Kochi has a long royal history marked by conflicts — the Dutch, the Portuguese and the Zamorin of Calicut were all its enemies at one point or another.
In this long, chequered past, the kingdom also experienced a rare period when a queen regent was the ruler. Though her reign was brief, it came at a time when European powers were competing fiercely for influence over the port city.
Rani Gangadhara Lakshmi ruled Cochin from 1656 to 1658 from the Mattancherry Palace. Her regency was unusual, as the royal family followed the matrilineal succession, under which inheritance passed through the female line to the senior-most eligible male heir.
Here, not the male heir, but the woman became the ruler.
Not much is known about her reign. However, details about her emerge when one comes upon another incident.
March 13 1662, is remembered by some historians as an important day in the history of the Cochin kingdom. “It marks the liberation of Rani Gangadhara Lakshmi, who was imprisoned during a period of political conflict and foreign intervention,” says writer Eapan Vettath, author of ‘The Permanent King of Cochin’, a book based on the life of Goda Varma, the prince who is believed to have liberated the queen.
“Rani Gangadhara Lakshmi belonged to the Elaya Thavazhy branch of the Perumpadappu Swaroopam royal family. During her reign, the royal house was facing a succession crisis,” says Eapan. Historical accounts suggest the Portuguese encouraged the queen to adopt princes from another related royal family, the Vettath/Tanur line.
“She adopted four princes and, in 1658, crowned Rama Varma as king. The location she chose is interesting, the Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica,” he adds. The basilica was a prominent centre of power in Kochi.
According to sources such as the website, History of Cochin Royal Family, the adoption of the Vettath princes led to a serious internal conflict within the royal house.
Rival branches of the royal family opposed the move. The Chazhiyur Thavazhi aligned with the senior Mutha Thavazhi faction and challenged the queen’s decision. The dispute soon developed into a civil war that lasted for nearly two years.
The situation grew even more complicated when Europeans rivalries entered the picture. Eapan notes that in 1662, forces of the Dutch East India Company attacked Cochin during their campaign against the Portuguese. In the fighting that followed, King Rama Varma was killed. The queen and several ministers were captured and imprisoned.
“She was most likely taken somewhere in Fort Kochi as the Dutch had fortified the area by then,” he adds.
He further informs that the turning point came when Goda Varma, one of the adopted princes who was in Palluruthy, organised the resistance against the Dutch.
“He confronted their forces near Aroor and entered Cochin after the confrontation. The queen and her ministers were then released. She had been imprisoned for two months.”
Historians highlight that this period marked one of the most intense struggles along the Malabar Coast. While the Dutch would soon establish stronger control in Cochin after defeating the Portuguese in 1663, the story of the Rani Gangadhara Lakshmi remains a lesser-known chapter in Kerala’s history.
Yet, for those who study the region’s past, March 13 stands as a reminder of a moment when a queen who once ruled Cochin regained her freedom during a turbulent era in the kingdom’s history.Timeline of Events1656
Rani Gangadhara Lakshmi begins her rule as the regent of the Cochin kingdom.
Timeline of Events
1656
Rani Gangadhara Lakshmi begins her rule as the regent of the Cochin kingdom.
1658
The queen adopts princes from the Vettath/Tanur line to continue the royal succession and crowns Rama Varma as the king of Cochin.
1662 (early months)
Forces of the Dutch East India Company attack the Cochin kingdom during their conflict with the Portuguese. King Rama Varma is killed in the conflict, and the queen, along with ministers, is taken prisoner.
1662, March 13
Prince Goda Varma, one of the adopted princes, defeats Dutch forces near Aroor. He enters Kochi and liberates Rani Gangadhara Lakshmi and other imprisoned ministers.