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42-813: Rajah Rama Varma was a weak ruler during whose reign the Ettuveetil Pillamar , the Ettara Yogam and other nobles had more power than the King himself, as had been the case since the middle of the 17th century. However, on the advice of Marthanda Varma , the Rajah signed a treaty of subordination with the Madurai Nayak dynasty and secured a Vatuka force in Venad . This frightened the disloyal nobles for sometime, who now, however, turned their attention towards killing Marthanda Varma ,

84-527: A governor was placed a noble Nair family, all with the title of Pillai . Hence they came to be known as the Ettuveetil Pillamar or the Lords of the Eight Houses.The confederacy of these Pillamar was eventually destroyed in the 18th century by Maharajah Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma . The Pillamar were organised into a confederacy in the 17th century. Owing to the large amount of power vested in their hands,

126-546: A group of nobles known as Madathil Pillamar ,often mistaken for the Ettuveetil Pillamar. Earlier historians stated that the King had no authority over the temple and the Ettara Yogam and Pillamar were outside his control. However temple documents show that it was the king who appointed the highest dignitary of the temple, known as the Swamiyar . In fact, the authority of the king is considered to have been greatly valued for

168-500: A palace for himself at his capital. With so much power in their hands they wished to do away with the Royal House. The earlier chroniclers of Travancore history state that their chief intention was to extirpate the Royal House and convert the state into a pseudo-republic under their control, and eventually under a monarchy under one of themselves. With this in mind they plotted and assassinated Maharajah Aditya Varma by poisoning him and set

210-521: Is called Ettara Yogam. 7 Bhramins , one Nair family representative and half was Maharaja . A Sannyasin from Naduvil Madhom or Munchira Madhom presides over the meetings of the Sabha. He is called Pushpanjali Swamiyar as he performs floral worship to Lord Sri Padmanabha daily. The Swamiyar can hold office during the pleasure of the Crown. The members of the Sabha were: The Azhakathu Kurup family represents

252-634: Is registered regarding the aim of the Pillamar to extirpate the royal family. Even if they succeeded in killing the Royal family at Thiruvananthapuram , there were the other collateral branches at Nedumangad and Kottarakara , places where the Pillamar had no following. It may be noted that all these branches participated in the meetings and management of the Temple and hence were active in Thiruvananthapuram also. In

294-634: Is to be understood that Kshetrakaryam Potti, Desies, Karanatha Kurup of the Palliyadi family, Karanakkanakku and Pandarakkanakku are not members of Ettara Yogam. The Palliyadi Kurup was the security chief of the Temple. According to another version, the Pushpanjali Swamiyar and the six main Potties had one vote each in deciding the matters of the Temple. Besides them, the Maharajah of Venad or Travancore ,

336-561: The Darpakulangara Palace and was cremated at Thiruvattar . The King had died a natural death. Another significant fact that has come to light is that Umayamma Rani had no children at all and hence the story of the murder of her five children is disproved. The Royal family consisted only of Umayamma Rani , a Senior Rani and Ravi Varma, the son of the Senior Rani. In fact, Umayamma had two adopted sons from 1677 who were however not in

378-524: The Mukkuvar fishermen of the coast. The two palaces at Thiruvananthapuram , known as Ramanamadhom and Thevarathu Koikal were constructed from the wood and material of the palaces of the Pillamar. The Travancore State Manual written by scholar V. Nagam Aiya concludes by saying, Thus ended the long tale of crime and bloodshed committed by the lawless band of Ettuveetil Pillai and the Madampimar who molested

420-631: The Nairs in the Ettara Yogam. Srikaryathu Potti is the Sabhanjithan or Secretary to the Sabha. Important decisions taken by the Sabha could be implemented only if the Raja of Venad/ Travancore approved of them. Kshetrakaryam Potti also known as Adhikara Padartham represents the Raja of Venad/ Travancore during sessions of Ettara Yogam. Desies, Karanatha Kurup, Karanakkanakku and Pandarakkanakku attend its meetings. It

462-543: The Ettuveetil Pillamar became highly arrogant. The Pillamar conspired against the royal house and several murders and other acts of atrocity were committed owing to the powerlessness of the Sovereign. Eventually Maharajah Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma (1706–1758) decided to put an end to their power and destroyed the Pillamar. The confederacy of the Pillamar was dismissed and the member families were banished from Travancore. From

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504-751: The Karuva Potty is still given to Muttavila Potty in addition to the one due to Muttavila Potty. After the Alpashi and Painkuni festivals every year, the Dakshina is given to Tantri Tharananallur Nambuthiripad by these Potti families. With the passing away of Sri Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma in December 2013, his nephew Sri Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma became the titular Maharaja of Travancore in January 2014. Like his predecessors, Sri Moolam Thirunal also got concurrence from

546-426: The King and Council of Eight and a Half, has been the administrative setup of Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple , Thiruvananthapuram , Kerala , India , for centuries. According to historians, a six-member Sabha was constituted to run the Temple in 1045 AD. This Sabha was later known as Thiruvaananthapurathu Sabha. The Pushpanjali Swamiyar, though not a member of the Sabha, presides over all its meetings. The Secretary to

588-784: The Padmanabhaswamy Temple authorities for anujna (permission) to conduct festivals–for example in 2011. When the Karuva Potty family was without an heir (the Karumadom colony land and nearby areas like Kuriathy belonged to the Karuva potty family), the Muttavila Potty got the title of Karuva potty, and also the title: Sarwaswadana Dattu. Neythasseri potti inherited the power after marrying from Koovalasseri (which also perished without an heir) and later settled in Thiruvananthapuram. The request for giving permission to conduct rituals like Arattu to

630-523: The Palace on fire. After Aditya Varma's assassination his niece Umayamma Rani became the regent. The Pillamar approached her with condolences and vowed to support her. But within a year, five of her six sons were drowned under suspicious circumstances, probably at the instigation of the Pillamar, in the Kalippankulam pond.The surviving eldest son, now the only heir to the throne, could not assume power as per

672-627: The Pillamar supported the Kunju Thampis . They furnished them with enough money and men to seek aid from the Pandyas of Madurai . However Marthanda Varma managed to avert war by bribing away the Pandyan army. Soon after this Padmanabhan and Raman Thampi were captured and killed at Nagercoil Palace. (It may be stated that according to a popular folklore, Marthanda Varma's enmity towards the Kunju Thampimar

714-436: The Pillamar. But having received proof of the intention of the Pillamar to murder him they were all rounded up and tried soon after this. The Eight were either killed or exiled after sufficient evidence of conspiracy and murder was procured. Their houses were dug up ( Kulamthondal - a common punishment of the time) and all their assets and armies seized by the victorious Marthanda Varma . Their women and children were sold to

756-549: The Rajah in 1729, Maharajah Marthanda Varma succeeded to the throne under the Marumakkathayam law of inheritance. However, the succession of their cousin to their father's throne, infuriated the Kunju Thampimar (because their mother was from a caste that didn't follow matriliny, they thought they will succeed their father) who allied themselves with the Ettuveetil Pillamar , Marthanda Varma's foes. On their instigation,

798-584: The Sabha is known as the Sabhanjithan. The decision taken by the Sabha can be implemented only if the Ruler of Venad approves of it. This administrative setup consisting of the Arachan (Ruler) of Venad, Pushpanjali Swamiyar, six-member Sabha and Sabhanjithan is called Ettara Yogam. Popular legend takes the origin of Ettara Yogam way back to Dvapara Yuga . Lord Parasurama installed the Idol of Sri Padmanabhaswamy and entrusted

840-688: The Srikaryathu Potti and the Karanavar of the Palliyadi family ( Nair representative) had half vote each. The membership of the Ettara Yogam (other than the Pushpanjali Swamiyar) is passed hereditarily and the member families are represented by the senior most male member therein. The Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple possessed vast landed areas over which the ruler of Travancore had no control whatsoever. These lands were divided into eight adhikarems or districts and over each of these districts as

882-608: The Thampi brothers proceeded to Trichonopoly and succeeded in making the nayak government there believe that Marthanda Varma was a usurper and that they were the rightful heirs to the throne of Venad . The Madurai nayak Government deputed a Commander known as Azhagappa Mudaliar to install the Kunju Thampimar in Venad and punish Marthanda Varma . However the Mudaliar was bribed by the King, and

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924-399: The Thampi brothers were severely reprimanded for their actions. Soon after this, in 1733, the Thampi brothers made a visit to their cousin while he was at Nagercoil Palace where they were both killed by Marthanda Varma . While the traditional accounts state that they attempted to assassinate Marthanda Varma and were hence killed, it is not clear as to why their sister Ummini Thankachi

966-520: The administration of the Temple with Koopakkara Potti, Vanchiyoor Athiyara Potti, Kollur Athiyara Potti, Muttavila Potti, Karuva Potti, Neythasseri Potti and Srikaryathu Potti. King Adithya Vikrama of Vanchi (Venad) was directed by Parasurama to protect the Temple. Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple became the Kula Daivam (Tutelary Deity) of the Royal Family of Venad. According to historians, a six-member Sabha

1008-508: The battle for her treachery. The Pillamar were initially deterred by the fate of the Thampis, for they did not expect Marthanda Varma to kill his own cousins. However, soon after this, they plotted once again to murder the king but intelligence of this reached the king. On the day of the Arrat festival when the murder was to take place, Marthanda Varma appeared with an escort strong enough to cow down

1050-479: The document of 1730 regarding the execution of the Pillamar the name used for the conspirators is Ettuveetil Madampimar and not Pillamar. Besides, of the eight Pillais, only Kazhakoothathu Pillai and Kulathur Pillai are mentioned, the remainder being totally different individuals. The remaining six families are not mentioned at all, and it is improbable that the King who personally made investigations would let any of them go free. Further important revelations made by

1092-410: The documents of the Temple are with regard to Aditya Varma and Umayamma Rani . The Temple records which refer to minor events such as appointment of sweepers in the temple have not stated anything on the palace of Aditya Varma being burnt down. Also the story that Aditya Varma was poisoned to death is positively disproved, for the temple records clearly state that Aditya Varma died at Padmanabhapuram in

1134-457: The heir apparent under the Marumakkathayam law. Previously, the Ettuveetil Pillamar had been responsible for the assassination of prince Kerala Varma. The Rajah Rama Varma had married a princess known as Abhirami alias Shrimathi Avirama Kochamma from whom he had issue, two sons, Padmanabhan and Raman Thampi, known as the Kunju Thampimar and a daughter Ummini Thankachi. On the demise of

1176-471: The king also. They gradually grew from landlords to powerful chiefs and allied themselves with the Ettara Yogam . The Ettara Yogam ('King's Council of Eight and a half'), presided by the Pushpanjali Swamiyar was an association consisting of Potti families, Nair family and the King administered the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple of present-day Thiruvananthapuram , Kerala. The lands and properties of

1218-506: The king's men but in none of these are the Pillamar mentioned. Another contradiction lies in the statement that since the 16th century the kings were mere puppets of the Yogam and Pillamar. During this period the Venad kings won victories over the mighty Vijayanagar Empire and the Thirumala Nayaks, which, it is asserted, could not have been possible under a puppet king. A major disagreement

1260-465: The land for a period of two centuries and more Later historians, with many more records available, have disputed the traditional stories, which were based on legend and folklore. While there is no doubt about the existence of anti-royal nobles before Marthanda Varma , as well as frequent conflicts between the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple managers and the king, many of the events of the past were found to be entirely false. The temple lands were managed by

1302-500: The last king of Venad and the first king of Travancore . was born in 1706 to the younger of the two adopted princesses of 1689. Right from his childhood he had to live constantly in hiding, due to the Pillamar. Several assassination bids were made on his life. In 1728 an assassination attempt was made on the life of his sister and her son, the later Dharma Raja . However it was in 1729, when the Rajah Rama Varma , died that actual war

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1344-431: The line of succession. Thus many of the crimes for which the Pillamar are said to have been punished were positively disproved. It is clear that there did exist refractory nobles of immense power and that Marthanda Varma did put an end to their authority and made that of the king supreme, but most of the stories about the Pillamar were found to be false. Bibliography Ettara Yogam The Ettara Yogam or,

1386-687: The matriarchal traditions of Kerala . (Due to the absence of females the family could not be perpetuated.) Umayamma then adopted a cousin, namely Kerala Varma, into the house but soon he was assassinated as well. She then adopted one boy and two girls from the Kolathunadu Royal House, the cousin family of the Venad House, from the family called Pally Kovilakam in 1684 just before her regency closed and her surviving son Ravi Varma became king. He adopted in 1689 two princesses and princes from Kolathunadu including Rajah Rama Varma . Marthanda Varma ,

1428-460: The north of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city, while Venganoor lies to the south, between Balaramapuram and Kovalam. Ettuveetil Pillamar were the leaders of the land and ‘tharakootams’ known as ‘Arunootavar’ (the military setup of Nairs ) established for maintaining law and justice in Venad (kingdom) . They were the Governors of provinces of the country. They had the power to exercise control over

1470-694: The present-day Kerala , India . They were associated with the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Venad (kingdom) and the Ettara Yogam . Their power and wealth grew until Marthanda Varma (1706–1758), the last king of Venad and the first king of Travancore , defeated them in the 1730s. The Ettuveetil Pillamar were known according to the villages in which they resided and all held the title of Pillai . The Eight Lords were Kazhakoottathu Pillai, Ramanamadhom Pillai, Chempazhanty Pillai, Kudamon Pillai, Venganoor Pillai, Marthandalayam Pillai, Pallichal Pillai and Kolathur Pillai. Kazhakkoottam and Chempazhanthi lie to

1512-441: The records show the Yogam applying to the king for permission in trivial matters such as appointment of Temple sweepers. Another contradiction found is in the fact that the Pillamar influenced the tenants of the temple lands. However the temple lands all lay to the south of Thiruvananthapuram where there were other influential nobles, whereas the bulk of the Pillamar lived to the north. Records show clashes between Temple managers and

1554-505: The temple were divided into eight parts and each was placed by the Yogam under one of the Pillai as governor. They soon started opposing the king openly and bringing more and more Madampis or nobles under their influence. The Ettuveetil Pillaimar, aided by the Ettara Yogam , became the supreme power in Travancore to such an extent that the sovereign needed their permission even to construct

1596-527: The time of Marthanda Varma the authority of Yogathu Pottimar eroded and the Temple came under the direct control of the Maharajahs of Travancore. According to the 1998 book, Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple , written by Princess Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi , the Ettarayogam still exists in principle. For the last few hundred years, seven Ettarayogam Potti families have continued to receive requests from

1638-516: Was also killed by Marthanda Varma. There is also another local legend that she committed suicide following the killings of her brothers. Thus the sons of Rajah Rama Varma were vanquished and Marthanda Varma became the Rajah of Venad which he expanded into modern Travancore . Ettuveetil Pillamar The Ettuveetil Pillamar (Lords of the Eight Noble Houses) were Nair nobles from eight ruling Houses in erstwhile Travancore Kingdom in

1680-588: Was because of their refusal to allow him to marry their sister. It is said that Ummini Thankachi killed herself after the execution of her brothers to escape Marthanda Varma.) In this entire episode Subhadra, the niece of the Thirumukom (Pillai) of Kudamon, plays an important part in betraying the Eight. She was a brave lady but treacherous and it was she who divulged secrets of the Eight to Marthanda Varmas people which made them victorious. However her uncle killed her after

1722-472: Was constituted to run the Temple in 225 ME. This Sabha was later known as Thiruvaananthapurathu Sabha. The Pushpanjali Swamiyar, though not a member of the Sabha, presides over all its meetings. The Secretary to the Sabha is known as the Sabhanjithan. The decision taken by the Sabha can be implemented only if the Ruler of Venad approves of it. This administrative setup consisting of the Arachan (Ruler) of Venad, Pushpanjali Swamiyar, six-member Sabha and Sabhanjithan

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1764-455: Was declared. The late Rajah left two sons, Padmanabhan and Raman Thampi and a daughter Ummini Thankachi. These children of the late king known as the Kunju Thampis now staked claim to the throne, in spite of the prevailing Marumakkathayam law (which said that a king would be succeeded by his sister's eldest son). Recognizing a dangerous foe in the intelligent and decisive Marthanda Varma,

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