KOCHI: If you look at Kerala’s history, there were several chiefdoms and royal families. They are perhaps not as prominent in public memory, but their contribution to culture was rather significant. One such family that contributed to the history of both Pathanamthitta and Kerala is the Pandalam Royal Family. It remains relevant even today because of its association with the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappaswamy Temple and the integral role it plays in the worship of the deity.
The Pandalam kings were an offshoot of the Pandyas of Madurai, one of the three major dynasties (the other two being Cholas and Cheras) that ruled south India at different points of time in ancient and medieval history. The Pandya royal family had split into two branches – one that settled in Valliyur near Thoothukudi, and the other in Madurai. The Valliyur branch moved to Poonjar in Kerala, which was part of the Thekkumkoor kingdom.
The Madurai branch, fearing an attack from their ministers, moved from Tenkasi to Achankovil, and from there to Konni. While staying in the thick forests of Konni, the Venad kings provided them with land and a small army division to establish their own state in AD 904, which came to be known as Pandalam State. Raja Raja Varma was the founder of this family line.When Marthanda Verma of Venad invaded surrounding regions and formed Travancore State, Pandalam accepted suzerainty of Travancore and became a chiefdom under its umbrella.
Tipu Sultan, Travancore and Pandalam
The conquest of Travancore was always the ultimate goal for Tipu Sultan, who had already annexed Malabar. Travancore, under Dharma Raja, provided refuge to the Zamorin king and other local chieftains displaced by Mysorean invasion. Tipu Sultan resented this and with the Raja of Cochin as mediator, he tried to win over Travancore diplomatically. This move was snubbed. Thereafter, to strengthen his own position in the face of a dynamically changing political scenario, and to gain exclusive access to the west coast, asserting his authority over Travancore became imminent for Tipu.
During the Mysorean invasion of Travancore, Dharma Raja sought help from his allies, one of them being the Pandalam king. The Pandalam king was asked to contribute to war expenses, for which he borrowed two lakh and twenty thousand rupees. In 1819-20, the Raja of Pandalam entered into an agreement with the Travancore government. As per the stipulations of the agreement, Travancore took over the king’s possessions and his powers as well. The Pandalam royal family drew a monthly pension until the princely state of Travancore ceased to exist in 1949. Presently, the state government of Kerala pays a sum of Rs 3000 to a few members of the family.
Sabarimala and Pandalam
The kingdom does not exist any longer. However, the Pandalam royal family continues to enjoy a pride of place in Kerala culture because of the popular narrative that considers Lord Ayyappa the son of the Pandalam Raja. This lore is celebrated on Makar Sankranti, when the deity is adorned with the ‘Thiruvabharanam’ (sacred crown jewels) that once belonged to the Pandalam royal family. It is believed that the Pandalam king gifted the jewels to the Sabarimala Temple.
Till date, three days before Makar Sankaranti, a royal representative, with the ‘thiruvabharanam’, begins his journey towards Sabarimala from the Valiya Koyikkal Sastha Temple at Pandalam, in a procession. Keeping tradition alive, he travels in a palanquin till Kulanada and from there, the procession moves on foot towards the shrine and along the way, at scheduled halts, they provide vibhuthi (sacred ash) to devotees who gather to see them. Eventually, they reach the temple on the day of the festival and present the sacred jewels to the chief priest.
The Pandalam royal family has also made significant contributions to art and literature. Mahakavi Pandalam Kerala Varma is regarded as the author of the first complete ‘mahakavya’ in Malayalam and chief editor of Kavana Kaumadi, the first Malayalam periodical.
The author has published a coffee table book on Theyyam, the great temple dance art form of North Kerala.