2026-08-25 Tue

Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma - A King, A Musician and a Classic Composer

Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma; also spelled Swati Tirunal was the Maharaja of the great Kingdom of Travancore of present-day southern Kerala, India. He reigned from 1829 until his death in 1846. He was the second child and elder son of Queen Gowri Lakshmi Bayi (who ruled Travancore from 1810 to 1815) and Raja Raja Varma Koil Thampuran of Changanasseri Palace. Proclaimed king while still in the womb, he earned the title Garbha Sreemaan. Born under the Svati star, he was named Swathi Thirunal. His reign began under the regency of his mother from 1813 to 1815, followed by that of his maternal aunt Gowri Parvati Bayi until 1829. The king is celebrated as a prolific composer, musician, scholar, and progressive ruler.

As a King and great Administrator, despite limited powers under British paramountcy, Swathi Thirunal worked to modernize Travancore.

The king introduced a code of laws and courts of justice. Establishing English education founding what became the Maharaja’s Free School, later linked to the University of Travancore/Kerala. He built an observatory in Thiruvananthapuram (1837). Setg up the first government printing press and the first manuscripts library today known as Oriental Manuscripts Library. He aimed to make Travancore a “model state” focused on efficiency and reducing corruption

A Great Musician and Composer

Swathi Thirunal is best remembered as a major composer in both Carnatic and Hindustani classical music traditions. He is credited with over 300–400 compositions in languages including Sanskrit, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindustani/Hindi. Famous examples include Padmanabha Pahi, Deva Deva, and Sarasijanabha. He was a contemporary of the Carnatic Trinity - Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri and attracted leading artists to his court, including the Tanjore Quartet and Shadkala Govinda Marar.

Presented here is a beautiful copper cash issued by the king weighing 0.60g. The obverse has a beautiful portrait of seated goddess Lakshmi, holding lotus sprigs in both the hands within dotted border. The reverse has a Conch = Shankh within dotted border