Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma (born 12 June 1949) is the current incumbent to the throne of Travancore.[2] He is the youngest of the four children of the former titular Maharani of Travancore, Sree Padmanabhasevini Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi and her husband, Prince Consort Lt. Col. G. V. Raja of Poonjar Royal House.
| Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maharajah of Travancore Head of the Travancore royal family | |||||||||
 Sree Padmanabhadasa Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma | |||||||||
| Reign | 16 December 2013 – present | ||||||||
| Coronation | 3 January 2014 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma | ||||||||
| Born | 12 June 1949 Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore-Cochin, Dominion of India (present-day Kerala, India) | ||||||||
| Spouse |
| ||||||||
| Issue | None | ||||||||
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| Dynasty | Kulasekhara | ||||||||
| Father | Lt. Col. Godavarma Raja of Kanjiramattom Palace, Poonjar | ||||||||
| Mother | Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore Royal Family | ||||||||
| Religion | Hinduism | ||||||||
| Occupation | Managing Director of Aspinwall Ltd. and Hereditary Head Trustee of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple | ||||||||
Rama Varma is the only nephew of the last reigning King of Travancore, Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma and succeeded the late titular Maharaja of Travancore, Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma. He is the managing director of the family owned spice trading company, Aspinwall Ltd. As the head of the royal family, he along with his consort, moved to Thiruvananthapuram in 2013 and has settled down at Kowdiar Palace, in order to keep up with the ritual duties of being the custodian of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.[3][4][5]
Early life
editRama Varma is the youngest son of Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore and her husband, Prince Consort Lt. Col. G. V. Raja, and was born on 12 June 1949 in Thiru-Kochi. His siblings are the late Crown Prince (Elayarajah) Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Avittom Thirunal Rama Varma (died at the age of 6 due to rheumatic heart disease, long before he was born), Princess Pooyam Thirunal Gowri Parvathi Bayi and the writer, Princess Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi. Like his father, Lt. Col. G. V. Raja, Rama Varma is also an avid sports and book lover. He was educated privately by selected tutors in various subjects. He later graduated from Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram, with Physics as his selective subject. Then he moved to Kolkata and worked there for some years. He then went to England to learn business management and worked there for a year.[6]
Later life and marriage
editAfter finishing his higher education and working in England, Rama Varma returned to India in 1972 and, at his uncles' advise, joined the spice trading company Aspinwall Ltd in Mangalore. Rama Varma served as a consultant and in various executive positions like, Additional Director (2004–2005), Director of Planning (2005–2007), Executive Director Aspinwall & Co Travancore Ltd (since 2005), Member of Aspinwall Promoter Group (since 2005), managing director of Aspinwall and Co Ltd in Mangalore (since 2008).[citation needed] In 2002 he married Ammachi Panapillai Amma Srimathi Girija Thankachi of Vazhuthacadu, alias Dr. Girija Rama Varma, former radiologist based in London. After their 2002 wedding the couple lived in Mangalore until 2013. After Rama Varma assumed the Titular Maharajah's position (due to his maternal uncle's death), they moved to Kowdiar, Thiruvananthapuram. He is childless. According to the matrilineal rules of descent in the family, the next in line of succession would be his nephews, Therefore, Maharaja Mulam Thirunal Ramavarma's nephew Revathi Thirunal Balagopal Varma, the son of Uthram Thirunal Lalithamba Bayi (daughter of HH Maharani Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore) and her husband Sri Kerala Varma of Kilimanoor. Currently, the title of Attingal Rani / Attingal Mootha Thampuran / Maharani of Travancore is held by Bharani Thirunal Rukmini Bayi Rukmini Varma, the sister of Revathi Thirunal Balagopal Varma.[7]
Titular Maharajah of Travancore
editRama Varma became the Elayarajah of Travancore when Maharajah Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma died on 20 July 1991. And when Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma died on 16 December 2013, he became the Titular Maharajah of Travancore. He was appointed after a function called Thirumudikalasam, as the head of the Travancore Royal Family on 3 January 2014, was held at Kalasamandapam near the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. After rituals and traditional procedures, Tharananalloor Parameswaran Namboodiripad, the temple Tantri (high priest), poured 'punyajalam' (holy water) over Rama Varma, making him the new head of the royal family. The anointment function was a very private affair and only the closest family members and priests took part in it. Rama Varma, as of now, is also the supreme guardian or custodian of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram. After his installation, he arrived at the Kulasekhara Mandapam of the temple where the Ettara Yogam presided over by the Pushpanjali Swamiyar held a meeting. The Yogam recognised Rama Varma as Chirava Mooppan and Thrippappoor Mooppan, and the Swamiyar signed on the neettu. His full title is: His Highness Sree Padmanabha Dasa Vanchipala Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma, Kulasekhara Kiritapati Manney, Maharajah of Travancore.[8][2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ According to an insider's account, as the current Maharaja is without issue and according to the matrilineal rules of descent in the family, the next in line of succession would be his nephews, the sons of the princesses of Travancore. Therefore, Maharaja Mulam Thirunal Ramavarma's nephews Prince Ravi, Prince Raghu and Prince Aditya are expected to be the successors from the Trivandrum branch of the family. Prince Balagopala and Prince Jay are the Elaya Rajas from the Bangalore line of the family New Light on Swathi Thirunal, Dr. R. P. Raja a nephew of Maharani Sethu Parvathi of Travancore, Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies 2006
- ^ a b Makir, Haneef (17 December 2013). "'His Highness' isn't unconstitutional: Kerala High Court". The Times of India. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
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.
- ^ "Moolam Thirunal anointed as head of Travancore royal house". Deccan Chronicle (published 3 January 2014). 4 January 2014. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014.
- ^ "Moolam Tirunal Rama Varma is Travancore royal family head". The Hindu (published 4 January 2013). 3 January 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
- ^ "Royal descendants can keep temple full of riches, rules Indian Supreme Court". BBC News. 13 July 2020.
- ^ Swantham, Lekhakan(Malayalm). "British Malayali – A Comprehensive Newsportal For UK Malayalees". Retrieved 11 February 2014.
- ^ New Light on Swathi Thirunal, Dr. R. P. Raja a nephew of Maharani Sethu Parvathi of Travancore, Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies 2006
- ^ PRESS TRUST, OF INDIA (3 January 2014). "Moolam Thirunal anointed as head of Travancore royal house". Business Standard. Retrieved 11 February 2014.