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The drama [balamartandavijaya] throws a flood of light on the history of Travancore between 17th and 18th centuries. Though there is much of fiction in the drama, it is not without authentic historical matter. Besides it furnishes a number of interesting details regarding the customs and practices in vogue in the court of Travancore kings and in Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple some of which survive even to this day. In the first act, there is a reference to the practice of dancing on the occasion of the Navaratri festival in the palace of the king. Sri K.Sambasiva Sastrigal says that "this was in vogue till last year" 41 In the interlude to the second act, the execution of the Ettuvittil Pillamar and Pappu Tampi and Raman Tampi are mentioned. bakye vayasi vartamanenanyanena dasarathineva cirakala - rajanyakuladrohasilam suniscita vyapada cintasaphali- karanasamnadasannaham ksudrarati kulamakhilam ca sakalyena kausika kratuvidhvamsana kutuhala jhatiti sammilita raksasa kulamitra nijadhanurjyalatavikasa nirmukta- garajala dharavahi jvalanicayesviva sunisita - vibhinna sula sahasragrakotika sadya eva vastavya - kutu 鈥�mbitamapaditam ! 42 42 Ibid., Preface, P.6. 42 Ibid., Act. II, p. 16

668 668 (like the young Dasarathi who exterminated the entire demons while they came to obstruct the sacrifice of sage Visvamitra, with the multitudinous flames burning at the sharp edges of numberless arrows released by the play of his bow string, the king destroyed his enemies who were determined to assassinete him and along with them their whole families too, with his sharp spears). The destruction of the Bttuvittil Pillamer is a historical fact and about the punishment meted out to them, Sri Nagam Aiya states as follows: *The four pottis among the conspirators were to be banished from the lend, the other rebels were to suffer immediate death and their properties were to be sold to the fishermen of the coast as slaves. The Edathura Potti and the Pandarams vere driven out of the country. The execution of the rebels took place at the Mukhamandapam (Cutchery) at Padmanabhapuram. The houses of the Ettuvittil Pillamar were forthwith razed to the ground and with the materials thereof the magnificent pile of buildings known as Ramenamatham and Tevarattu Koikal were constructed." Similarly the death punishment was meted out to the two Tempis who were the sons of the king Martandavarman's predecessor is also a historical fact. From the interlude 43 The Travancore State Manual, Vol. I, Ch.VI, p.338

fog 669 one comes to know that the king killed the two brothers (who are compered by the poet to Ravana and Kumbhakarna) with his sword when they came upon him suddenly with a view to murder 44 him. Historically it is known that while king Martandavarman was camping at Nagercoil for making preparations for the destruction of the Ettuvittil Pillamar "Pappu Tempi came one morning to the palace to pay his respects to the Maharajah. The guards on duty had been specially instructed hot to let him in but to resist him by force if he should attempt a forcible entry. The sons of the king had the special privilege of paying respects to their father's heir and successor without the formality of a previous announcement end in accordance with that privilege, Pappu Tempi that morning walked straight up the stairs. But the sentries on guard stopped him which incensed him and he in order to avenge the insult drew his sword; but before he could strike, he was mortally wounded by another sentry. The younger Tampi who was watching the whole scene from behind immediately rushed upstairs to take vengence on the king sented on his swinging cot. While striking at the king his sword hit the low beam.of the roof which gave the king time to recover himself from the shock. Being a clever swordsman and a well built soldier he disarmed the Tempi, threw him down and sitting on his chest plunged his Persian dagger into his heart and lifting the dead body threw it 45 over the windows amidst the assembled crowd below. 44 Balamartandavijayam, Act. II, p.16. 45 The Travancore State Manual, Vol. I, Ch.VI, p.337 These

620 670 two incidents it may be found paved the way for king Martandavarman to establish his royal power on solid foundations. The annexation of Quilon by king Martandavarman is mentioned in the same prologue. api ca lankapuramiva sagaraparitam kairapi durapam kolambapuradurgamapi satrukulamutsarya nijasainya- turangatarangasanghasangikrtataya candrod 鈥�yarambha- samuncaladarnavadambara sandarsaniyatamanitam ! 46 It is known that king Martandavermen entered into a war with the Raja of Quilon when the latter after allying himself with the ruler of Kayamkulam and adopting his daughter into his family took possession of Kellada which belonged to the former. He sent an army under the commend of Dalava Arumugham Pillai which defeated the Raja of Quilon and made him enter into an agreement with the former. Under the agreement, the Raja of Quilon undertook to cancel adoption from Kayamkulam, to demolish the fortifications 47 and to pay homage to Martandavarman. The Quilon Raja was brought to Trivandrum as State prisoner and a token force of the army of king Martandavarmen under the command of Arumugham Pillai was stationed at Quilon. The war with 48 Quilon took place in the year 1731 A.D. 46 Balamartandavijaya, Act.II, p.16. 47 The Travancore State Manual, Vol. I, Ch.VI, p.338 48 Kerala District Gazetteers, Trivandrum, Ch. II, p.193

671 The battle of Colachhal is also referred in the prologue to the second act. It is said that the king's army annexed the important commerciel centre and destroyed allthe enemies with their companions and armaments and afforded protection to those (enemies) who submitted to 49 him. The famous battle of Colachhal was fought on 31st July 1741 A.D. and the army of king Martandavarman was able to defeat completely the Dutch forces which in turn "retreated to their ships deserting their fortifications at Colachhal and leaving their dead comrades on the battlefield. The Travancore army took twentyfour prisoners, besides 389 muskets, a few cannons and a large number of 50 swords." In the Second set is mentioned king Martandaverman's conquest of the kingdoms of the Pandyas, the Choles, the Tundiras, the Karnatakas, the Andhras, the Yavanas, of Konken, Maharashtra, Parasika, Vidarbha, Kalinga and Vanga. All these incidents appear to be a historical fictions smacking of an enthusiastic overplay of imagination. But the victory over the prince of Setvasya is said to be historically authentic. The prince of Setvasya as is evident from the drama had Muslim friends to support him. Mr. K.Sambasive Sastrigal identifies the place Setvasya to 51 The history of Travencore in this period speaks be Kakkur. 49 Balamartandavilava, Act. II, p.16. 50 The Travencore State Manual, Vol. I, Ch.VI, p.342. 51 Balamartandavijaya, Preface, p.5.

6722 of the battle of Kelakked in which the army of the king of Travancore defeated Mahfuz Khan, the brother of the Nawab of the Karnatic who had earlier annexed his territories Valliyur, Kalakkad and other adjoining places in Tirunelveli 52 and put them to flight. It is not definite as to whether this is the incident referred to by the dramatist in his play. 53 In the fifth act is mentioned the renovation of the temple of Sri Padmanabhaswamy and the Mahabhishekre ceremony. The construction of the great gopuram is also referred to in the drama. The Ottakkal Mandapam or the single slab Mandapam in Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple is also mentioned in the drama. Further, the edication of his kingdom to Sri Padmanabhaswamy by king Martendaverman by placing his sword before the deity and his assumption of the title of /Sri Padmanabhadasa are also stated in the drama. It also says that the kings of the Travancore dynasty should have before their names the title of Bela as ordered by Lord Padmanabha. Similarly the symbol of Sri Padmanabha's feet would adorn the crest of the kings of Travancore. All these are historical facts. The repairs and the construction of the additional structures in the temple of Sri Padmanabhaswamy were seid to have begun in 1731 A.D. and completed 54 52 Kerala District Gazetteers, Trivandrum, Ch. II, p.198 53 Balamartandavijayan, Act.V, p.74. 54 Ibid., Act.V, Vs.110 and 111, p.109.

55 673 in 1733 A.D. The reconstruction of the idol of Sri Padmanabhaswamy with twelve thousand Selegramems, the construction of the Ottakkal mendapam, the 'sive lippurs, the great gopuram and the golden flag staff were some of the important works carried out in the regime of the king Martandavarmen. The dedication of his kingdom to /Sri Padmanabhe took place in the year 1749 A.D. 56 The drama besides reveals the state of affairs in Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple. There were said to have been eight Yoga brahmanas who were the custodians of the temple 57 end counsellors of the king on temple matters. The priests of the temple are called at that time by the name 58 (santikkar. The office of the Karyakkar (Sanskritised from Karyakara) seems to have been in vogue even at the time and his functions consisted to of getting down all the materials 59 for the maintenance of the temple. Similarly the post of Valiaparippukaran (Sanskritised form Mahasupadhikari) was present at that time and he was the chief cook concerned 60 with preparing food and serving it to the people The Tamil brahmanas who were entrusted with the job of preparing Milk pudding for 'Sri Padmanabhaswamy were known at that time 55 Kerala District Gazetteers, Trivandrum, Ch.II, p.202. 56 Ibid., Ch. II, p.202. 57 Balamartandavilavam, Act. IV, p.51. 58 Ibid., Act.V, p.82. 59 Ibid., Act.IV, p.52. 60 Ibid., Act.V, p.96.

624 61 62 674 by the name Dasas. The office of Samudayika (naval) is mentioned in the drama and his duty consisted of reporting to the king the affairs of the temple. This was in vogue in Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple till very recently. The 'Sri Padam palace which is even now extant and which is adjacent to the /Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple and which used to be the residence of the senior queens of the Travencore royal family is mentioned in the drame as the place where the sister of king Martandavarman (the mother of Prince Ramavarman) was staying. 63 64 In the drama king Martendaverman is said to have visited occasionally the shrines of Adikesaveperumal at Tiruvatter and Sthanumalaya at Suchindram. It may be noted that these two deities were the family gods of the Travancore royal family and they had a special connection with the latter. The description of the temple of Sri Padmanabha in the drama tallies with its layout at present. It is not only the main shrine of Lord Padmanabha that is mentioned but also the subsidiary shrines of Sri Krishna, Narasimha, 61 Ibid., Act.V, p.76 62 Ibid., Act.V, p.74 63 Ibid., Act. IV, p.53. 64 Ibid., Act. IV, p.46 and 48

Sri Rama, sita and Lakshmana, (saste, Vyasa, Virupaksha and Kshetrapale. The image of 'Sri Krishne laid in the 65 675 675 cradle referred to in the drama exists even now in the (Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple and it is located to the South of Ottakkel mandapam. Again the feeding of the brahmanas in the temple and the offering of the money to them were some of the practices which existed till very recently in the temple of Sri Padmanabhaswamy. Thus the drama throws a flood of light on the history of Travancore of the 18th century and the state of affairs of 'Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple. 65 Ibid., Act.V, V.48, p.38.