A royal romance and a dire prediction

The young Vishakam Tirunal Rama Varma, the Elaya Raja or the crown prince of Travancore, was once travelling on horseback with his retinue. A group of young women were bathing when they heard the distant sound of thundering hooves and dressed hurriedly. “Hurry up Lakshmi,” they cried as they ran, but a lone figure stood transfixed. A slender young man slowly rode up to her. He asked her why her friends had run away. “They ran away because they were afraid of you,” she replied. “And you? Are you not afraid?” he asked with a smile. “No,” she said. “I was only curious to know who you are.” “Do you not know who I am?” he asked, while those around him laughed. “Your looks and your speech are the marks of a noble man,” she replied.

He bowed, inquired her name and where she lived, and rode away. Little did young Lakshmi know that her destiny was going to change and that the young man was none other than the crown prince of Travancore. Within a few weeks, messengers came from the palace to Lakshmi Pillai’s house asking her father for her hand in marriage to the crown prince. The prevailing custom dictated that the king or crown prince could marry only from the aristocratic Nair families of Arumana, Thiruvattar, Vadasseri, and Nagercoil, or to women adopted by these four houses, also known as Ammaveedus (mother’s house). Lakshmi belonged to the Arumana Ammaveedu and the marriage took place in 1859. 

The Ammaveedu is a concept peculiar to Travancore. The marriage of a king was purely a private matter as his children had no right to the throne since Travancore followed the matrilineal system. The king’s consort had no title and was simply the mother of his children. It was the king’s sister’s eldest male offspring who would ascend to the throne after his death. The practice of building Ammaveedus has resulted in many heritage homes outside the West Fort in the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram. These royal consorts had a position next only to royalty. The Maharaja visited his consort but stayed separately with his mother and siblings in the Palace.

For his wife, Vishakam Tirunal built a beautiful mansion and called it Arumana Ammaveedu. It still stands in all its glory as the Villa Maya, a restaurant par excellence, after it was sold by the last owners. Vishakam Tirunal was an erudite ruler who achieved eminence within and outside the country. He is credited with bringing the cultivation of Tapioca into Travancore, thereby providing a cheap alternative to rice for the poor. Fluent in English and several other languages, he ensured that his young wife received an English education. Beautiful and educated, she was the female royal who could speak and write in English. Lakshmi Pillai proved to be a perfect wife in every respect.

The happy couple was blessed with four children. The eldest was a son named Sri Narayanan Tampi. The story goes that Vishakam Tirunal was fond of roaming incognito on the streets of the city. Once, dressed in ragged clothes, he saw an astrologer sitting under a tree. He placed a few coins on the floor and asked for his palm to be read. The astrologer looked at the palm and asked sharply, “Who are you? You are no beggar. Your palm says that you are born to rule”. The prince quietly got up and walked away. A few years later, when his son Sri Narayanan Tampi was born, he asked for this astrologer. The astrologer immediately recognised the beggar who had consulted him. After checking the baby’s horoscope he said, “I told you that you are born to rule although you came to me as a beggar. But your son will be a beggar and will die on the streets.” 

A visibly shaken Vishakam Tirunal began a lifelong task of building sathrams (resting houses) all over Travancore with instructions to serve food and water and give shelter to his son if he ever needed it. Landed properties, jewels, and money were lavished on the child. Sri Narayanan Tampi, however, lost all his wealth in speculative businesses and died on his way to the Railway station, fulfilling the prediction of the astrologer. Vishakam Tirunal died at the young age of 48 in the year 1885 after having ruled for only five years.

Author’s note: The author wishes to place on record her gratitude to Col Anand [Managing Director, Arumana Hospital] for the information and photograph used in this article. Thanks also to Ruben Mathew, Krishnakumari, and Premila Anand for their invaluable help