Ettuveetil Pillamar
Encyclopedia
The Ettuveetil Pillamar were a group of nobles from eight Nair
Houses in erstwhile Venad
in present day Kerala state, South India
. They were associated with the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram
and the Ettara Yogam
. They were known by the villages in which they resided and all of them held the title of Pillai. The Eight Lords were Kazhakoottathu Pillai, Ramanamadhom Pillai, Chempazhanty Pillai, Kudamon Pillai, Venganur Pillai, Marthandamadhom Pillai, Pallichal Pillai
and Kolathur
Pillai .
of Trivandrum was governed by the Ettara Yogam
, an association consisting of seven Brahmin families, one Nair
noble, each of them with one vote in deciding the affairs of the temple, and the king of Venad
with the right to half a vote . Ettuveetil Pillamar were the leaders of the land and ‘tharakootams’ known as ‘Arunootavar’. (the military setup of Nairs) established for maintaining law and justice in Venad. They were the Governors of provinces of the country. They had the power to exercise control over the king also. They were also the managers of ‘Ettarayogam’, which governed the activities of Sree Padmanabha Temple of Thiruvananthapuram gradually grew from ordinary landlords to powerful chiefs and allied themselves with the Ettara Yogam
. The lands and properties of the temple were divided into eight parts and each was placed by the Yogam under one of the Pillai as governor. Since the King had only half vote in deciding temple affairs, the Yogam and the Pillamar were considered outside his authority and hence their power and influence grew without any curtailment. They soon started opposing the king openly and bringing more and more Madampis or nobles under their influence.
The Ettuveetil Pillai System, aided by the Ettara Yogam
, became supreme power in Travancore
to such an extent that the sovereign needed their permission even to construct a palace for himself at his capital . With so much power in their hands they wished to do away with the Royal House and all the earlier chroniclers of Travancore history have stated that their chief intention was to extirpate the Royal House and convert the state into a republic, and eventually under a monarchy under one of themselves . With this in mind they plotted and assassinated Maharajah Aditya Varma by poisoning him and set the Palace on fire .
After Aditya Varma's assassination his niece Umayamma Rani
became the regent. The Pillamar approached her with condolences and vowed to support her. But within a year, five of her six sons were cruelly drowned to death at the instigation of the Pillamar in the water pond known as Kalipankulam . Now the only heir to the Royal House was her eldest son. However as per the matriarchal traditions of Kerala
owing to the absence of females the family could not be perpetuated. Umayamma then adopted a cousin, namely Kerala Varma, into the house but soon he was assassinated as well . She then adopted one boy and two girls from the Kolathunadu
Royal House, the cousin family of the Travancore
Royalty, from the family called Pally Kovilakam in 1684 just before her regency closed and her surviving son Ravi Varma became king. He adopted in 1689 two princesses and princes from Kolathunadu including Rajah Rama Varma.
was born in 1706 AD to the younger of the two adopted princesses of 1689 and right from his childhood he had to live constantly in hiding, in fear of his life. Many times assassination bids were made on his life. In 1728 an assassination attempt was made on the life of his sister and her son, the later Dharma Raja
. However it was in 1729, when the Rajah Rama Varma, died that actual war was declared.
The Pillamar recognized a dangerous foe in Marthanda Varma and hence on the death of Rajah Rama Varma in 1730 they supported the Kunju Thampis. The late Rajah had left two sons, Padmanabhan and Raman Thampi
and a daughter Ummini Thankachi. These children of the late king known as the Kunju Thampis now staked claim to the throne, in spite of the prevailing Marumakkathayam
law. The Pillamar furnished them with enough money and men to seek aid from the Pandyas of Madurai
. However Marthanda Varma managed to avert war by bribing away the Pandyan army . However soon after this the Kunju Thampimar were captured and killed at Nagercoil
Palace . It may be stated that in popular folklore it is said that Marthanda Varma's enmity towards the Kunju Thampimar was because of their refusal to allow him to marry their sister. It is said that Ummini Thankachi killed herself after the execution of her brothers to escape Marthanda Varma.
The Pillamar were initially deterred by the fate of the Thampis, for they did not expect Marthanda Varma to kill his own cousins. However, soon after this, they plotted once again to murder the king but intelligence of this reached the king. On the day of the Arrat festival when the murder was to take place, Marthanda Varma
appeared with an escort strong enough to cow down the Pillamar . But having received proof of the intention of the Pillamar to murder him they were all rounded up and tried soon after this .
The Eight were either killed or exiled after sufficient evidence of conspiracy and murder was procured. Their houses were dug up and all their assets and armies seized by the victorious Marthanda Varma
. Their women and children number around three thousand were given asylum by Jesuit priest of the nearby fishermen coast parish and was therefore called as Vettu kad or eight homes.Marthanda Varma also vowed to give Hundred Gold coins every year to the Jesuit parish priest for the welfare of these subjects
The two palaces at Trivandrum known as Ramanamadhom and Thevarathu Koikal were constructed from the wood and material of the palaces of the Pillamar . The Travancore State Manual of Nagam Aiya concludes by saying,
N. Chandrasekhar Pillai (The grand grand son of Chempazhanty Pillai) from Karikkakathil veedu Nanniyode Pacha was a former Indian National Congress Leader and Freedom Fighter who involved Kallara Pagode freedom fight.
, as also frequent conflicts between the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
managers and the king, many of the events of the past were found to be entirely false.
The temple lands were managed by a group of nobles known as Madathil Pillamar, often mistaken for the Ettuveetil Pillamar . Earlier historians stated that the King had no authority over the temple and the Ettara Yogam
and Pillamar were outside his control. However temple documents show that it was the king who appointed the highest dignitary of the temple, known as the Swamiyar. In fact, the authority of the king is considered to have been greatly valued for the records show the Yogam applying to the king for permission in trivial matters such as appointment of Temple sweepers . Another contradiction found is in the fact that the Pillamar influenced the tenants of the temple lands. However the temple lands all lay to the south of Trivandrum where there were other influential nobles, whereas the bulk of the Pillamar lived to the north . Records show clashes between Temple managers and the king's men but in none of these are the Pillamar mentioned. Another contradiction lies in the statement that since the 16th century the kings were mere puppets of the Yogam and Pillamar. It was during this period that the Travancore kings won victories over the mighty Vijayanagar
Empire and the Thirumala Nayaks, which, it is asserted could not have been possible under a puppet king .
A major disagreement is registered regarding the aim of the Pillamar to extirpate the royal family. Even if they succeeded in killing the Royal family at Trivandrum, there were the other collateral branches at Nedumangad
, Kottarakara and Quilon
, places where the Pillamar had no following . It may be noted that all these branches participated in the meetings and management of the Temple and hence were active in Trivandrum also. In the document of 1730 regarding the execution of the Pillamar the name used for the conspirators is Ettuveetil Madampimar and not Pillamar. Besides, of the eight Pillais, only Kazhakoothathu Pillai and Kulathur Pillai are mentioned, the remainder being totally different individuals . The remaining six families are not mentioned at all, and it is improbable that the King who personally made investigations would let any of them go free.
Further important revelations made the by documents of the Temple are with regard to Aditya Varma and Umayamma Rani
. The Temple records which refer to minor events such as appointment of sweepers in the temple have not stated anything on the palace of Aditya Varma being burnt down . Also the story that Aditya Varma was poisoned to death is positively disproved for the temple records clearly state that Aditya Varma died at Padmanabhapuram
in the Darpakulangara Palace
and was cremated at Thiruvattar
. The King had died a natural death . Another significant fact that has come to light is that Umayamma Rani
had no children at all and hence the story of the murder of her five children is disproved. The Royal family consisted only of Umayamma Rani
, a Senior Rani and Ravi Varma, the son of the Senior Rani. In fact, Umayamma had two adopted sons from 1677 who were however not in line of succession. However the stories of the assassination attempt of Marthanda Varma's sister in 1728 etc. are true, having occurred, at the instigation of, not the Pillamar, but the Rajah of Kayamkulam
, the traditional enemy of Travancore
.
Thus many of the crimes for which the Pillamar are said to be have been punished were positively disproved. It is clear that there did exist refractory nobles of immense power and that Marthanda Varma did put an end to their authority and make that of the king supreme, but most of the stories about the Pillamar were found to be false.
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
Houses in erstwhile Venad
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
in present day Kerala state, South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. They were associated with the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
and the Ettara Yogam
Ettara Yogam
The Ettara Yogam or the Council of Eight and a Half was a body of Trustees of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple which is the richest and most well endowed temples in the world now ,situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore and religiously most important to the Maharajahs of Travancore.-Origin:The...
. They were known by the villages in which they resided and all of them held the title of Pillai. The Eight Lords were Kazhakoottathu Pillai, Ramanamadhom Pillai, Chempazhanty Pillai, Kudamon Pillai, Venganur Pillai, Marthandamadhom Pillai, Pallichal Pillai
Pallichal Pillai
Pallichal Pillai was one of the eight domains known as Ettuveetil Pillamar in the medieval history of south Kerala. The Ettuveetil Pillamar were the part of the administrative system in Travancore from early times...
and Kolathur
Kolathur
Kolathur is a medium sized town in Salem district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This is a beautiful Town near the Cauvery River. The Shops and Friday Market in this area attract people from all Villages in the Vicinity.-Tourist:...
Pillai .
Origin
The Sri Padmanabhaswamy TempleSri Padmanabhaswamy temple
Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Thiruvananthapuram, India. The shrine is currently run by a trust headed by the royal family of Travancore. The temple is one of 108 Divya Desams – principal centres of worship of the deity in Vaishnavism...
of Trivandrum was governed by the Ettara Yogam
Ettara Yogam
The Ettara Yogam or the Council of Eight and a Half was a body of Trustees of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple which is the richest and most well endowed temples in the world now ,situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore and religiously most important to the Maharajahs of Travancore.-Origin:The...
, an association consisting of seven Brahmin families, one Nair
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
noble, each of them with one vote in deciding the affairs of the temple, and the king of Venad
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
with the right to half a vote . Ettuveetil Pillamar were the leaders of the land and ‘tharakootams’ known as ‘Arunootavar’. (the military setup of Nairs) established for maintaining law and justice in Venad. They were the Governors of provinces of the country. They had the power to exercise control over the king also. They were also the managers of ‘Ettarayogam’, which governed the activities of Sree Padmanabha Temple of Thiruvananthapuram gradually grew from ordinary landlords to powerful chiefs and allied themselves with the Ettara Yogam
Ettara Yogam
The Ettara Yogam or the Council of Eight and a Half was a body of Trustees of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple which is the richest and most well endowed temples in the world now ,situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore and religiously most important to the Maharajahs of Travancore.-Origin:The...
. The lands and properties of the temple were divided into eight parts and each was placed by the Yogam under one of the Pillai as governor. Since the King had only half vote in deciding temple affairs, the Yogam and the Pillamar were considered outside his authority and hence their power and influence grew without any curtailment. They soon started opposing the king openly and bringing more and more Madampis or nobles under their influence.
Aim of the Eight
Ettara Yogam
The Ettara Yogam or the Council of Eight and a Half was a body of Trustees of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple which is the richest and most well endowed temples in the world now ,situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore and religiously most important to the Maharajahs of Travancore.-Origin:The...
, became supreme power in Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
to such an extent that the sovereign needed their permission even to construct a palace for himself at his capital . With so much power in their hands they wished to do away with the Royal House and all the earlier chroniclers of Travancore history have stated that their chief intention was to extirpate the Royal House and convert the state into a republic, and eventually under a monarchy under one of themselves . With this in mind they plotted and assassinated Maharajah Aditya Varma by poisoning him and set the Palace on fire .
After Aditya Varma's assassination his niece Umayamma Rani
Umayamma Rani
Aswathi Thirunal Umayamma, popularly known as Umayamma Rani, was the Regent of Venad from 1677 to 1684 on behalf of her nephew Rajah Ravi Varma who ruled thereafter till 1718.-State of Venad:Venad or Travancore was at that time in a state of turmoil...
became the regent. The Pillamar approached her with condolences and vowed to support her. But within a year, five of her six sons were cruelly drowned to death at the instigation of the Pillamar in the water pond known as Kalipankulam . Now the only heir to the Royal House was her eldest son. However as per the matriarchal traditions of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
owing to the absence of females the family could not be perpetuated. Umayamma then adopted a cousin, namely Kerala Varma, into the house but soon he was assassinated as well . She then adopted one boy and two girls from the Kolathunadu
Kolathunadu
Kolathunādu was one of the three most powerful feudal kingdoms on the Malabar Coast during the arrival Portuguese Armadas to India along with Zamorin's Calicut and Venad. Kolathunād had its capital at Ezhimala and was ruled by Kolathiri royal family and roughly comprised the whole northern...
Royal House, the cousin family of the Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
Royalty, from the family called Pally Kovilakam in 1684 just before her regency closed and her surviving son Ravi Varma became king. He adopted in 1689 two princesses and princes from Kolathunadu including Rajah Rama Varma.
The Eight lords and Marthanda Varma
Marthanda VarmaMarthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
was born in 1706 AD to the younger of the two adopted princesses of 1689 and right from his childhood he had to live constantly in hiding, in fear of his life. Many times assassination bids were made on his life. In 1728 an assassination attempt was made on the life of his sister and her son, the later Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharajah of Travancore from 1758 until his death in 1798. He succeeded his uncle Marthanda Varma, who is credited with the title of "maker of modern Travancore"...
. However it was in 1729, when the Rajah Rama Varma, died that actual war was declared.
The Pillamar recognized a dangerous foe in Marthanda Varma and hence on the death of Rajah Rama Varma in 1730 they supported the Kunju Thampis. The late Rajah had left two sons, Padmanabhan and Raman Thampi
Thampi
The Thampis are the sons of the Samanthan Nair Maharajahs of Travancore and their morganatic wives belonging to Illathu Nair or other similar Kshatriya castes...
and a daughter Ummini Thankachi. These children of the late king known as the Kunju Thampis now staked claim to the throne, in spite of the prevailing Marumakkathayam
Marumakkathayam
Marumakkathayam is a matrilinear system of inheritance which was followed by all Nair castes including of Royal Families, some of the Ambalavasis, Arayars, Ezhava, some tribal groups and Mappilas in North Malabar of Kerala state, South India. Unlike other Brahmin families, Payanoor Nambootiris...
law. The Pillamar furnished them with enough money and men to seek aid from the Pandyas of Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
. However Marthanda Varma managed to avert war by bribing away the Pandyan army . However soon after this the Kunju Thampimar were captured and killed at Nagercoil
Nagercoil
Nagercoil is the 12th largest city in the southernmost Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a municipality and administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District...
Palace . It may be stated that in popular folklore it is said that Marthanda Varma's enmity towards the Kunju Thampimar was because of their refusal to allow him to marry their sister. It is said that Ummini Thankachi killed herself after the execution of her brothers to escape Marthanda Varma.
The Pillamar were initially deterred by the fate of the Thampis, for they did not expect Marthanda Varma to kill his own cousins. However, soon after this, they plotted once again to murder the king but intelligence of this reached the king. On the day of the Arrat festival when the murder was to take place, Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
appeared with an escort strong enough to cow down the Pillamar . But having received proof of the intention of the Pillamar to murder him they were all rounded up and tried soon after this .
The Eight were either killed or exiled after sufficient evidence of conspiracy and murder was procured. Their houses were dug up and all their assets and armies seized by the victorious Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
. Their women and children number around three thousand were given asylum by Jesuit priest of the nearby fishermen coast parish and was therefore called as Vettu kad or eight homes.Marthanda Varma also vowed to give Hundred Gold coins every year to the Jesuit parish priest for the welfare of these subjects
The two palaces at Trivandrum known as Ramanamadhom and Thevarathu Koikal were constructed from the wood and material of the palaces of the Pillamar . The Travancore State Manual of Nagam Aiya concludes by saying,
N. Chandrasekhar Pillai (The grand grand son of Chempazhanty Pillai) from Karikkakathil veedu Nanniyode Pacha was a former Indian National Congress Leader and Freedom Fighter who involved Kallara Pagode freedom fight.
Modern Views
Later historians, with many more records at their hand, have however disputed the story given by the earlier historians which were based on legend and folklore. While there is no doubt about the existence of anti royal nobles before Marthanda VarmaMarthanda Varma
Marthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
, as also frequent conflicts between the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple
Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Thiruvananthapuram, India. The shrine is currently run by a trust headed by the royal family of Travancore. The temple is one of 108 Divya Desams – principal centres of worship of the deity in Vaishnavism...
managers and the king, many of the events of the past were found to be entirely false.
The temple lands were managed by a group of nobles known as Madathil Pillamar, often mistaken for the Ettuveetil Pillamar . Earlier historians stated that the King had no authority over the temple and the Ettara Yogam
Ettara Yogam
The Ettara Yogam or the Council of Eight and a Half was a body of Trustees of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple which is the richest and most well endowed temples in the world now ,situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore and religiously most important to the Maharajahs of Travancore.-Origin:The...
and Pillamar were outside his control. However temple documents show that it was the king who appointed the highest dignitary of the temple, known as the Swamiyar. In fact, the authority of the king is considered to have been greatly valued for the records show the Yogam applying to the king for permission in trivial matters such as appointment of Temple sweepers . Another contradiction found is in the fact that the Pillamar influenced the tenants of the temple lands. However the temple lands all lay to the south of Trivandrum where there were other influential nobles, whereas the bulk of the Pillamar lived to the north . Records show clashes between Temple managers and the king's men but in none of these are the Pillamar mentioned. Another contradiction lies in the statement that since the 16th century the kings were mere puppets of the Yogam and Pillamar. It was during this period that the Travancore kings won victories over the mighty Vijayanagar
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire , referred as the Kingdom of Bisnaga by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South Indian in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Yadava lineage. The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts...
Empire and the Thirumala Nayaks, which, it is asserted could not have been possible under a puppet king .
A major disagreement is registered regarding the aim of the Pillamar to extirpate the royal family. Even if they succeeded in killing the Royal family at Trivandrum, there were the other collateral branches at Nedumangad
Nedumangad
Nedumangad is a municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located around 20 km to the north-east of Thiruvananthapuram city on the Thiruvananthapuram — Thenmala State Highway...
, Kottarakara and Quilon
Quilon
Quilon may refer to,* Venad, a former state on Malabar Coast, India* Kollam , Kerala state, India* Kollam district, Kerala state...
, places where the Pillamar had no following . It may be noted that all these branches participated in the meetings and management of the Temple and hence were active in Trivandrum also. In the document of 1730 regarding the execution of the Pillamar the name used for the conspirators is Ettuveetil Madampimar and not Pillamar. Besides, of the eight Pillais, only Kazhakoothathu Pillai and Kulathur Pillai are mentioned, the remainder being totally different individuals . The remaining six families are not mentioned at all, and it is improbable that the King who personally made investigations would let any of them go free.
Further important revelations made the by documents of the Temple are with regard to Aditya Varma and Umayamma Rani
Umayamma Rani
Aswathi Thirunal Umayamma, popularly known as Umayamma Rani, was the Regent of Venad from 1677 to 1684 on behalf of her nephew Rajah Ravi Varma who ruled thereafter till 1718.-State of Venad:Venad or Travancore was at that time in a state of turmoil...
. The Temple records which refer to minor events such as appointment of sweepers in the temple have not stated anything on the palace of Aditya Varma being burnt down . Also the story that Aditya Varma was poisoned to death is positively disproved for the temple records clearly state that Aditya Varma died at Padmanabhapuram
Padmanabhapuram
Padmanabhapuram a city and a municipality near Thuckalay in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-History:Padmanabhapuram was the old capital of the princely state of Travancore in India...
in the Darpakulangara Palace
Padmanabhapuram Palace
Padmanabhapuram Palace complex is located in at Padmanabhapuram Fort, close to the town of Thuckalay in Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu, in India. It is about 20 km from Nagercoil, and about 50 kilometers from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The palace complex is inside an old granite...
and was cremated at Thiruvattar
Thiruvattar
Thiruvattaru is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-About the town:This town is situated 6 km north-east of Marthandam and 30 km north-west of Nagercoil. The two main rivers Pahrali River and Kothai surround the village and join in Moovattumugam,...
. The King had died a natural death . Another significant fact that has come to light is that Umayamma Rani
Umayamma Rani
Aswathi Thirunal Umayamma, popularly known as Umayamma Rani, was the Regent of Venad from 1677 to 1684 on behalf of her nephew Rajah Ravi Varma who ruled thereafter till 1718.-State of Venad:Venad or Travancore was at that time in a state of turmoil...
had no children at all and hence the story of the murder of her five children is disproved. The Royal family consisted only of Umayamma Rani
Umayamma Rani
Aswathi Thirunal Umayamma, popularly known as Umayamma Rani, was the Regent of Venad from 1677 to 1684 on behalf of her nephew Rajah Ravi Varma who ruled thereafter till 1718.-State of Venad:Venad or Travancore was at that time in a state of turmoil...
, a Senior Rani and Ravi Varma, the son of the Senior Rani. In fact, Umayamma had two adopted sons from 1677 who were however not in line of succession. However the stories of the assassination attempt of Marthanda Varma's sister in 1728 etc. are true, having occurred, at the instigation of, not the Pillamar, but the Rajah of Kayamkulam
Kayamkulam
Kayamkulam is a town and a municipality in Alappuzha district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is an ancient maritime trading centre. One of the largest power plants in Kerala, run by the NTPC, is located in Kayamkulam. Krishnapuram Palace is located nearby and an old cashew factory.Kayamkulam is...
, the traditional enemy of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
.
Thus many of the crimes for which the Pillamar are said to be have been punished were positively disproved. It is clear that there did exist refractory nobles of immense power and that Marthanda Varma did put an end to their authority and make that of the king supreme, but most of the stories about the Pillamar were found to be false.
See also
- Nair dynastyNair DynastyA number of Nair dynasties existed in present day Kerala state, South India in the middle ages. These Hindu dynasties ruled tiny city states called "nadus" and were in frequent warfare with each other...
- NairNairNair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
- Marthanda VarmaMarthanda VarmaMarthanda Varma , was the founder of the Indian Hindu feudal kingdom of Travancore from Venad SwaroopamHe ruled from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Dharma Raja.King Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of Kingdom of Travancore" from...
- Pillai
- ThirumukomThirumukomThirumukom meaning respected or sacred face, was a form of address used by common people while referring to their king in Kerala state, South India. The term was also used in the ritual of Thirumukom Pidikukka, which was the main part of the ceremony of bestowing the title of Pillai on the Nairs of...
- Battle of ColachelBattle of ColachelThe Battle of Colachel was fought on between forces of the Indian kingdom of Travancore and the Dutch East India Company, during the Travancore-Dutch War...
- VenadVenadVenad Swarupam was one of the three prominent late medieval Hindu feudal kingdoms on Malabar Coast, south India, along with Kingdom of Calicut and Kingdom of Cannanore. In the early 14th century, Venad ruler Ravi Varma Kulasekhara had established a short-lived supremacy over southern India...
- TravancoreTravancoreKingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
- ThampiThampiThe Thampis are the sons of the Samanthan Nair Maharajahs of Travancore and their morganatic wives belonging to Illathu Nair or other similar Kshatriya castes...
- Ettara YogamEttara YogamThe Ettara Yogam or the Council of Eight and a Half was a body of Trustees of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple which is the richest and most well endowed temples in the world now ,situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore and religiously most important to the Maharajahs of Travancore.-Origin:The...