Maharani Ayilyom Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi served as the Maharani of Travancore from 1810 to 1813. Swathi served as the regent of Thirunal Rama Varma from 1813 until her death in 1815. She was the only king of Travancore who ruled in her own right for two years before taking over the position of regent.
Birth, Childhood
Attingal Princess Bharani Thirunal of travancore royal family adopted by Parvathi Bai and Maharaja Balarama Varma.Gowri Lakshmi Bayi was born in 1791 as the daughter of her sister. Bharani Thirunal was adopted from Kolathunadu to the Travancore family in 1788. The Maharanis of Travancore were called “Queens of Attingal”. Gowri Lakshmi Bayi, the queen of Travancore, implemented several reforms in the state. Uthrattathi Thirunal Gowri was the sister of Parvathy Bai.
As a Role Of Maha Rani
In 1809, the unpopular Maharaja Balarama Varma died after internal and external problems, riots, unnecessary wars and conspiracies. Gowri Lakshmi Bayi, the oldest queen of Attingal, was only twenty years old when the Maharaja died. Since there are no qualified male family members, they will have to take over Travancore and rule as regent until they give birth to a qualified male successor.However, her accession did not come as a problem as Prince Kerala Varma, a distant relative from the Mavelikkara branch of the royal family and a favourite of the former king, staked claim to the throne.The princess submitted a paper confirming her claim, stating that Kerala Varma’s claim was not practical in the hands of British Resident Colonel John Monroe, one of the most beloved British residents of Travancore. This infuriated Kerala Varma, who used deception to persuade the princess to abandon her.In 1811, the resident supported Gauri Lakshmi Bai, who was appointed as the Regent Maharani of Travancore. Kerala Varma was granted permission to stay in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
Diwan’s election
One of the early activities of Queen Gowri Lakshmi Bayi was to remove the incumbent Diwan or Prime Minister Ummini Thampi.Thampi has been accused of grabbing the properties of freedom fighter Veluthampi Dalava and others and wasting money.When he tried to create more problems, he was jailed and sentenced after he was found guilty of conspiracy against the Queen.The Queen was asked to nominate any person for the position of Diwan, in which she stated that no qualified person had been found and that she wanted to appoint Resident Colonel John Monroe as her Diwan. Accordingly, Munro became the Diwan of Travancore in 1811.1
Government reforms
- Diwan Colonel Monroe informed the Maharani that there was widespread corruption in his government due to the system of giving all administrative and judicial powers from the village level to the district level to a single officer.To put an end to this, the village officers, kariyakars (taluk officers) and district officials all lost their judicial powers, instead an appeals court and five district courts at Mavelikkara and Padmanabhapuram were established in Travancore at Thiruvananthapuram, Vaikom and Aluva and introduced the modern judicial system.There were two judges and one Brahmin shastri in the courts. Another court known as The Hushur Court was also established for the trial of government employees.
- The police in Travancore were reorganized during the reign of Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi on the instructions of Colonel John Munroe Diwan.
- District and village officers who have lost their magisterial and judicial power can now focus solely on revenue collection, drastically curtail their power and subject them to judicial trial in case of misconduct. The revenue department was freed from corruption and revenue collection became smooth and organized.
Social Reforms
- The tax on festivals and the tax on inheritance of property were abolished.
- There were a large number of devaswoms or temple corporations in Travancore who held vast territories and controlled most of the important and rich temples in the country.
- These corporations fell prey to corruption and mismanagement, and they next caught the attention of the Diwan. More than 300 of the largest temples in Travancore were taken over by the government under the Devaswom Board and corruption and mismanagement were eliminated.
- By the royal proclamation of December 5, 1812, Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi abolished the purchase and sale of all slaves and gave them freedom except those associated with the soil for agricultural purposes.
- Castes such as the Ezhavas and Kaniyans got independence from their nobles. The restrictions on shudras and others on the wearing of gold and silver ornaments have been lifted.
- Under her rule, a vaccination department was established in Travancore in 1813. Finding conservative reservations among her subjects in relation to vaccination, the Queen first vaccinated herself and other members of the royal family.
- The secretariat system was put in place in accordance with the guidelines of Colonel Munro.
family
The Maharani married Rajaraja Varma Avargal prince of changanassery royal family. Gowri Laksmi Bayi had two sons and a daughter in this marriage.Her daughter, Maharani Gauri Rukmini Bai, was born in 1809.King Swati Thirunal, a musician and artist who ruled independently from 1829 to 1846, was born on April 16, 1813, as their eldest son. He married a woman from the Thiruvattar Ammaveedu family. In 1814, a son was born to the Maharani, the Maharaja of Uthram Thirunal, who ruled from 1846 to 1860.
Disease and Death
Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi began to lose her health after giving birth to her youngest son and died in 1815. Their eldest son Swati Thirunal was sworn in as king and sister Gowri Parvati Bai was the Regent Maharani.