Thampi - Insurrection

Insurrection

A war of succession occurred in Travancore after the Maharajah Rama Varma's death. Rama Varma was married to a Rajput, Princess Abhirami of the Kosala Royal House (present day Ayodhya). He had two sons (Sri Padmanabhan Thampi and Sri Raman Thampi) and one daughter. The princess held the Royal title of Vempadi Valiammachi.

Princess Abhirami had problems in her horoscope and therefore the Royal astrologers of Ayodhya sent her on a pilgrimage for 14 years to various holy places. A number of her relatives and bodyguards accompanied her during her journey. Rama Varma met her in Suchindram and married her. He promised the Royal family of Kosala that Abhirami's children would succeed the throne, although as per the Travancore customs, it was Prince Marthanda Varma (Rama Varma's nephew), who held the right to succeed him. Immediately after Rama Varma's death, the war of succession broke out and Marthanda Varma was crowned as the Maharajah of Travancore.

The Kunju Thampis wanted to succeed to the throne of their father which was promised to their mother and Rajput royal house of Ayodhya. With this view, they organised a revolt for getting justice from the King's promise with the help of army chief Azhagappa Mudaliar availed from Madurai King and later from 'Ettuveetil Pillamar'.

The Kunju Thampis for some time remained low. But their instigators, the Ettuveetil Pillamar against whom the Maharajah had secured documented evidence of conspiracy to assassinate him and instigating the Kunju Thampis to seek Pandyan help, came to their heed once again. On the morning of 28 October 1730, Padmanabhan and Raman Thampi called on Maharajah Marthanda Varma who was then at Nagercoil Palace. The sentries at the door had been particularly informed not to permit the Kunju Thampis entry into his chamber, where he was sleeping on a swinging cot.

Raman Thampi, who after seeing the possible defeat at the hands of King Marthanda Varma, headed towards Kalkulam to kill the former. But he was stopped by Ramayyan, who killed Raman Thampi in a fierce encounter that followed.Hearing about his younger brother's death, Pappu Thampi rushed into the Maharajah's chamber and tried to attack him. He missed his aim and his sword struck the low ceiling of the room giving enough time to Marthanda Varma to recover from the shock, who eventually disarmed Pappu Thampi and later killed the elder Thampi with his mighty sword.

Thampies are also called "Thoruvam", a corrupted form of Swaroopam, in Trivandrum as they had Royal origins. There is a poem in praise of these Thampies of Nagercoil who fought against Vara Vanchi Veera Marthanda Varma, called "Thampimar kadai" which is very popular in South Western Tamil Nadu.

The Rajput relatives and attendants of Princess Abhirami settled down near Nagarcoil. After the revolt by the Kunju Thampis, the surviving Rajputs were removed from Nagarcoil and brought to Trivandrum. Many of them were recruited in to the Travancore Armed Forces, mainly in cavalry division. Although their population was quite significant during the 18th century, it declined afterward, as many were assimilated in to the Royal Nair clans. A relative of Princess Abhirami - Krishna Singh, a full blooded Rajput in his seventies is among the few remaining Rajputs residing in Trivandrum currently.