THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sometimes history is cruel to noble lives and Regent Maharani of Travancore kingdom who initiated several social reforms in the princely state is one who falls under this category. The state does not have a memorial for Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, aka Regent Maharani, who ruled Travancore between 1924 and 1931.
But a group of artists who wants a fitting deal for their later princess has now brought out a documentary on the life of the Regent, starting from her childhood, her ascension to the throne and her undignified self-exile from Travancore.
G Sujesh, director of the documentary said his sole intention was to do some justice to a ruler under whose tenure the state witnessed sweeping reforms like the royal proclamation in which the roads leading to the Vaikom Mahadeva temple was opened to the public.
“She also commited some faults, like the Press Regulation Act but the faults were minsicule when compared to her contributions in the fields of women education, modern medicine and revenue mobilisation,” he says.
The 28-minute documentary has adopted a beautiful narrative using sketches to portray historical events in the life of the Regent. The sketches by Arun Ramraj, a young artist, was made on the basis of rare photographs of old Travancore sourced from the Travancore royal family and state archives.
The documentary also has narrations that throw light into the many facets of the rulers life, most noted is the one by her granddaughter Lakshi Raghunandan. “Despite making an amazing and revolutionary contribution to the princely state, modern Kerala failed to recognize her,” she laments.
Historian and veteran journalist Malayinkeezhu Gopalakrishnan describes how the Regent surpised Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi with her simplicity. “The Ragenet sprang a surprise by wearing modest clothes. The kings and queens Gandhiji met until then sported loud ornamentation. Gandhiji later opined that Her Higness Sethu Lakshmi Bayi was a lesson for any prince or millionaire in the country,” he says.
Production designer Sudheer Ghosh said they had captured frames from all locations linked with the life of the ruler from Attingal Palace where she was born to the mansion at Bangalore where she brathed her last.
Raghunandan RV is producer and editoing wad s done by Vishnunarayan. Moorthy Sreenivasan and Jerry are the cinematographers. The preview of the docuemnatry will be held at the Kairali theatre on Sunday at 9.15 a.m. Another screening will eb held at the Levy Hall, East Fort, at 6.30 pm on the same day.