Rama Varma Kunji pillai Thampuran (1751–1805), or Rama Varma IX, popularly known as Sakthan Thampuran (''Sakthan'' meaning powerful), was the ruler of the
Kingdom of Cochin
The Kingdom of Cochin, named after its capital in the city of Kochi (Cochin), was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state. It commenced at the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until 1949, when monarchy w ...
. The current southern Indian city of Kochi was part of the erstwhile princely state of
Kochi
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...
. He resided at Vadakkechira Palace in
Thrissur
Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...
. The city of
Thrissur
Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...
is referred to as the ''Cultural Capital of
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
'' owing to its many traditional festivals and historic temples. Sakthan Thampuran is considered the architect of the city of
Thrissur
Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...
. The festival
Thrissur Pooram
The Thrissur ''Pooram'' is an annual Hindu temple festival held in Thrissur, Kerala, India. It is held at the Vadakkunnathan (Shiva) Temple in Thrissur every year on the ''Pooram'' (pronounced ) day—the day when the moon rises with the ''P ...
was started by him.
Biography
Early life
Born on 26 August 1751 AD at ''Vellarapally Palace'' to Anujan Namboodiripad of the ''Chennamangalam Mana'' and Ambika Thampuratti of the
Cochin Royal Family
The Kingdom of Cochin, named after its capital in the city of Kochi (Cochin), was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state. It commenced at the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until 1949, when monarchy w ...
. His mother died when he was only three years old. The prince was brought up by his maternal aunt, famously known as ''Chittamma'' (meaning mother's younger sister) Thampuran. His early education took place under the tutelage of scholars such as Kallenkara Pisharody. Sakthan Thampuran was considered as the most powerful of the Kochi
Maharaja
Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king".
A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, an ...
s as his name indicates.
Marriage
![ShakthanThampuranPalace](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/ShakthanThampuranPalace.JPG)
Thampuran married twice. His first wife was a
Nair
The Nair , also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom histor ...
lady from the reputed “Thekke Kuruppath” family of
Thrissur
Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...
whom he married when he was 30 years old. He is said to have had a daughter with this first wife. However, this ''Nethyar Amma'' (title of the consort of the Cochin ''Rajah'') died soon after birth. Thereafter the Thampuran remained unmarried for a few decades, marrying again at the age of 52. The second wife of Thampuran was Chummukutty ''Nethyar Amma'' of the ''Karimpatta'' family and was a musician and dancer. She was 17 at the time of her marriage with the Thampuran. Thampuran died after 4 years of the marriage. At the time, widowed ''Nethyar Ammas'' did not receive monetary support from the state, so Chummukutty, at the age of 21, returned to her ancestral home.
Death
![Tomb of Ramavarma Sakthan Thamburan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Tomb_of_Ramavarma_Sakthan_Thamburan.jpg)
After his 55th birthday, Sakthan Thampuran fell ill and died on 26 September 1805, at
Thrissur
Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...
City. He was cremated at Vadakkechira Palace, now renamed
Shakthan Thampuran Palace,
Thrissur
Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...
. There is a monument to him within the palace grounds. His palace in
Thrissur
Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...
City is preserved as a state monument. He is considered to be responsible for the development of
Thrissur
Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...
City and also making it the ''Cultural Capital of Kerala''.
Administration
In 1762, ten
tehsils
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
(''Kovilakathum vathukkals'') and two ''Edavagas'' (semi
tehsils
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
) were formed in the
Kochi
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...
Kingdom. But the previous feudal chieftains maintained their stronghold. After Thampuran ascended the throne of
Kingdom of Cochin
The Kingdom of Cochin, named after its capital in the city of Kochi (Cochin), was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state. It commenced at the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until 1949, when monarchy w ...
, he took over the land from the feudal chieftains and consolidated the royal power. At that time, the
Vadakkunnathan Temple
Vadakkumnathan Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva at city of Thrissur, of Kerala state in India. This temple is a classical example of the architectural style of Kerala and has one monumental tower on each of the four side ...
and
Peruvanam Mahadeva Temple
Peruvanam Mahadev Temple (Malayalam: പെരുവനം മഹാദേവക്ഷേത്രം) is a Shiva Temple situated in Peruvanam of Thrissur District, Kerala, India. The temple is said to be in existence with the origin of Kerala a ...
were controlled by the
Namboodiri
The Nambudiri (), also transliterated as Nampoothiri, Nambūdiri, Namboodiri, Nampoothiri, and Nampūtiri, are a Malayali Brahmin caste, native to what is now the state of Kerala, India, where they constituted part of the traditional feudal e ...
community, called ''Yogiatiripppads''. The ''Yogiatiripppads'' was elected from different temples in the
Thrissur District. His army consisted mainly of members of the Thiyya community army.
[ കൊട്ടാരത്തിൽ ശങ്കുണ്ണി, ഐതിഹ്യമാല]
കൊച്ചി ശക്തൻതമ്പുരാൻ തിരുമനസ്സുകൊണ്ട്
/ref> Thampuran wrested the control of the temples and abolished the system of Yogiatiripppads. Thampuran's strict approach with criminals earned his name, ''Sakthan''. During the British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
, British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
authorities had good relations with Thampuran. He was also a personal friend of ''Dharma Raja'' of Travancore
The Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævənkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At ...
.
Legacy
City of Thrissur
The modern day town of Thrissur
Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...
owes its origin to Sakthan Thampuran. The reason for his love of the town was because his two wives were both born here. They belonged to the ''Kuruppath'' and ''Karimpatta'' families of Thrissur. Sakthan Thampuran transferred his capital from Thrippunithura
Thrippunithura or Tripunithura (), is a prominent historical and residential region in the City of Kochi in Kerala, India. Located about 7 km (4 mi) from the city centre, Tripunithura was the capital of the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin ...
to Thrissur to found the city. He cleared the teak forests around the Vadakkunnathan Temple
Vadakkumnathan Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva at city of Thrissur, of Kerala state in India. This temple is a classical example of the architectural style of Kerala and has one monumental tower on each of the four side ...
and developed the Thekkinkadu Maidan
Thekkinkadu Maidanam is situated in the middle of Thrissur city of Kerala state in India. This hillock which seats the Vadakkumnathan Temple, is an open ground in the centre of the Thrissur city which is under the custody of the Cochin Devaswom ...
, which is now at the heart of the city. After clearing the forest, he built a circular concrete road now known as Swaraj Round.
Thrissur Pooram
The Thrissur Pooram
The Thrissur ''Pooram'' is an annual Hindu temple festival held in Thrissur, Kerala, India. It is held at the Vadakkunnathan (Shiva) Temple in Thrissur every year on the ''Pooram'' (pronounced ) day—the day when the moon rises with the ''P ...
or "Mother of all Poorams", as it was known, was the brainchild of Sakthan Thampuran. At the time, Arattupuzha Pooram
Arattupuzha Pooram is an Indian temple festival held at the Arattupuzha Temple in Arattupuzha, Thrissur district of Kerala. Visitors from nearby and far off places reach the village of Arattupuzha during the festival days. The pinnacle of the ...
was the largest temple festival in Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
. Temples in and around the city of Thrissur were regular participants. Once, they were denied entry to Arattupuzha Pooram
Arattupuzha Pooram is an Indian temple festival held at the Arattupuzha Temple in Arattupuzha, Thrissur district of Kerala. Visitors from nearby and far off places reach the village of Arattupuzha during the festival days. The pinnacle of the ...
because they were late. All the late participant temples went to Sakthan Thampuran, then Maharaja of Cochin
The Kingdom of Cochin, named after its capital in the city of Kochi (Cochin), was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state. It commenced at the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until 1949, when monarchy wa ...
, and complained about the issue. Thampuran invited all the temples to bring their deities to Thrissur and pay obeisance to Lord Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
, the deity of the Vadakkunnathan Temple
Vadakkumnathan Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva at city of Thrissur, of Kerala state in India. This temple is a classical example of the architectural style of Kerala and has one monumental tower on each of the four side ...
. Thampuran classified the participants into two groups, the Western and the Eastern. The Western group consisted of the ''Thiruvambady'', ''Kanimangalam'', ''Laloor'', ''Ayyanthole'', and ''Nethilakkavu'' temples while the ''Paramekkavu'', ''Karamukku'', ''Chembukavu'', ''Choorakottukavu'' and ''Panamukkamppilly'' temples came under the eastern group.
Shakthan Thampuran Palace
Named after Shakthan Thampuran, the palace is spread over of Thrissur and was earlier known as ''Vadakkechira Kovilakam''. It is one of the most historic cultural and architecturally relevant palace of the erstwhile Maharaja of Cochin
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...
, which has now been converted into a heritage museum. The palace is now a blend of traditional Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
and Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
architectural styles following its 1795 reconstruction.
See also
*Timeline of Thrissur
Thrissur () is the administrative capital of Thrissur District, in the central part of Kerala state, India. Thrissur district was formed on 1 July 1949. It is an important cultural centre, and is known as the Cultural Capital of Kerala. It is fa ...
*Thrissur Pooram
The Thrissur ''Pooram'' is an annual Hindu temple festival held in Thrissur, Kerala, India. It is held at the Vadakkunnathan (Shiva) Temple in Thrissur every year on the ''Pooram'' (pronounced ) day—the day when the moon rises with the ''P ...
*Thrissur
Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...
*Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
*Perumpadapu Swaroopam
The Kingdom of Cochin, named after its capital in the city of Kochi (Cochin), was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state. It commenced at the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until 1949, when monarchy wa ...
*Kingdom of Cochin
The Kingdom of Cochin, named after its capital in the city of Kochi (Cochin), was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state. It commenced at the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until 1949, when monarchy w ...
References
;Sources
* ''Aithihyamala
Aithihyamala or Ithihyamala ( ml, ഐതിഹ്യമാല) (''Garland of Legends'') is a collection of century-old stories from Kerala that cover a vast spectrum of life, famous persons and events. It is a collection of legends numbering over ...
'' by Kottarathil Sankunni
Kottarathil Sankunni (born Vasudevan, 1855–1937) was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature. Best known as the author of Aithihyamala, an eight-volume compilation of century-old legends about Kerala, Sankunni's writings cover prose and poetry ...
* Cochin State Manual
;Notes
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thampuran
1751 births
1805 deaths
Rulers of Cochin
Thrissur Pooram
18th-century Indian monarchs
19th-century Indian monarchs