Velu Thampi Dalawa - Rise To Dalawaship

Rise To Dalawaship

Bala Rama Varma was one of Travancore's least popular sovereigns whose reign was marked by unrest and various internal and external problems to the state. He became King at the young age of sixteen and came under the influence of a corrupt nobleman known as Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri from Calicut, in the Zamorins kingdom. One of the first acts of atrocities during his reign was the murder of Raja Kesavadas, the existing Dewan of Travancore.Sankaran Nampoothiri was then appointed as Dewan (Prime minister) with two other ministers. Due to corruption, soon the treasury was empty. So they decided to collect money by ordering the Tahsildars (District Officers) of the districts to pay large amounts of money which they determined without any reference to the revenue of the districts. They were called to the palace and told to pay the amount. Velu Thampi who was the Tahasildar of a southern district was called and ordered to pay Rs.3000 to which he responded asking for three days time. Velu Thampi returned to the district gathered the people together and there was an uprising. People from all parts of the State joined together and surrounded the palace demanding an immediate dismissal of Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri and banish him from the country. They also demanded that his two ministers to be brought to a public place, flogged and cut off their ears. The punishments were immediately carried out and the two ministers were put in jail at Trivandrum. Later Velu Thampi was appointed the Dalawa of Travancore.