PAINGUNI FESTIVAL

Courtesy www.http://www.sreepadmanabhaswamytemple.org

The Painkuni festival of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple started on March 28, 2012 with Kodiyettu (Flag hoisting) and ends with Arat procession on 06.04.2012. In addition to the daily rituals Ulsava Kalasams and special Sreebalies (Procession) will take place on these days. His Highness Sri Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma Valiya Thampuran and other male members of the Royal Family will escort the Deities in the Processions.
On the eighth day of the Utsavam, the ‘Valiya Kanikka’ is offered. During the night Sreebali (8.30pm) the Swamiyar offers the first Kanikka followed by the Valia Thampuran. The ninth day’s (05.04.2012) festival is called Pallivetta (signifies a Royal Hunt).

On the tenth day (06.04.2012) is the Arat. The Valiya  Thampuran and other male members of the Royal Family will escort the Pallivetta Procession (05.04.2012, 08.30pm) and the Arat Procession (06.04.2012, 04.00pm) with swords and shields. The Darshan time will change on these days.

The procession timing and the Vahanams of the processions are as follows:

28.03.2012	08.30pm	1st day	Simhasana Vahanam
29.03.2012	4.30pm and 8.30pm	2nd day	Anantha Vahanam
30.03.2012	4.30pm and 8.30pm	3rd day	Kamala Vahanam
31.03.2012	4.30pm and 8.30pm	4th day	Pallakku Vahanam
01.04.2012	4.30pm and 8.30pm	5th day	Garuda Vahanam
02.04.2012	4.30pm and 8.30pm	6th day	Indra Vahanam
03.04.2012	4.30pm and 8.30pm	7th day	Pallakku Vahanam
04.04.2012	4.30pm and 8.30pm	8th day	Garuda Vahanam
05.04.2012	4.30pm and 8.30pm	9th day	Garuda Vahanam
06.04.2012	4.00pm	10th day	Garuda Vahanam

Important Days of Festival:

28.03.2012	Kodiyettu
04.04.2012	Valiya Kanikka
05.04.2012	Pallivetta
06.04.2012	Arat

Darshan Timing on Festival Days:

The darshan time will be reduced on the festival days to perform the special poojas.  The timings are as follows:

28.03.2012

3.30am to 4.45am

6.30am to 7.00am

8.30am to 9.00am

5.00pm to 6.00pm

 

29.03.2012 to 04.04.2012

3.30am to 4.45am	6.30am to 7.00am
8.30am to 9.15am	After the Kalashabhishekam approx. at 11.45am (for 15 minutes only)
5.30pm to 6.00pm

 

05.04.2012

3.30am to 4.45am	8.00am to 9.10am
After the Kalashabhishekam approx. at 11.45am (for 15 minutes only)	5.30pm to 6.00pm

 

06.04.2012

5.30am to 6.15am

8.30am to 10.00am

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple petitioner passed away

Written and posted by Suresh Kumar BR, based on media reports.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple petitioner Mr. TP Sunderarajan, aged 70, passed away at his residence, on Sunday early morning 12:45 am.
Mr Sunderarajan was an advocate and a former IPS officer.  He had filed a petition at the Supreme Court and it was based on that petition, that the apex court has ordered the inventory of the temple assets after opening of the vaults of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
Late Mr. Sunderarajan was an IPS officer and worked in the central Intelligence Bureau for many years. He has also served as an officer, in the Prime Minister's security team, to the then Prime Minister late Smt. Indira Gandhi
He gave up his IPS to serve his ailing father and came to stay with his father at his ancestral home near the west entrance of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. 
He gained popularity very recently, when he submitted the petition to the court, for maintaining an inventory of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple assets and he further wanted the Government to take over the management of the Temple from the existing trust. Presently the temple is been managed by the trust of the Travancore Royal family. The Royal family has been managing the temple for 291 years.  
Even though the previous government was not interested to do the same, and the status quo is maintained on management of the temple, the Supreme Court verdict would be crucial.  Believers of the temple all over the world has voiced concern of either the Government taking over the management or the Government taking over.  Many have voiced displeasure through various media, on the Government taking over the  management from the hands of the Royal Family, as the temple has been managed safely and in good condition by the Royal Family.
(Suresh Kumar BR is from Thiruvananthapuram and blogs at www.thesouthreports.com)

Nostalgic Thiruvananthapuram.... err... Maybe Travancore in 1900.. A tribute to Zacharias D'Cruz

Written and posted by Suresh Kumar BR (content credits to British Library Board)

The photographs of Zacharias D'Cruz, taken from British Library Online galleries (www.bl.uk) as per the Terms and Conditions of Use for the Online Gallery Notes, Favourites, Personal Galleries, and Tag Features. Courtesy (c) British Library Board.  All the Shelfmarks are below the picture

All these Photographs are taken in about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz and added into the album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905.

I greatly feel that the basic  feeling of nostalgia  is finding your roots and identifying  the relations you have comparing the good old times with the present ones. I would bet that these images and content you would browse below, would be a real treat for anybody, to go back in time, to an ambience of nostalgic charm, of the good old yesteryears.  At least some of you could relate the pictures, to that of the present Trivandrum. Let the party begin.....

^{View of the Public Offices in Trivandrum, in the erstwhile Travancore.}

^{Copyright (c) British Library Board 
Shelfmark: Photo 430/45(6); Item number: 430456; Genre: Photograph}

The Cantonment [Palayam], the Public Offices, the residence of the upper classes, European as well as native, are all beautifully located on small eminences, commanding beautiful scenery all round. This later became the centre of rule of Kerala after independence.  The Legislative Assembly was housed here until a new building was made near Palayam.

^{East entrance & Gopura of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Trivandrum, in the erstwhile Travancore}

^{Copyright (c) British Library Board 
Shelfmark: Photo 430/45(1); Item number: 430451; Genre: Photograph}

This 9th Century Hindu temple is one of the greatest of Kerala and was the center of rule by the Travancore Kings for 291 years starting from 1700s. The temple Sreekovil, enshrines a large image of Vishnu, spread over three doors, and is built in the typical Kerala style.  The surrounding walls and towers are similar to those of the Dravidian architecture of Tamil Nadu. The imposing gopura or entrance gateway consists of ascending storeys ending with a vaulted roof and reflect the contemporary Nayaka style of architecture.

^{The Band-Stand in the Public Gardens in Trivandrum}

^{Copyright (c) British Library Board 
Shelfmark: Photo 430/45(13); Item number: 4304513; Genre: Photograph}

The idea of establishing a Public Garden in Trivandrum was sanctioned by the Maharaja Uthram Thirunal in 1859 and was to be accomplished under the direction of John Allan Broun, the Government Astronomer. Several interesting botanical specimens were reared in the garden from seeds and cuttings procured from Bangalore and other cities. In 1879, the Curatorship was abolished and the management of the museum and the gardens was placed under a Committee consisting of the British Resident and three European members. In 1897-98, the institutions were placed under an officer called "Director of the Government Museum and Public Gardens". The Band-Stand shown here was re-built in the early 1900s.

^{A distant view of the Central Jail in Thiruvananthapuram}

^{Copyright (c) British Library Board 
Shelfmark: Photo 430/45(25); Item number: 4304525; Genre: Photograph}

Central Jail building before the occupation of being a jail served as the barracks for the Nayar Brigade, where prisoners serving short-terms were confined. These prisoners were locked up at night and guarded by Jail warders and brigade sepoys. A large number of them were employed in the making and repairing of roads both at Trivandrum and at Quilon (Kollam).  Others in small groups, were made to work day to day for garden work in the Palaces, Hospitals, Sirkar buildings and Public Gardens. There was also a hospital in a seperate building, attached to the jail premises.

^{A view of the Chief Engineer's Office, Trivandrum in the erstwhile Travancore State}

^{Copyright (c) British Library Board 
Shelfmark: Photo 430/45(18); Item number: 4304518; Genre: Photograph}

^{Christ Church and cemetry in Trivandrum in the erstwhile Travancore State}

^{Copyright (c) British Library Board 
Shelfmark: Photo 430/45(11); Item number: 4304511; Genre: Photograph}

The Church, belonged to the London Missionary Society and is situated in the Cantonment area Palayam.

^{University College, Trivandrum in the erstwhile Travancore State}

^{Copyright (c) British Library Board 
Shelfmark: Photo 430/45(7); Item number: 430457; Genre: Photograph}

Even though the University college was founded in the year 1834 by the Government of Travancore during the reign of His Highness Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, the building was completed in 1970 by His Highness Sri Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma Maharaja of Travancore.  John Ross of the Edinburgh University was the Principal. This building still stands as the main block of the University College.

^{General Hospital, Trivandrum in erstwhile Travancore State}

^{Copyright (c) British Library Board 
Shelfmark: Photo 430/45(9); Item number: 430459; Genre: Photograph}

This hospital was opened on 9th November 1865 by the Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma in person.

^{Kowdiar Palace, of the Travancore Royal Family}

^{Copyright (c) British Library Board 
Shelfmark: Photo 430/45(2); Item number: 430452; Genre: Photograph}

This is the front view of the Kowdiar palace that shows the main range from the driveway.  It is the official residence of the Travancore Royal Family. Kowdiar Palace's architectural work is famous and has over 150 rooms.

(Suresh Kumar is based at Thiruvananthapuram and blogs at http://thesouthreports.com)

Why every news around, has Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple’s identity

Written and posted by Suresh Kumar BR

There were 3 chain snatching incidents in the queue for entering Padmanabhawwamy Temple, a few days ago, police was informed and a case was registered.  Yesterday, a break in into a Maruti 800 car was reported, when the car owner went to Ganapathi Temple in Pazhavangadi, East Fort. This news too was reported as, near the vicinity of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, where there is high security and the area being declared as a secuirty zone.  But why don’t the media and the people understand that, the special security zone and the security provided for the temple is for the temple alone, and not to take care of items or people around that.  For taking care of anything in other places, a State Police Force with all the facilities is maintained by the Government… (Click the Read More>> below, for whole document)

Why some people are worried about $22 billion asset of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Written and posted by Suresh Kumar BR

Why is that a million questions are been asked, on what to do with the $22 billion assets whose inventory was done recently? Why so much cry over the temple holding the asset.  WHY NOT THESE GUYS WITH SO MUCH VIGOUR GO AFTER THE BLACK MONEY STASHED IN SWISS BANKS BY THE TAX EVADERS.  This temple wealth is the money, that a Kingdom has saved with the temple as its treasury, and the rulers ruled, as the servants of the deity. This is a phenomenon which present day people would not understand. This is much beyond the philanthropic work done by Warren Buffet or Bill Gates.

The person who started this case regarding Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Mr. TP Sunderarajan, who is not giving any reports to the public, citing court gag, has a case pending against him for non payment of rentals. The complaint against him is that he has not paid rent from 1990 onwards and hence the case and eviction notice.  So his views and justification to the case is not believable.  He wants the treasure to be kept under state control.  If that is the case, then the precedence's of various issues where, the people in charge of various governments,  had manipulated the wealth of the public, tax payers money etc, politically for the benefit of the political fraternity and their dear and loved ones. The examples of Swiss Bank accounts, 2G Scams, Fodder scams, Army coffin scams, bofors scams, Edamalyar scam etc. would ask us to be careful.

As different articles in history books suggests that the other Royal Families of the Pre-independence era, misused the wealth of the country being lavishly spent on luxuries, wine and women by their rulers. Most of them had a huge number of luxurious palaces. The same is the case even today by the rulers, and Sheikhs of other countries.  But just look at the Travancore Royal Family who lived a modest life, and lived as the servants of Sree Padmanabhan, and served the state and its people. 

During the start, yes, Marthanda Varma had a crusade and made his empire big.  But it started of, when the rebels took over the land and was unveiling anarchy in the state.  Even Marthanda Varma’s life was at stake, where he was chased by the Ettu Veetil Pillmar who were greedy for power, and had to hide inside the huge hole inside a huge Jackfruit tree near Neyyatinkara.  The tree which saved him was named as “Ammachi Plavu” (grandmother tree) later and protected and preserved.  Marthanda organised patriotic people and fought against their enemies, and from a small Venad Swaroopam he expanded Travancore which had Nagarcoil, Kanyakumari, and 3/4th of present Kerala.  But Travancore did not have a war later to expand its territories. All the wars after that was to protect the kingdom from forces of Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan. 

Back to the topic, yes, the Royal Family that protected the wealth, as a gene who protects the wealth of its master without touching the wealth at all.  There are newspaper reports about the Vault being opened in 1931 and rumours are that the valuables were worth 32 lakhs during that time.  So, always, the royal family protected the wealth intact.  The Mathilakam records always had details of the wealth in the temple cellars.  The Travancore royal family could have taken it when States were annexed to Independent India.  Nobody would have known.  When the Indian states were merged, Independent India appointed, the then Maharaja of Travancore, Sri Chitira Thirunal, as the Raj Pramukh; but he preferred to be known as Padmanabha Dasa, and not as Raja Pramukh. The Government of India, had continued to honour the king, a tradition of 21 gun-salutes to the Lord, which was started by the British in 1750, and continued till 1970 when Privy Purse was abolished by the then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi. You can see the dedication of the Travancore Royal family towards the temple, a model king and the family who showed the public what modesty is.

Why would anyone think that such a family would take away the wealth?  Ok, it is good that inventory is taken and accountability is brought in.  But let it be in the temple and status quo be maintained.  Why should it be under the state.  Let the state protect the wealth. 

Let us think this way. Let all the Places of Worship, including the Hindus’, Muslims’, Sikhs’, Christians’, Jains’, Buddhists’, all  of them together come in and share 10% of their wealth and start a fund with the Trustee members coming from all these groups together.

Let this fund be used for the welfare of the country, to give loans for Government infrastructure projects, Hospitals, Schools, Factories etc. Then there is growth.

If Such a fund comes in I bet that it will be much higher than the total assets of the World Bank, United States or Great Britain.  I am not surprised if it equals the wealth of the rest of the world.

PLEASE DO NOT SEE SOME WEALTH SOMEWHERE AND TRY TO MINE OUT THE WEALTH. LET US ALL WORK TOGETHER

TP Sunderarajan, the Padmanabhaswamy temple petitioner may have to leave the premises.

^{Written and posted by Suresh Kumar BR}

Mr. TP Sunderarajan got into the limelight when he approached the judiciary for accountability of the assets and finances of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple.  Further through the petition the public was made to believe that the erstwhile Travancore Royal Family mismanaged the assets of the temple.  The case is still pending in the court, so I would not like to comment on that now.

Even thought the Kerala High Court had asked the State Government that they could take over the management of the temple, fearing public outcry and the situation being very volatile, the LDF Government under Sri Achuthanandan thought it was not on the interest of the State to take over the temple, and the fight went on to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court then appointed the present committee to get an inventory of the Temple’s assets and rest is what you have been hearing since a month.

Another interesting fact is that, Mr. TP Sunderarajan, a former IPS Officer, and a lawyer, has been housing his office and home, in the temple property near to Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple. He approached the then Maharaja of Travancore Sri Chithira Tirunal to get a place near the temple as rent so that he could run his lawyers office and could stay there. The Maharaja offered him the place for Rs. 10/- (RUPEES TEN ONLY), a megre rent, which he stopped paying from 1990, citing the reason that he will pay the rent only to the Maharajah (This is the reason from the news as Mr. Sunderarajan is not available for comment due to the gag by the court).

Where in earth you have that law? If the owner of the place passes away, the heir has the right to get the rent.  Rumours are that he was asked to pay a better rent as per the market condition and he denied paying it.  When pressure was high he refused paying. 

Now that the limelight is on him due to a different reason,  and the old reason is conveniently forgotten by the public and people who are demanding or claiming the ownership of the treasure. 

I would ask the public to be vocal on this issue too and ask him to vacate the premises and thereby keep the sanctity of the temple as it should be.

Sree Padmanabha Temple’s Wealth; rumours baseless

Written and posted by Suresh Kumar BR

Photo Courtesy www.indianetzone.com

There are rumours that goes around stating that this money does not belong to the erstwhile Travancore state or the temple. Some of them even raised their views on how, this much wealth was amassed.  We should be grateful to the rulers of erstwhile Travancore, that they saved the country’s wealth inside the country, unlike some of the present political class who loots and save the wealth outside in Swiss Banks.

Did the people, who doubt about the authenticity of the wealth of Travancore, believe that Travancore did not have any wealth?  Did they believe that the Travancore was Below the Poverty Line? Did they believe that the wealth could be amassed only and through the trade of spices?  Yes, I agree that the spices trade was just one of the reasons which got revenue for the state. After the turbulent times of the Ettu Veetil Pillamar, Marthanda Varma gained control of the State ruled it with authority, yet benevolent and the rest is history.   .

Let me cite you a small example of how wealth is gathered or amassed. Just think of a middle class family or an upper middle class family, with one daughter, a working father and a working mother.  In 20 years, they are able to buy or amass 100 sovereigns gold for their daughter’s future.  For getting this, they need to spend Rupees 8000 to 9000 a month, for 20 years as per todays Gold price. This does not mean that they do not have anything else to eat or that they cannot live, and would be begging.  A middle class nuclear family will have enough or more than enough wealth for their daily living, while accumulating this, and/or after the accumulation.  Apart from this proposed gold, most of them would have a house which they would later give to their daughter.  In many cases, they will have an additional house too, as is the practice in Trivandurm.  This is the case of a middle class or an upper middle class nuclear family. 

The wealth, of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple where the inventory was recently taken,  was the whole wealth of the princely state, which was ruled by a series of Kings, starting from Marthanda Varma. This is not just 100 years (to be precise, 291 years till now).  It began from the time of Marthanda Varma, when he ruled Venad Swaroopam, in 1729.  The Kingdom of Travancore was dedicated to the Lord Sree Padmanabhaswamy in 1750 January 3 and after the Maharajah, took the title of Padmanabha Dasa ruled the kingdom as the servant of that deity.  He submitted all the wealth of the country to Sree Padmanabhan. You could say, that the temple was the Vault of the treasury department. Even the British Empire saluted the ruler with its 19 Gun Salute which was continued even after independence until 1970, when Privy Purse was abolished by our then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi.  Reminding you again that it was in 1750, that Marthanda Varma did this and it shows that he was a great visionary. If you remember our old history books, it says that Travancore was one of the most wealthiest states in the south with a powerful army too. From that time onwards the following rulers ruled;

Marthanda Varma	1729-1758	29 years of rule
Dharma Raja	1758-1798	40 years of rule
Balarama Varma	1798-1810	12 years of rule
Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi	1810-1815	5 years of rule
Maharani Gowri Parvati Bayi	1815-1829	14 years of rule
Swathi Thirunal	1829-1846	17 years of rule
Uthram Thirunal	1846-1860	14 years of rule
Ayilyam Thirunal	1860-1880	20 years of rule
Visakham Thirunal	1880-1885	5 years of rule
Moolam Thirunal	1885-1924	39 years of rule
Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi	1924-1931	7 years of rule
Chithira Thirunal	1931-1949	18 years of rule
Total	1729 - 1949	229 Years of rule

A total of 229 years of rule.  It has been 62 years after 1949, which is all together 291 years.  The empire existed from Kanyakumari in the south to Kodungallore, Chalakkudy and the Annamalai Hills on the western Ghats. It is almost the 3/4 th of the present Kerala, and the Nagarcoil and Kanyakumari of the present Tamil Nadu.  It was a pretty big empire and to have such wealth in the vaults is justifiable.   Furthermore, the taxes paid by other princely states to Travacore rulers, mostly in the form of Gold Coins, Jewellery, Gold, diamonds etc. also added to the wealth. 

COMPARED TO THE MORDERN POLITICIANS, the rulers of erstwhile Travancore, saved wealth in the country unlike the present day politicians who LOOT AND SAVE the wealth outside the country in Swiss Banks and other heavens.