A Royal Proposal

Kinnaird, a matrimonial proposal, and the Christians of Travancore

I mentioned this incident in the TNB bank article, and as you study this story, you may, like I did, consider the whole thing preposterous. But when you sit back and digest it, you will realize that it was not so, for in history, all across the world, there have been alliances and marriage proposals for the sake of political or monetary convenience, often concluded under threats and pressure. This one can fit into any one of those categories and was probably planned by the British higher powers, in the first place.

Saroja Sunderarajan, in her exhaustive biography of Sir CP, covers the involvement of a British woman named Emily Kinnaird, who meddled in certain matters concerning Travancore. Though Saroja details aspects related to issues faced by the palace from the Christian missionaries, she does not delve into the proposal as such, and so I thought it a good idea to air this story.

Interestingly it started as a marriage proposal for the young Maharaja, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, then about 20-23 years old. What commenced with a curt exchange of letters regarding a marriage proposal for the Maharaja, between Lady Kinnaird and CP, continued as a barrage, involving personnel from various parts of the British Empire, namely London, Madras, Delhi, and powers such as the Viceroy, the resident, the archbishop of Canterbury and many more. Kinnaird tried at first to cajole and persuade Sir CP, but seeing his resolute stance, went on to threaten him. The discussions then shifted from the marriage proposal to the treatment (by the sircar/regency) of the Travancore Christians and other high-handed activities related to the state congress etc.  CP was equally curt in his replies, for Kinnaird’s accusations were far-reaching and prejudiced, as you will see.

Emily Kinnaird the daughter of Mary Jane Kinnaird, who established the YWCA, was a staunch Christian missionary, quite active in India. Kinnaird and her sister worked at the school carrying the family name at Lahore. During the First World War period, she teamed up with the Young Men’s Christian Association to set up many centers for Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps workers, and after the war, founded the Indian Student’s Union and Hostel. Quite a formidable and outspoken woman, she was regarded highly in the British hierarchy and a CBE recipient.

Sir CP at Travancore

Sir CP’s involvement in Travancore started with his recommendation to the Viceroy in support of the young Chithira Thirunal succeeding his deceased uncle as the Maharaja of Travancore, in 1931. The Viceroy acceded to the request on condition that CP remain by the Maharaja’s side as an adviser. He then served as Legal and Constitutional adviser to the prince from 1931 to 1936. Becoming a good friend of the Royal family, especially the Junior Rani Sethu Parvathy Bayi, CP took over as the dewan of the state and worked together with the new King and his mother, in administering Travancore through a tough period, until Indian independence, after which the kingdom devolved to become a state within the Indian union. During this period, CP working from his offices at Bhakti Vilas was a tough administrator, who brought about several good changes to the Kingdom, but at the same time alienated many factions within the state, due to his high-handed activities.

Princess Sethu Parvathy Bai was the mother of Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, the last King of Travancore and was titled the junior regent, while her cousin Sethu Lakshmi Bayi (the subject of Manu Pillai’s Ivory Throne) was the regent and senior Rani. CP and Setu Parvati Bayi worked together to persuade Lord Willingdon who became the Viceroy of India in 1931, to terminate the regency and grant reigning powers to the young Maharaja.

Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma – The last Travancore Maharaja

Chithira Thirunal was the eldest son of the junior regent Sethu Parvathi Bayi, popularly known as "Amma Maharani", or the Queen Mother of Travancore. He became the Maharajah of Travancore, at the age of 11, after the death of his maternal great uncle Sree Moolam Thirunal, on 7 August 1924. From then onwards, he ruled with the assistance and guidance of Sir CP and his mother Sethu Parvathy Bai.

Travancore intrigues & Christian movements

This is a large topic but suffice to say that the Travancore royals had a long history of antagonism with the many Christian missionaries who worked with and tried to convert and ‘liberate’ the lowest of classes, resulting in many revolts that we discussed earlier. The palace was at loggerheads not only with the missionaries but also with some of the British residents who leaned towards their co-religionists – a phrase we will see uttered again, as connected to this story. It was obvious that the British administration directly encouraged missionary activities and conversion, which the Royals and their Dewans objected to. We had covered some of these in the TNB and the Ouwerkerk stories, and are not brought up again, though they figure prominently in the Kinnaird assaults.

M R Govinda Kaimal was the person who desired to get one of his two daughters married off to the Maharaja, and to further his cause decided to team up with the Church, the British residency and associated bureaucracy, as well as the offices of the Dewan Sir CP, to forward this alliance to the Maharani and her son the Maharaja. Whether it was a wish, a whim, or a desire, Kaimal was quite persistent about this and tried to muscle this through to the Rani and Raja for over 6 years! Though his ancestry and standing are still not quite clear, by his admission, he seemed to have some past connection to the Champakassery Rajas, an aspect we will try to analyze later in this article.

The Champakassery Principality

The area comprising Ambalapuzha and portions of Kuttanad was merged some centuries ago into a separate principality ruled by a Namboothiri ruler titled the Chempakasssry Raja. The kingdom was known in history as Purakkad, Ambalapuzha, or Chempakassery, and seems to have been formed with the help of a few iterant soldiers of the Zamorin of Calicut. The tract from Kumaranellur to Kudamalur in Kottayam thus came under the sway of the Chempakassery King. The Raja being quite tolerant, sponsored the building of the Kudamaloor church, and was a patron of not only the Syrian Christian community settled there, but also many Muslim families. Dutch factories existed in Purakkad from the 17^th century, after they obtained a monopoly following the defeat of the British. It was after this and the Portuguese influence that the churches of Kudamalloor and Purakkad were built, as well as at Arathunkal Palli in the Karappuram area. The Rajas were later termed the Deva Narayanas. During the Dutch period, the area was termed Porca, in their records.

The Devanarayanan Rajas ruled wisely, and during their reign, art thrived, Ottam Thullal was formulated, and Kunjan Nambiar composed his Thullal’s. The state was also famous for its unique rowing boat designs. During the 18^th century, the kingdom was overrun by the armies of Marthanda Varma led by his Dewan Ramayyan Dalawa, and the last King Devanarayan was taken to Anatapuram, as a prisoner, but was later sent back to Kudamalloor. Here he plotted revenge and was supported by his Christian subjects, as well as the Dutch, but again lost in a conflict with Travancore, and eventually retired to become an ascetic, spending his last days at Ambalapuzha. Interestingly, Marthanda Varma spared his life on both occasions, only due to the fear of being accursed for killing a Brahmin. Kunjan Nambiar was forced to move to Travancore.

The Cherthala region of the present day was then known as Karappuram and it comprised two small principalities, viz, Muthedath and Ileyedath. The Kaimals who were the chieftains of these areas were related and allied to the Raja of Cochin. The first instance of a Kaimal/Chembakassery war alliance comes from the 1528-40 conflict between Purakkad and the Portuguese, where the Karappuram Kaimal allied with Chembakassery. Govinda Kaimal’s origins may have been from one of the two Kaimal factions (the last Chembakassery Devanarayan had no offspring). Alternatively, he may have belonged to the Aymanam Kaimals, the military commanders of the Chempakassery Rajas.

Kinnaird’s initial contact with Sir CP

It is not clear if the Kaimal proposal was already known to the Junior Rani as early as 1933 (mind you, the boy was just 20 years old), but there are indications from Kaimal’s letter that he had broached it to the Raja’s grandfather Kilimanoor Kerala Varma in 1933 or so, who seemed to find it agreeable. Whether the Queen mother or the Raja objected to it right away is also not clear, but we hear of it come up formally through Emily Kinnaird who wrote to Sir CP in 1937. The 1938 file states that earlier papers on the subject are not traceable.

Kinnaird wrote to CP from Lahore on 16th April 1937 that in the best interests of the state, which she had a long connection with, she wanted CP to meet and introduce MR Govinda Kaimal, a person popular with his neighbors and whom she had met several times, to the Maharani and thence to the Raja, with an intent to get one of Kaimal’s daughter’s married to the young Raja. In addition, she wanted CP to recommend another young boy for employment with the Sassoons as an intern. She intended to write directly to the Maharani on this matter later, with CP’s support.

CP replied on 23^rd April 37, expressing his surprise and making it clear that it was quite inappropriate of Kinnaird to contact him, that he did not have the remotest idea who Kaimal was and how and why Kaimal in the first place thought it a good idea to make this contact with others (the Royalty), through him. He curtly closed the correspondence stating that he could not be of any assistance in either matter.

Unbeknownst to CP, Kinnaird had written directly to the Viceroy six months earlier about finding a suitable consort for the King, and the Viceroy replied to her stating that it did not fall within the range of his responsibilities.

Kinnaird’s retort

Kinnaird was incensed, to say the least, she when she got her chance, wrote to CP in Feb 1938 pointing out that Travancore was persecuting Christians in the kingdom, that CP was taking the state back to the dark ages, and pointed out that those persecuted were co-religionists of the Viceroy! CP replied that Kinnaird on 15^th Feb that his government was very tolerant, and that she was being prejudiced, making unfounded accusations without basis, and that he shall take no notice of its contents.

CP later forwarded his correspondence as well to the Political Secretary Glancy on 17th Dec 1938. Glancy took note and pointed out to the Viceroy’s private secretary G Laithwaite that he was surprised to see Kinnaird’s role included that of a marriage broker to the prince’s market! He agreed that CP’s replies to Kinnaird were not exactly conciliatory, but that CP had sufficient provocation.

Kinnaird had in the meantime contacted Patrick at the India office and complained about torture being resorted to on political prisoners, attaching a statement of Dr NS Pillai of Attingal, a doctor practicing in E Africa. Apparently when arrested he had some State congress papers and was rough-handled at the police station. Patrick and Lord Zetland upon checking on this found that there was no foundation to her suggestions, so also some other instances brought up by Kinnaird, and replied to her so.

A Nov 1938 noting reveals that Kinnaird continued her accusations of CP and accused the Resident CP Skrine of having been squared by the Dewan. In this case, the Maharaja ordered an amnesty for the prisoners, and the matter was dropped ending in the file comment – if possible, tactfully to indicate to her for a more careful scrutiny of the information reaching her.

The details of the proposal formed the content of the correspondence between Kaimal and the Archbishop of Canterbury, and this was forwarded by Patrick from the India Office in London to Glancy, in Jan 1939. The archbishop confirms that he had correspondence with Kaimal ‘some’ years ago about a matrimonial alliance and had written to the then Secretary of State Sir Samuel, in Nov 1933. The matter went dormant until 1939 when Kaimal again wrote to him. The archbishop wanted nothing to do with it and forwarded it to the Secretary of state!

Kaimal’s overtures

Kaimal had been in contact with the Pro India archbishop of Canterbury over this matter even before the arrival of Kinnaird. He explains in his 17^th Dec 1938 deposition to the archbishop that he belonged to a family of Dewans and Gurus to the Chempakassery Rajas, enjoying tax-free lands and other perks due to their high standing in society (which included the marriage of their daughters only with Namboodiries!). He adds that they were called Yajamans and the ladies Kunjamma’s and that owing to special historical antecedents, they had a special place in the Christian community of Chempakassery. Furthermore, he had been well known to the Travancore Royals, had stayed with the young Raja in Ooty, and the thought of getting his daughter betrothed to the Raja crossed his mind. Accordingly, he had approached the grandfather of the Raja with the idea of a matrimonial alliance. However, the old man, though in general agreement with the idea, replied that Kaimal should contact the family through some persons in a ‘high position’. The archbishop and the foreign secretary were contacted as suggested by the Malankara Church authorities. Further, it was thought that it would be a better idea to moot a formal proposal through ladies and hence he broached the subject to Lady Kinnaird. She (as Kaimal puts it) discussed the matter with Lord and Lady Halifax, the Zetlands, and even Lord and Lady Linlithgow.

A subsequent plan was made for Kaimal to meet the Viceroy, but this did not work out as Kaimal did not speak English, and eventually a meeting with Lord and Lady Erskine (Madras governor), was planned, which also did not pan out due to scheduling issues. Kinnaird then wrote to the Raja’s grandfather for his opinion, in 1936. The grandfather replied to Kinnaird stating that the consorts of the Travancore Raja were made from the Nair community, and this being a Kaimal (elevated in caste), may be far better. Kinnaird came and met the Kaimals in 1936 and expressed her opinion to the Viceroy that the prospective couple looked like ‘Brother & Sister’ (perhaps to mean alike in general looks or suited to each other).

Kaimal added that all these details had also been submitted to Sir CP and the Maharani, Sethu Parvathy Bai, through the grandfather, but that no decision had been made, as he felt the Dewan and the Rani were not too sure how it would benefit them in future!

To sway their mind, and perhaps show them the potential benefits, he entreated the British powers (as responsible persons) to show and declare their interest in this negotiation!!  To quote Kaimal “If they come to know that responsible persons are interested in this union, and that it will do them good in the future, I am sure that this marriage will take place in no time!!

The Chaplain confirmed to Kaimal that they notified the Marquis of Zetland and Kaimal wrote to Zetland a month later asking for details of any progress. He ends his letter with the sentence – May your Excellency be blessed to see India working its way to peace! Now what did he mean by that? Was he connecting the addressee to the disturbances current to Travancore then?

The “Responsible Persons”

Lord Linlithgow (VA John Hope) - Viceroy to India
Secretary to the Viceroy – Gilbert Laithwaite
Marquis of Zetland (John Lumley Dundas) - Secretary of State
Bertrand James Glancy – Political Secretary to the Viceroy
Lord Irwin – Previous Viceroy, in 1938, the foreign secretary
Lord Erskine – Governor of Madras Presidency
C.P. Skrine - Resident – Travancore
William Cosmo Gordon Lang – Archbishop of Canterbury

The result

Nothing seems to have helped, CP and the Maharani dug in their heels and the proposal went nowhere. No further information is at hand on the Kaimals.

The political situation in Travancore deteriorated quickly in the latter part of 1938 due to various other issues well known to us. Abdul Karim took over the police. CP became increasingly unpopular, his relations with the British went downhill after he muzzled the Manorama and the Mano Mohanam press, and his handling of the TNB case exacerbated the issue further. In 1939, Britain got into the forefront of WW II. The marriage proposal was the least of their worries and died out.

How did all this come about?

There is one more matter to consider - The Kaimals and the Raja were not equals, regardless of the caste levels of potential consorts. The reason why word got around was that the junior Maharani had at some time mentioned that she was against a bride from Travancore because it could lead to relatives and others trying to meddle in local politics, form patronage networks, etc. So, the idea was to get the Maharajah married to a Malayali from outside Travancore. Perhaps word reached Kaimal that there was a possibility and Kaimal tried to play the Christian card, to further his case, which presumably upset the Amma Rani. We do know from KOC Pillai's accounts that the Queen and the Raja were considering multiple proposals for the Raja and that none worked out, though there is a comment that the boy was rather shy.

Maharaja’s consort

Chithira Tirunal did not officially take a consort.  Whether he had one or not and if he had any issues from such a consort, official or unofficial, are not quite clear, though many rumors float around, as they usually do, in Trivandrum.

Kinnaird & Gandhi

Kinnaird was a persistent lady, she was 86 years old when she met Gandhiji on July 20, 1940, and had a very interesting dialog with him on religious matters, this can be read in the Harijan of August 4, 1940 (Vol. 72 p. 297-299).

Whatever was said and done, Sir CP was an outspoken man and did not cow down to British authority or pressure. He was quite rigid in his stance and somewhat arrogant at times but kept the best interests of his principals and employers, the Royals of Travancore, foremost in his mind and actions, as their paid servant and Dewan. That he could not match his actions to the aspirations of his subjects at Travancore, was his unfortunate failing.

References

Political department File 739, 1938, Travancore affairs

Sir C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar, a Biography - Saroja Sundararajan

Padathalavan – Parameswaran Pillai