| Moolam Thirunal Sethu Parvathi Bayi | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Maharani (Elaya Thampuratti) of Attingal & Queen Mother (Amma Maharani) of Travancore | |||||||||
.png) Rani Sethu Parvathi Bayi of Travancore (Bassano Ltd. 1932) | |||||||||
| Born | 7 November 1896 Kingdom of Travancore, British India | ||||||||
| Died | 4 April 1983 (aged 86) Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India | ||||||||
| Spouse | Sri Pooram Nal Ravi Varma Kochu Koyi Thampuran (Valiya Thampuran of Kilimaanoor Palace) | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| House | Venad Swaroopam | ||||||||
| Dynasty | Kulasekhara | ||||||||
| Father | Sri Thiruvonam Nal Kerala Varma Thampuran of Paliyakkara Eastern Palace | ||||||||
| Mother | Srimathi Tiruvadira Nal Bhagirathi Bayi Uma Kochukunji Amma Thampurati of Mavelikara Royal House | ||||||||
| Religion | Hinduism | ||||||||
| Occupation | Junior Maharani as well as Queen Mother of Travancore, President of All-India Women's Social Conference Calcutta (1929) and Trivandrum (1937), President and Patron of National Council of Women in India (1940), Vice-Patron Sri Mulam Club (Trivandrum) (1940-1983), Pro-Chancellor University of Travancore (1937-1949), Life Member of Senate of Andhra University | ||||||||
Moolam Thirunal Sethu Parvathi Bayi (1896–1983), better known as Amma Maharani, was the Junior Maharani (Queen) of Travancore as well as a promoter of Indian Classical music. She was the mother of Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, the last King of Travancore. She was the president of the National Council of Women in India in 1938–1944.
Sethu Parvathi Bayi was distantly related by birth to the royal house of Travancore in the direct female line. In 1900, following the absence of heirs in the Travancore Royal Family she, along with her elder maternal cousin Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, was adopted by her maternal great-aunt, Senior Maharani Lakshmi Bayi. At the age of five, she became the Junior Maharani of Travancore. Sethu Parvathi Bayi chose Sri Pooram Nal Ravi Varma Thampuran of the Kilimanoor Palace as her consort owing to his high educational achievements. Their wedding took place in 1907. In 1912, after giving birth to the Heir-Apparent Sree Chithira Thirunal at the age of fifteen, she became the Amma (mother) Maharani (queen), or the Queen Mother of Travancore.
Sethu Parvathi Bayi was an accomplished veena (stringed instrument) player, and a famous promoter of Carnatic Music and other arts. She played a major role in bringing to light the compositions of her ancestor Maharajah Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma of Travancore.[1][2] She and cousin Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, were the grand daughters of Indian artist, Raja Ravi Varma.[3]
- ^ CHATTERJEE, PARTHA. ""Versatile genius" ...... Amongst the adherents of the late Maharaja was the latter-day master of Carnatic vocal Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, who shifted to Travancore in 1940 to assist Mutthiah Bhagavathar to bring to light the kritis of Swati Tirunal with the approval of Maharani Sethu Parvathi Bayi who was a connoisseur of music". Frontline. 29 (7).
- ^ J. Weidman, Amanda. Singing the Classical, Voicing the Modern: The Postcolonial Politics of Music in South India. United States of America: Duke University Press.
- ^ Of India, The Times. "THE REBEL PRINCE OF TRAVANCORE : Rema Nagarajan Meets Prince Ashwathy Thirunal Rama Varma, Who Dared Defy Tradition To Pursue His Passion For Music". Archived from the original on 15 December 2014.