Parvathi Bayi
ReligionHinduism

Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma (22 March 1922 – 16 December 2013) was the titular[3] Maharaja of Travancore.[4][5][6] He was the younger brother of the last ruling monarch of the Kingdom of Travancore, Maharajah Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.

Named Heir Apparent from birth, as per the Travancore matrilineal law of succession, Sree Uthradom Thirunal joined the firm of Plymouth and Company at Bangalore in 1952, working there as a clerk and truck driver briefly to study the functioning of industries at a basic level. He was the Chief Scout of the regional Boy Scout troop, and is also a patron of local hospitals and charities.[5]

He married Ammachi Panapillai Amma Shrimati Radhadevi Pandalai, the daughter of Lt. Col. Krishnan Gopinathan Pandalai, a medical doctor, military veteran, and superintendent of the Government General Hospital, Madras, from 1921 to 1935. The couple had a son, Ananthapadmanabhan Thampi and a daughter, Parvathidevi Kochamma. Sree Uthradom Thirunal resided at Pattom Palace, Thiruvananthapuram until his death in 2013.[5]

Early life

[edit]

Sree Uthradom Thirunal was the youngest son of H.H queen mother Sethu Parvathi Bayi of Travancore by her consort, Ravi Varma Kochu Koyi Thampuran of Kilimanoor Royal House, a Sanskrit scholar and the great-nephew of the celebrated painter, Raja Ravi Varma. He was born on 22 March 1922 in Travancore. His siblings were Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma and Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi. His mother, Sethu Parvathi Bayi, was distantly related, by birth, to the Travancore Royal Family in the direct female line. In 1900, following the absence of heirs in the Travancore Royal Family, she had been adopted by her maternal great-aunt, Maharani Lakshmi Bayi. According to the matrilineal traditions of the Travancore Royal Family, Sree Uthradom Thirunal, at the time of his birth, was proclaimed the Heir Apparent of Travancore with the title of : Sree Padmanabhadasa Maharajkumar Sree Marthanda Varma, Elaya Rajah (Crown Prince) of Travancore.

Uthradom Thirunal with his older sister, Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi

Sree Uthradom Thirunal was educated privately by a group of 14 tutors in various subjects. He later graduated from the then Travancore University with Economics, Politics and History as specialisations in 1943. He was the recipient of the Moncombu Aandi Iyer Gold Medal for the best student in Sanskrit from the varsity. He was respected for his erudition.[7]

Titular Maharajah of Travancore

[edit]

Sree Uthradom Thirunal became head of the Travancore royal family after his elder brother and the last monarch of Travancore Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma died in 1991. As a titular Maharaja, Uthradom Thirunal had no real administrative power[8][9] but was a popular figure in Travancore, and had daily ceremonial engagements. He also maintained his ritual position at the Padmanabhaswamy Temple as the custodian of the temple, and was involved in events relating to this. On the discovery of the immense wealth in the vaults of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, the family shrine of Travancore royals, Uthradom Tirunal stated: "It has been in the temple vaults for centuries and the royal family has been well aware of that. It is the wealth of Lord Padmanabha and we have never ever felt any interest in it. It should be preserved as God's wealth in future also." Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma successor is Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma[10] his nephew and second son of Sree Padmanabhasevini Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore and her husband Lt. Col. G. V. Raja.[7]

Community involvement

[edit]
  • Trustee and "Dasa" of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple[11]
  • Patron-in-Chief Thiruvananthapuram Kendra Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
  • Chief Scout Travancore Boy Scouts Assoc, Travancore-Cochin Boy Scouts Assoc and Kerala Boy Scouts Assoc.
  • Chief Patron Sneham Super Speciality Hospital Project
  • Patron Sri Swati Thirunal Sangita Sabha since 1991
  • Patron Shree Uthradom Tirunal Hospital (SUT)
  • Patron Muthalamada Sneham Charitable Trust
  • Patron Trivandrum Tennis Club (TTC) since 1938
  • Patron Trivandrum Club
  • Patron Trivandrum Friend-in-Need Soc
  • Patron Ananthapuram Non-Resident's Association (ANORA)

Personal life

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The consort of Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma

Sree Uthradom Thirunal joined the firm of Plymouth and Company at Bangalore in 1952, working there and also studying the functioning of industries at a basic level. He was the Chief Scout of the regional Boy Scout troop, and was also a patron of local hospitals and charities. He married Ammachi Panapillai Amma Srimathi Radhadevi Pandalai of Kayamkulam,[1] daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Krishnan Gopinathan Pandalai. He has a son, Ananthapadmanabhan Thampi and a daughter, Parvathi Devi Thankachi. Uthradom Thirunal resided at Pattom Palace, Trivandrum.

A vegetarian and teetotaller, he only drank milk.[12] He won several trophies as an amateur horse rider. He played tennis, hockey, golf, football and polo. He learned photography in 1934 when his brother Sree Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma Maharaja gave him a Rolleiflex camera, and built up a collection of about 5,000 negatives. He drove a lot,[13][14] and won several medals from the Benz company at Stuttgart.

Death

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Sree Uthradom Thirunal was admitted to SUT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on 6 December 2013 following gastrointestinal bleeding. He died there of a cardiac arrest in the early hours of 16 December 2013, aged 91. He was cremated with full state honours at Pattom Palace, his residence, on the same day. He died during the Murajapam Ceremony in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple which he had organised. The state government declared a public holiday on 16 December as a mark of respect to him.[15] Though Sree Uthradom Thirunal was the Titular Maharajah, the people called him 'Thampuran' and 'Thirumanassu' (lord or His Highness) with high esteem. Sree Uthradom Thirunal attended all cultural programmes in the Capital City of Thiruvananthapuram and escorted Sree Padmanabha his family deity twice a year for Arattu procession. His wife, Ammachi Panapillai Amma Srimathi Radhadevi Pandalai predeceased him in 1993. He was survived by his two children, Ananthapadmanabhan Thampi and Parvathi Devi Kochamma, both of them who died later.[5]

Successor

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With the demise of Uthradom Thirunal, Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma became the titular Maharajah of Travancore and Revathi Thirunal Balagopal Varma, the titular Elayarajah.

Titles

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Honours

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Military Appointments

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Biography

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Mathrubhumi Books released a book named Thrippadi Daanam written by Uma Maheshwari featuring the biography of Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma. The book starts from the year 925 ME (1750 AD) when the Travancore King Anizham Thirunal Veerabaala Marthanda Varma surrendered his country to Sree Padmanabha through an act referred to as Thrippadi Daanam. The book also covers art- cultural lifestyle of Travancore rulers and gives a personal account about his elder brother & sovereign, Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b The consort of the ruler was known as the Ammachi with the title of Panapillai Amma.
  2. ^ The male and female children born to the Maharajah were dignified with the honorific of Thampi and Thankachi respectively.
  3. ^ "Though by the 26th amendment to the Constitution, Article 363 was repealed whereby the rights and privileges of the rulers of Indian states were taken away, still the name and title of the rulers remained as such and unaffected in so far as names and titles were not contemplated as rights or privileges under the repealed Articles 291 and 362 of the Constitution."
  4. ^ Keleney, Anne (4 March 2014). "Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma: The Maharajah of Travancore". Independent. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d "Travancore bids adieu to its maharaja". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Titular Maharaja of Travancore passes away". Firstpost. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  7. ^ a b Sheshagiri, Sangeetha (16 December 2013). "Marthanda Varma, Titular Head of Travancore Royal Family, Passes Away". International Business Times India. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  8. ^ Haneef, Mahir (17 December 2013). "'His Highness' isn't unconstitutional: Kerala high court". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  9. ^ "Though by the 26th amendment of the Constitution, Article 363 was repealed whereby the rights and privileges of the rulers of Indian States were taken away, still the name and title of the rulers remained as such and unaffected in so far as names and titles were not contemplated as rights or privileges under the repealed Articles 291 and 362 of the Constitution."
  10. ^ The Royal family of Travancore followed the Marumakkathayam system of matrilineal succession like the Nairs of Kerala,when a king died his sister's son would become the next ruler.
  11. ^ "Uthradom Tirunal passes away – The Hindu". 17 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  12. ^ "Sri Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma". thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  13. ^ Telegraph, The (19 December 2013). "Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma – obituary". Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  14. ^ INDIAN EXPRESS, THE NEW. "An Avid Shutterbug, Driving Enthusiast, Sanskrit Scholar". No. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. Express News Service. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  15. ^ Thousands pay their last tribute to Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma – The Times of India, By Laxmi Ajai Prasanna, TNN | 16 December 2013 – "The state government declared a public holiday as a mark of respect to the late Maharajah. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who was in Delhi for official work, cut short his trip to attend his funeral at the palace in the afternoon. "
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Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma
Born: 22 March 1922
Titles in pretence
Preceded by — TITULAR —
Maharaja of Travancore
1991–2013
Reason for succession failure:
Indian Independence 		Succeeded by
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