Uthradam Thirunnal Marthanda Varma, head of the royal family which ruled the South Kerala kingdom of Travancore before Independence, passed away early Monday morning at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He was 91.
Hospital sources said that the cause of death was a cardiac arrest that followed severe internal haemorrhage. Varma, chairman of the trust administering the famous Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple of Thiruvananthapuram, was admitted to the hospital last week following gastro-intestinal bleeding. The end came at 2.20 am on Monday, they said.
Uthradam Thirunnal is survived by his son Padmanabha Varma and daughter Parvathi Varma. His wife Radhadevi had died in 2005. Varma’s children and royal family members Pooyam Thirunnal Gauri Parvathi Bhai, Aswathi Thirunnal Gauri lakshmi Bhai, heir apparent Moolam Thirunnal Rama Varma and others were present beside him in the last moments.
The body was cremated as per tradition and with full State honours at the compound of the Kowdiar Palace in Thiruvananthapuram city, the home of the Travancore royalty. Political leaders, other dignitaries and hundreds of people from different walks of life paid homage to Varma, a witness to India’s transformation from imperial rule to a democratic polity.
