"Lalan" Rama Varma Kunjikidavu Thampuran (1887–1975), formally Rama Varma XIX, was the last
Maharaja of Cochin
The kingdom of Cochin or the Cochin State, named after its capital in the city of Kochi (Cochin), was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state. It originated in the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until i ...
, from 1964 to 1971, and was
''Valiya Thampuran'' of the ''Perumpadappu Swaroopam'' from 1964 to 1975. His consort ''
Nethyaramma'' was
V. K. Krishna Menon
Vengalil Krishnan Krishna Menon (3 May 1896 – 6 October 1974) was an Indian academic, independence activist, politician, lawyer, and statesman. During his time, Menon contributed to the Indian independence movement and India's foreign r ...
's sister, granddaughter to the last
Koothali Nair, and the
Porlathiri Raja of Kadathanadu
Kadathanadu, also rendered Kadathanad, Katattanad, and, academically, Kaṭattanāṭǔ; alternately known as Vatakara or Badagara, was a kingdom in North Malabar just north of the Korappuzha River, ruled by the Porlathiri dynasty after their d ...
. He made his residence at ''Krishnavilasam'' in Ernakulam, and did not elect to move into the
Hill Palace at Tripunithura, which was soon sold.
His tenure saw extended litigation over the corporate nature of the sthanam of Maharaja, and the forced firesale liquidation of the royal Perumpadappu holdings, despite poor price discovery and interference from the
Kerala state government, courtesy of the statutory abolition of the
Hindu joint family
A Hindu joint family or Hindu undivided family is an extended family arrangement prevalent throughout the Indian subcontinent, particularly in India, consisting of many generations living in the same household, all bound by the common relations ...
in Kerala.
An inventory of real assets to be sold or partitioned documented dozens of palaces, manses, temples, and guesthouses, in various states of repair, which were surrendered to the state if possible for preservation.
References
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1887 births
1975 deaths