9. The Ramavarma-vijaya by Kunan Variyar

Ramavarma Vijaya^[1] of Kunan Variyar is another Mahakavya on the life history of the Cochin King Rajarsi Ramavarma (who ruled from 1895 -1940 AD). Kunnan Variyar is good poet who had command over both the languages, Sanskrit and Malayalam and had composed works in both these languages. He was born on the 8th June 1872 AD as the son of Madhavan Nambutiri of Erattayil Illam and Madhavi Varasyar. He belonged to Mankulannara Variyam situated at Mezhathur in Ponnani Taluk.

Among his Sanskrit works the Ramavarma kavya is the best one. The poem consists 10 cantos and describe the life history of the king Ramavarma from his birth to his 60th year (Sastipurthi). It also highly useful to learn about the history of the Cochin kingdom of that period.

Ramavarma—the Hero

The hero Maharaja Sri Ramavarman, who is famous as the Rajarshi was the king of Cochi from 1895 -1940, when he renounced the throne. Rajarsi was the respectful title givenbyhissubjects^[2]. In full, he is known as—jñānavidyābhūṣaṇam Sir.—Sri. Ramavarman, KCSI, GCSI, GCIE. History designates him as the father of modern Kochin. He was born on December 27, 1852, in the Malayalam month of Dhanu 14, 1028 under the Punartam star. His mother was Ambatampuratti, the third daughter of the senior Rani who was the nice of Saktan Tampuran and the common ancestor of the present royal family of Cochin. She was a women endowed with rare qualities who had great interest and talent in Music and Literature. His father was the famous vedic scholar Kutalattupuram Bhaskaran Anujan Nambuthirippadu, who belonged to one of the wealthy aristocratic Brahmin families in the state. Lord Rama, after whom the prince was named was also born under the Punartam star^[3]. Both of them belonged to the Suryavamsa. People compared Sri. Ramavarman to Lord Rama. Sri Ramavarman had four sisters and three brothers.

He was sent to the palace school which was exclusively for the children of the royal family. His first teacher was Muzhikulath Kunnunni Nambiar, an able scholar who was especially proficient in grammar^[4]. Many eminent scholars gave him special guidance in English and Sanskrit. At the direction of his uncle, Maharaja Ravivarman, he joined the palace English school in 1861. His teachers were his uncle Keralavarman who later became king, and Paramekkavu Raman Nambiar. They taught him four years and with this he got a good command of Sanskrit. After his Upanayana he learned Vedic Mantras from Vadyan Nambutiri and did a year’s Bhajanam at the Trppunittura temple^[5]. From his childhood he was very fun, loving, fond of mental sports like horse riding and hunting and scholarly past times like debates. He was very skilled in all these. By the time he attained youth he was exceptionally talented and learned. In particular, his handsome face with a high nose was the indication of a great soul. His beauty captivated all maidens. But women was able to charm this brave young prince, his words were like nectar to the ears of the people, and his beauty a feast to their eyes.

In 1870, Sri Ramavarman married Parukkuttiyamma the only daughter of Ittutra Variyar, the younger brother of Divan Sankara Variar and Komarattu Kunhikkali Amma. He wanted the younger members of the royal family to gain proper knowledge of Sanskrit. After discussion with his brothers he established a school for the children of the royal family on July 1885. Its administration was in the hands of members of royal family. It became a college in 1940 and is now the government Sanskrit college Trppunittura.

Ramavarman has written only two books -Balabodhanam and Vedanthaparibhasa sangraham^[6]. Both these books contain the fruits of his experience as a teacher.

Administration and Administrative reforms

Sriramavarma’s actions were different from those of all earliest kings^[7]. Ramavarma travelled all over India and became acquainted with many kinds of people. These travels helped very much in improving the quality of his mind and his rule. He got many opportunities for contact with various Indian rulers and British administrators. He was a severe critic of British domination but the British had great respect to for him. Many British administrators visited him. Lord Curzon, Lord Aptil and many others were his close friends^[8]. Divan V. Subrahmania Pillai retired in December 1897. P. Rajagopalachari who had served under the British Government, was appointed as Devan. He was an able administrator and carried out the kings orders to the letter. He studied the existing conditions well and tried to bring about reforms all over the state. He imposed fines on corrupt officials and dismissed some of them from service. He visited various parts of the state and widened roads by removing ruined buildings and trees. He thus earned the praise of the people and the king, and proved worthy of the name Rajagopalan^[9].

In the same year the king visited the Governor of Madras Lord Arthur Havlock and other important officials. In 1897 Lord and Lady Havlock stayed in Ernakulam as the king’s guests. It was the time of queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee. It was decided that a public library and a townhall should be established at Ernakulam and a hospital and a school for women at Trissur, in commemoration of Jubilee. In the same year the British government gave him the title knight commander of the star of India (KCSI) In December 1900 Lord Curzon visited Cochin with his wife^[10]. It was the first visit of a Viceroy to Kerala^[11]. Lord Curzon said that he had no were seen King Ramavarman’s equal in intelligent, strength, and the during his careful observation of the conditions in Indian states, he had no were seen a more intelligent and progressive administration than in Cochin^[12]. Later in the Devanship of Rajagopalachari clashes took place between Hindus and Muslims, and the kings sent the army under the Devan to the aid of the Hindus^[13].

Lord Curzon held a Durbar at Delhi in connection with the coronation of Edward VII as emperor of India. King Ramavarman went to participate in this Durbar accompanied by Divan Pattabhi Rama Rao and other important officials. During this journey he visited Puna, Bombay, Allahabad, Banaras and Culcutta. After the Durbar, the Maharaja received the title great commander of the star of India (GCSI) from the British Government^[14].

In 1904 the king set out with his great nephew Ramavarma Pariksit on a tour of South India^[15]. He was honoured Lord Aptle. At the invitation of Srimulam Tirunal, the Maharaja of Travancore he stayed for some time as his guest. The king’s Travancore visit strengthened the friendship between two royal families. In 1905, the Maharaja of Travancore and the Maharaja of Kochin were his guests at Cochin^[16]. In 1906 the tenure of Divan Pattabhirama Rao came to an end^[17]. A.R. Banarjee ICS was appointed as Devan^[18]. In 1907, his most important guest was Lord Citchner, the commander in chief of the Indian Army^[19]. In 1909 king Ramavarman went to Madras see the Viceroy. In the cause of the journey he stayed at Vijayanagaram. The state of Cochin was at first under the government of Madras. If there was any real or imagined deviation from conventional procedure, the govt of Madras could atones question it, and often did so. But king Ramavarman’s rule brought about a new order. the British authorities were wise enough to accept the change.

The king, assisted by his many distinguished and experienced divans, introduced many reforms in the state and Cochin soon came to be recognised as one of the best governed and most progressive Indian state. During the time of Divan P. Rajagopalachari, he paid attention to the financial progress of his kingdom. For that purpose tax rules were revised and payment was regularised. Soon after king Ramavarman began his rule, he decided to conduct a land survey all over the state^[20]. A separate forest department was constituted. When taxes were imposed according to the fertility of the land, the revenue increased considerably. All palm leaf manuscript were transcribed into paper^[21]. Stamp paper was introduced for transactions^[22]. In rest houses the practising of providing meals for the Brahmins of the neighbourhood was stopped^[23]. The king took every measure for the perfect functioning of various departments. About sixty regulations and declarations were passed during his rule. He made a precise assessment of palace expenses. The monthly allowance to the members of the royal family was produced.

The king was well aware that the judiciary is an important as the executive if not more, in the progress of nation. He renounce his right as king to entertain appeals against the decisions of the chief court. Thus he endowed the judiciary with a greater freedom and power. A systamatic revenue settlement was effected during the time of Divan Pattabhirama Rao. The reorganisation of the excise department was also effected and the forest way was completed. Schools were open to all irrespective of caste or religion. Water was brought day and night vehicles to villages suffering from water scarcity. Complete arrangements were made for supplying water from the Alappuzha through pipes. This system stem that still gives life to whole of Cochin.

Although there was seperate postal department in the state, it did not provide much a revenue. The number of post offices and post boxes were increased. Preliminary investigation with regard to the Cochin harbour was undertaken, but it had to be stayed due to the out break of the First World War, and the hydro electric project, which too was under investigation had to be dropped for the time being due to the same cause. It was at this stage that he laydown the reigns of administration.

Sastipurti

On December 25, 1912 the king celebrated the Sastipurti all the people young and old, the celebration on the grand scale^[24]. All institutions like courts and schools were given a holy day. Poor people were given a free feast. This was arranged all parts of the kingdom. There were special priors in temples and other places of worship^[25].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vide Keraleya Samskrita Sahitya Caritram -VI -P 107 -112; Kerala Sahitya Caritram, Ullur IV -P 714

[2]:

Kerala Sanskrit Literature P 261

[3]:

śrīrāmavarmeti tataḥ pratītaḥ śrīrāmajanmarkṣadināptajanmā |
śrīrāmavaṃśāṅkura eṣa caikaḥ śrīrāma ityeva kilaikṣi lokaiḥ || V-17

[4]:

sa pāṇivādassumatistadānī metat gurudhvagrimatāṃ gatobhūt |
kuñjuṇṇināmā khalu tāvadeva dikṣvāñcitaḥ kopyanadhosya śabdaḥ || V-21

[5]:

Kunhan Variyar V -27

[6]:

praṇipatya guruṃ śeṣamambāṃ mātarameva ca
saṃgrahaḥ paribhāṣāyāḥ kriyate rāmavarmaṇā ||

[7]:

Kunhan Variyar P -49

[8]:

Kunhan Variyar -P 50

[9]:

evaṃ prāyairbhūmirakṣānukūlai rnānāyatnaissādhubhiḥ stūyamānaḥ |
so'yaṃ gośrīrājavaryaprasādāt sārthāṃ cakre rājagopālasajñām ||

[10]:

Kunhan Variyar -V -18

[11]:

Ibid 19

[12]:

Ibid P 51

[13]:

Kunhan Variyar -V -42

[14]:

tāvatsadasyākhilabhūpasamakṣameva bhūvallabho'labhata durlabhamanyamānyaiḥ |
sabhrāja eva birudaṃ kila ji si ye [?]ssairūpaṃ viśeṣamahitaḥ kva na tādṛśassyāt ||

[15]:

Kunhan Variyar V -26 -27

[16]:

Ibid 63

[17]:

Ibid 83

[18]:

Ibid 83

[19]:

Ibid 12

[20]:

Kunhan Variyar P -47

[21]:

Ibid V -50

[22]:

Ibid 52

[23]:

Ibid 53

[24]:

Kunhan Variyar V -27

[25]:

For more details see Ramavarma vijaya Mahakavya of Kunnan Variyar -a critical study -K. Ramadevi -M.G. University -1999