Ramayyan Dalawa
Encyclopedia
Ramayyan was the Dewan
of Travancore
state, India
, during 1737 and 1756 and was responsible for the consolidation and expansion of that kingdom after defeating the Dutch
in the Battle of Colachel
under the rule of Maharajah Marthanda Varma
Kulasekhara Perumal, the maker of Modern Travancore.
, Tamil Nadu
to which his family originally belonged. When he was six years of age his poor father gave up his native village and came to Thiruvattar
and settled at a hamlet known as Aruvikara in the Kalkulam Taluka in the modern-day Kanyakumari District
of Tamilnadu state. When he was twenty years old he lost his parents, who were survived by, besides himself, three sons and one daughter.
After the death of his parents Ramayyan frequently visited Trivandrum, attracted to it by the never ending festivities and celebrations, which always drew great crowds of Tamil Brahmin
s from all over Travancore and neighbouring regions of modern day Tamil Nadu. On one occasion he decided to stay back and seek some employment in Trivandrum in which, owing to his superior intelligence and ability, he was successful. He was employed as an assistant to the Attiyara Pohtty Brahmin of Vanchiyur, a member of the Ettara Yogam or the Council of Eight and a Half who controlled the Temple of Padmanabhapuram
and a man of great power and influence.
one evening, when the Maharajah Marthanda Varma was dining at Attiyara, he noticed Ramayyan who impressed him by dealing with a minor yet significant incident with great sense and intelligence. The pleased Marthanda Varma asked the Attiyara Pohtty to let him take the young boy into his service which being permitted Ramayyan became a servant of the Maharajah of Travancore.
of Travancore, Arumukham Pillai, died in the year 1736, Ramayyan was appointed Dalawa by the very impressed Maharajah Marthanda Varma.
and Cape Comorin was attained with the efforts of Ramayyan Dalawa on behalf of his King Marthanda Varma. It was due to his efforts and conquests that the kingdoms of Kayamkulam
, Madathinkoor (Mavelikkara), Elayadathu Swaroopam, Quilon
, Ambalapuzha etc. were annexed to Travancore and the Dutch
were defeated in the Battle of Colachel. Several favourable treaties were signed with the British
under his Dalawaship while the Kingdom of Cochin
and the Zamorin accepted the suzerainty of Travancore.
where he had a palace built by Marthanda Varma. After the death of his wife, Ramayyan consorted with a Nair
lady from Mavelikkara of the Edassery family (PGN Unnithan a member of this family later became the last Dewan of Travancore in 1947). After his death Ramayyan's descendants left to Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu and settled there. His Nair consort was given gifts and presents and special allowances from the Travancore government in recognition of his services to the state while his own descendants were bestowed with the honorific title of Dalawa. The able Dalawa breathed his last in the year 1756.
and Chanakya
), so much that after the death of Ramayyan the Maharajah went into depression and started losing health himself till he died in 1758. Ramayyan Dalawa was one of the ablest and most popular Ministers of Travancore and while on his death bed when asked how he would want his memory perpetuated he merely stated that he was an "instrument in the hands of my master (Marthanda Varma) and had no such ambitions."
The successors of Dalawas are now in Sivaganga(Tamil Nadu) and Bangalore. They are Dalawa Narayanasamy and Dalawa Viswanathan.
Dalawa
Dalawa can be:*the number two in certain Asian languages*an alternative title for the Dewan of an Indian ruler, as in Travancore*a name...
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...
state, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, during 1737 and 1756 and was responsible for the consolidation and expansion of that kingdom after defeating the Dutch
Dutch Empire
The Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Dutch Republic and later, the modern Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, but based on military conquest of already-existing...
in the Battle of Colachel
Battle of Colachel
The 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...
under the rule of Maharajah 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...
Kulasekhara Perumal, the maker of Modern Travancore.
Early life
Ramayyan, a was born in Yerwadi, a village in Tirunelveli districtTirunelveli District
Tirunelveli District is a district of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The city of Tirunelveli is the district headquarters. A unique feature of this district is that it encompasses all five geographical traditions of Tamil Literature; kurinji , mullai , marudham , neithal and palai...
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
to which his family originally belonged. When he was six years of age his poor father gave up his native village and came to 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,...
and settled at a hamlet known as Aruvikara in the Kalkulam Taluka in the modern-day Kanyakumari District
Kanyakumari District
Kanyakumari District ) is a district of Tamil Nadu state, India and is the southernmost land area of mainland India.The district is the second most urbanised district in Tamilnadu, next only to Chennai and ahead of Coimbatore. It also has the highest literacy and education levels in the...
of Tamilnadu state. When he was twenty years old he lost his parents, who were survived by, besides himself, three sons and one daughter.
After the death of his parents Ramayyan frequently visited Trivandrum, attracted to it by the never ending festivities and celebrations, which always drew great crowds of Tamil Brahmin
Tamil Brahmin
Tamil Brahmins are Tamil-speaking Brahmins from Tamil Nadu who have settled in other South Indian states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka...
s from all over Travancore and neighbouring regions of modern day Tamil Nadu. On one occasion he decided to stay back and seek some employment in Trivandrum in which, owing to his superior intelligence and ability, he was successful. He was employed as an assistant to the Attiyara Pohtty Brahmin of Vanchiyur, a member of the Ettara Yogam or the Council of Eight and a Half who controlled the Temple of 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...
and a man of great power and influence.
Association with the Maharajah
While employed with the Attiyara PohttyMalayali Brahmins
The term "Malayali Brahmins" or "Malayala Brahmananmar" applies to two main groups of Brahmins from the Indian state of Kerala. They were the Swadeshi or native Brahmins of Kerala while all other Brahmins were considered Paradesi or foreign Brahmins....
one evening, when the Maharajah Marthanda Varma was dining at Attiyara, he noticed Ramayyan who impressed him by dealing with a minor yet significant incident with great sense and intelligence. The pleased Marthanda Varma asked the Attiyara Pohtty to let him take the young boy into his service which being permitted Ramayyan became a servant of the Maharajah of Travancore.
Career
Ramayyan from being appointed at a minor post in the Palace management soon rose in the Maharajah's favour and was appointed Palace Rayasom or Under Secretary wherein he fulfilled his duties ably. Thus when the then Dalawa or DewanDewan
The originally Persian title of dewan has, at various points in Islamic history, designated various differing though similar functions.-Etymology:...
of Travancore, Arumukham Pillai, died in the year 1736, Ramayyan was appointed Dalawa by the very impressed Maharajah Marthanda Varma.
Military conquests
The entire territorial extent of Travancore state namely between the River PeriyarPeriyar River
Periyar is the longest river in the state of Kerala, India, with a length of 244 km. The Periyar is known as the lifeline of Kerala; it is one of the few perennial rivers in the region and provides drinking water for several major towns...
and Cape Comorin was attained with the efforts of Ramayyan Dalawa on behalf of his King Marthanda Varma. It was due to his efforts and conquests that the kingdoms 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...
, Madathinkoor (Mavelikkara), Elayadathu Swaroopam, Quilon
Quilon
Quilon may refer to,* Venad, a former state on Malabar Coast, India* Kollam , Kerala state, India* Kollam district, Kerala state...
, Ambalapuzha etc. were annexed to Travancore and the Dutch
Dutch Empire
The Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Dutch Republic and later, the modern Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, but based on military conquest of already-existing...
were defeated in the Battle of Colachel. Several favourable treaties were signed with the British
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
under his Dalawaship while the Kingdom of Cochin
Kingdom of Cochin
Kingdom of Cochin was a late medieval Hindu kingdom and later Princely State on the Malabar Coast, South India...
and the Zamorin accepted the suzerainty of Travancore.
Family
Ramayyan Dalawa's family of 2 sons and 1 daughter moved back to Tamil Nadu after his death. His family finally settled in the erstwhile Pudukkotta state (princely state in Tamil Nadu). The then king of Pudukkotta who had very good rapport with the Travancore state offered Dalawa's descendants an entire village named Sithanavasal.Death
Ramayyan Dalawa resided in the town of MavelikkaraMavelikkara
Mavelikara is a town in Alappuzha district of Kerala, India, spread over an area of 12.65 km2. It is in the southern part of Alappuzha district on the banks of the Achankovil River. Mavelikara is located 8km east of National Highway. Mavelikara is known as the capital of...
where he had a palace built by Marthanda Varma. After the death of his wife, Ramayyan consorted with a 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...
lady from Mavelikkara of the Edassery family (PGN Unnithan a member of this family later became the last Dewan of Travancore in 1947). After his death Ramayyan's descendants left to Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu and settled there. His Nair consort was given gifts and presents and special allowances from the Travancore government in recognition of his services to the state while his own descendants were bestowed with the honorific title of Dalawa. The able Dalawa breathed his last in the year 1756.
Relation with the Maharajah
The Maharajah Marthanda Varma and Ramayyan Dalawa were more than just King and minister to each other. They were intimate friends(like Chandragupta MauryaChandragupta Maurya
Chandragupta Maurya , was the founder of the Maurya Empire. Chandragupta succeeded in conquering most of the Indian subcontinent. Chandragupta is considered the first unifier of India and its first genuine emperor...
and Chanakya
Chanakya
Chānakya was a teacher to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta , and the first Indian emperor generally considered to be the architect of his rise to power. Traditionally, Chanakya is also identified by the names Kautilya and VishnuGupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise...
), so much that after the death of Ramayyan the Maharajah went into depression and started losing health himself till he died in 1758. Ramayyan Dalawa was one of the ablest and most popular Ministers of Travancore and while on his death bed when asked how he would want his memory perpetuated he merely stated that he was an "instrument in the hands of my master (Marthanda Varma) and had no such ambitions."
The successors of Dalawas are now in Sivaganga(Tamil Nadu) and Bangalore. They are Dalawa Narayanasamy and Dalawa Viswanathan.