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| Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queen of Attingal , Maharani of Travancore, Attingal Mootha Thampuran | |||||||||
 Maharani of Travancore | |||||||||
| Maharani of Travancore , Queen of Attingal | |||||||||
| Maharani of Travancore | 1901 – 22 February 1985 | ||||||||
| Coronation | 1901 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Bharani Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi | ||||||||
| Successor | Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi | ||||||||
| Regent Queen | 6 September 1924 – 6 November 1931 | ||||||||
| Born | 19 November 1895 Mavelikkara, British Raj | ||||||||
| Died | 22 February 1985 (aged 89) Bangalore, Karnataka, India | ||||||||
| Issue | Uthram Thirunal Lalithamba Bhai, Karthika Thirunal Indira Bai(1926) | ||||||||
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| Kulasekhara dynasty (Second Cheras) | Venad Swaroopam | ||||||||
| Father | Kilimanoor Kerala Varma Thampuran | ||||||||
| Mother | Ayilyam Nal Mahaprabha | ||||||||
| Religion | Hinduism | ||||||||
| Occupation | Regent | ||||||||
Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi CI (5 November 1895– 22 February 1985) was the monarch, though designated as the Regent due to British policy, of the Kingdom of Travancore in southern India between 1924 and 1931. She, along with her younger cousin, Moolam Thirunal Sethu Parvathi Bayi, were adopted into the Travancore royal family and were the granddaughters of the celebrated painter, Raja Ravi Varma.
In 1924, Maharajah Moolam Thirunal died and his grand nephew and the heir to the throne, Sree Chithira Thirunal, was just 12 years old then. A regency became necessary, since the Maharajah was still a minor. Since Travancore royal family followed the matrilineal system, Sethu Lakshmi Bayi was the head of the family. It was decided, despite the opposition of the minor Maharajah's mother, Junior Maharani Sethu Parvathi Bayi, that Sethu Lakshmi Bayi should be Regent as she was the Senior Maharani until the minor King came of age in 1930. She was an absolute monarch in her own right as per matrilineal law (unlike regents in the rest of India whose powers were curtailed by tradition and in practice by a regency council) and ruled as the sovereign.
Sethu Lakshmi Bayi's regency continued the progressive administration of Travancore dynasty and brought forth reforms like abolition of Devadasi system as well as the prohibition of animal sacrifice. Her meeting with Mahatma Gandhi resulted in a royal proclamation by which all the public roads (except the eastern road) to Vaikom Mahadeva Temple were opened to all castes. She also amended the Travancore Nayar Act in relation to the Marumakkathayam system of inheritance and family. Eventually in 1928, the matrilineal system was altogether done away with, introducing patrilineal nuclear family system among Nairs. At the same time, Sethu Lakshmi Bayi was criticized by social reformers for not allowing temple entry for dalits and also for preventing Jawaharlal Nehru from entering the Padmanabhaswamy Temple as Nehru had undertaken a sea voyage.[1][2] She was also criticized for formulating the notorious Press Regulation Act in 1926 which gagged the Press.[3][4]
- ^ Indian Express, The New. "Trivandrum Heritage Walk Held". EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE.
- ^ Keith E. Yandell Keith E. Yandell, John J. Paul. Religion and Public Culture: Encounters and Identities in Modern South India.
- ^ At the Turn of the Tide by Lakshmi Raghunanadan, pages:234-242 : " The Government of India, long before the passing of the Press Act, gave notice of the measure to follow. In Travancore, on the other hand, the measure was hatched in secret and hurled at the public with the sole object or saving the Valia Koil Tampuran from newspaper attacks and not to serve any public purpose. The interference of the valia Koil Tampuran in Government affairs was well known."
- ^ PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT, INFORMATION &. "HISTORY OF PRESS IN KERALA". I&prd Kerala.