Bharani Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi

Bharani Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi Biography

Bharani Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi was a Royal member of the princely state of Travancore who served as the Senior Rani from 1857 to 1901 till her death. She was married to Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran of Laxmipuram Palace who is better known as a writer and poet and the author of noted works like Mayura sandesham and Visakhavijaya. ‘Mayura sandesham’ was written on the line of Kalidasa's MeghaDooth, when he was parted with his beloved wife, Lakshmi Bayi for 5 years and Visakhavijaya was written in gratefulness to the Maharajah Visakham Thirunal, when he was released after the home arrest from Haripad. Great painter Raja Varma was her brother-in-law, who was marrier to her youngest sister.

She was born in 1848 as the daughter of Bharani Nal Amma Thampuran of Mavelikara, a branch of the Kolathunad royal family, close relative of Travancore family. Her family settled in Travancore towards the end of the 18th century following Tipu Sultan’s Malabar invasion. Following the death of Rani of Travancore, HH Pooradam Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi after giving birth to a son the kingdom was left heirless. Travancore kingdom followed the Marumakkathayam system of matrilineal succession. So Maharajah decided to adopt the two eldest daughters of Bharani Thirunal Amma Thampuran of Mavelikara. Those were Bharani Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi and her younger sister, Parvathi Bayi. They were adopted as the Senior and Junior Ranis of Attingal.

As Lakshmi Bayi was the eldest sister, she became HH Rani Bharani Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi. In 1859, three grooms were selected for her, including the great painter Raja Ravi Varma. She chose Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran and Ravi Varma later married her youngest sister. Following the death of Uthram Thirunal in 1860, Ayilyam Thirunal succeeded the throne. Kerala Varma, along with Visakham Thirunal and Dewan T. Madhava Rao were involved in a conspiracy against Maharaja and thus Kerala Varma was held under house arrest at his family home in Haripad.

Though she pressurized to leave Kerala Varma and accept a new consort, she refused all advices and waited for him for the next 5 years till they got reunited by Visakham Thirunal. She was also placed under home arrest. This strong decision earned her the title of ‘Order of the Crown of India’ by Queen Victoria. She also gave Kerala Varma the title, Order of the Star of India. Though she spent a happy life with her husband, they didn’t have any children. Her sister, the Junior Rani Parvathi Bayi’s single daughter too died. When the kingdom once again left heirless, Rani adapted two nieces, who gave birth to Sethu Lakshmi Bayi and Sethu Parvathi Bayi respectively, who continued the lineage.

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Updated: September 24, 2017