Historical fiction: Marthanda Varma ascends the throne of Travancore after the death of his uncle

In the three years since his meeting with the English, Marthanda had remained focused on vanquishing the confederacy. As he recruited men and procured arms, the confederacy was pulling out all the stops to eliminate the rising threat. They forced the crown prince to remain at the fringes of society, deep in the forests, with no access to the capital city of Padmanabhapuram. But the dogged youth didn’t lose hope despite the overwhelming odds and continued being a thorn in the affairs of the confederacy. At times, this meant emerging from the shadows to meet with the royal family, even if it meant risking his life.

Thiruvananthapuram Palace was much smaller and less grand than Padmanabhapuram. In fact, it did not even hold a candle to the typical home of an Ettu Veetil Pillamar. It was a simple two-floor structure built around a small central courtyard, with a few private quarters and a main hall. Its unassuming appearance was precisely the reason Marthanda chose it for his secret meeting with the Travancore king.

An older and grittier-looking Marthanda greeted the king. “Thank you for coming at such short notice, uncle. It gives me immense pleasure to meet with you after such a long time.”

Venad Rama Varma, the new king of Travancore, was a tall and thin man with thick, straight black hair. Large, well-cut diamonds covered his ears and fingers. Visibly young, he could not hide the worry on his brow and the nervousness in his demeanour. “I moved heaven and earth to come here as soon as I received your message, Marthanda. I’m relieved to see you healthy and well. I was worried about you after the murder of my brother, Unni Kerala Varma, and prayed for your safety every day.”

“I am grateful for your prayers, uncle. They have kept me safe from my enemies.”

The king gave the prince a tight hug. He was clearly relieved that his beloved nephew was safe and sound. Then, with the pleasantries out of the way, Venad Rama Varma ordered his retainers to leave the hall so they could speak about more important matters. Marthanda guided the king to a smaller room behind the main hall and shut the door from inside.

In that private cocoon, Venad Rama Varma’s frayed nerves calmed down. “I cannot fathom the depths to which the Ettu Veetil Pillamars will stoop. They murdered my brother, Unni Kerala Varma, for no reason. Ever since I became king, they have confined me to Padmanabhapuram Palace. If they don’t want a king, I should abdicate and end the monarchy for good.”

“The murder of His Highness Unni Kerala Varma was a deplorable act and we will avenge his death,” Marthanda said in a resolute voice.

“How? I am a puppet of the confederacy. My movements and communications are curtailed and intercepted. I had to beg the Yogakkars to allow me to come to Thiruvananthapuram. If they had known that I was travelling here to meet you, they would have assassinated me right away.”

“We should not give up yet, uncle. We need to make our enemies answer for their crimes. These atrocities cannot go on forever!”

“What can we do, Marthanda? We are helpless. I am not in the position to stand up to them. I am quite sure plans are afoot to kill me as well. Even if that’s not the case, their plotting is a hanging sword that aggravates my chronic illness and will end me for sure.”

“This time I have a plan, uncle. My journeys through distant lands seeking alliances may finally yield fruit. That will give us the means to fight the confederacy.”

“What do you propose we do?”

“During ancient times, the Travancore kings pledged their loyalty to the Madurai nayaks. But for the past many years, we have stopped paying tribute to them. They too have lost interest in us. Let us visit Madurai to re-pledge our allegiance and offer an annual tribute in return for their military support.”

The king was silent for a moment. I don’t have the courage or wherewithal to take such a daring action. But I should not impede Marthanda – he needs my utmost faith and support.

“You are the only person who has ever stood up against these murderers,’ he said at last. ‘You are the only person I trust in these matters. I agree with your proposal with my whole heart. Tell me what I can do.”

“Let’s head to Madurai and propose this to the nayak. Hopefully, we will return with the necessary forces to take on the confederacy.”

“Sure, Marthanda. I am willing to do anything to end the menace of these feudal lords.”

Time was of the essence lest the Madampimars got wind of their plans and took aggressive action against them. The very next morning, Marthanda, Venad Rama Varma and an armed retinue – all disguised as Pathans – made their way from Thiruvananthapuram to Madurai. The journey, which took a few days, was thankfully uneventful. Within a week of their arrival, they were given an audience by the Madurai nayak, Vijayaranga Chokkanatha.

Excerpted with permission from Travancore King: The Legend of Marthanda Varma, Shubendra, Pan Macmillan India.

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