The sunset years of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore were mired in controversies, including repression of public agitations and uprisings, but it was also a period of commendable industrial and infrastructure development, observed Shashi Tharoor, MP.
Mr. Tharoor was speaking here on Monday after the launch of the book Anti-Monarchical Conflict in Kerala, 1931-1947 written by D. Daniel, former Professor and chairperson, School of Historical Studies, Madurai Kamaraj University.
“Though the twilight phase of Travancore monarchy under the reign of the often-reviled Maharaja of Travancore, Sree Chithira Tirunal, and Dewan Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar had several repercussions, it also witnessed commendable developments and reforms that resulted in industrialisation and progress of the State,” said Mr. Tharoor after releasing the book by handing over the first copy to Chief Secretary V. Venu.
“The period witnessed cruelty and many of us continue to commemorate the heroes and victims of the agitations and the nationalist movement of the final phase of Travancore monarchy. But I believe that we do need to accept the contributions of Sree Chithira Tirunal, who was a visionary king, and Dewan C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar, who assisted and implemented all of these initiatives, particularly those that led to the industrialisation and progress of the State,” said Mr. Tharoor.
The king and the dewan had done some extraordinary things which continued to benefit generations of people in Thiruvananthapuram for many years, he noted. Mr. Tharoor also said the author had tried to illustrate the complex interaction of caste, class, and religion during the period in his book.
The work closely traces the twilight years of the princely state in down south since the ascension of the last Maharaja Sree Chithira Tirunal who was in a symbiotic relationship with the then dewan. The period was marked by two striking trends — the growth of nationalism led by Travancore State Congress and that of Communism.
Mr. Venu, however, struck a different note saying: “Good government is no substitute to self-government. To all the wonderful things Sir CP had engineered and the monarch had sanctioned, history tells us that this would never be equivalent to people’s right to govern themselves,” he said.
Noting that Dr. Daniel’s book focussed on the conflicts against the monarchy, Mr. Venu said: “though there are several things that the regime had done, which provided a lasting and tangible legacy for the State, those things cannot be put into the context of the conflicts and struggles that happened during the last 15 years of the monarchy, which forms the crux of the work.”
Referring to the extensive research done by the author, Mr. Venu urged research scholars to utilise the available resource facilities to have a better understanding of history.
Shaji Anirudhan, Professor and Head of the Department of History, University of Kerala, presided over the function. Senior journalist M.G. Radhakrishnan, and P. Raveendran Nayar, Folio, the publisher of the book, also spoke.
