TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY – 160

 Beyond the Durbar: Friendship in the Travancore Court

F.C. Lewis, Grand Durbar of Travancore, oil on canvas (detail). Kuthira Malika Palace Museum collection.

Among the many paintings by the European painter F.C. Lewis in the Travancore royal collection, a large canvas depicting the "Grand Durbar of Travancore" stands out not only for its scale but also for its detailed representation of the ceremonial practices, hierarchies, and protocols associated with the royal durbar. Painted in 1852, the work is remarkable as an important historical document that captures a significant moment in the history of Travancore and serves as a repository of portraits of nearly a hundred notable figures associated with the Travancore court. There are many interesting stories waiting to be told about each of these individuals. Today, however, let us focus on two figures who distinguished themselves during their years of service in Travancore and who—despite the court intrigues and competition that marked the period—remained close friends throughout their lives.

Among them, Sir T. Madhava Rao requires little introduction. Coming from a distinguished line of administrators, Rao served as the Dewan (Prime Minister) of Travancore from 1857 to 1872 and played a crucial role in shaping the administrative and financial reforms of the state.

His close friend T. Vedadreesadasa Moodaliar, however, is not widely known outside Travancore. He was the son of Sulochana Mudaliar, who is still remembered with gratitude in Tirunelveli for his generous contribution towards the construction of a bridge that continues to bear his name. Vedadreesadasa, who later retired as a High Court judge, came to be known as the “grand old man” of Travancore. Quite unusually for those times, he lived to the remarkable age of eighty-six, witnessing the reigns of seven Travancore rulers—from Gowri Parvathi Bayi to Mulam Tirunal Rama Varma.

T. Madhava Rao (left) & T. Vedadreesadasa Moodaliar (right), detail from Lewis's painting.

The warmth of the relationship shared by Rao and Moodaliar can be glimpsed from a few pieces of correspondence between them which, fortunately, have withstood the ravages of time and came to light during the course of my research for my forthcoming work, The Forgotten Atelier. Among these, I was particularly drawn to the following letter written by Madhava Rao in 1889, towards the end of an eventful life. It carries the gentle warmth of shared memories from their youthful days in Travancore.

Mylapore

17th December, 1889

My dear Friend,

It would be difficult for me to state how much pleasure I derived from your kind note of the 10th instant. It was indeed a treat to hear from one whose friendship dates from youthful days. I vividly recall to mind our delightful life at Trivandrum. How we used to talk away and heartily laugh at Bajanapurai in the presence of the Heir Apparent of the time.

Long years have now passed away and we are descending in the valley of life. So far we have to congratulate ourselves that we have achieved a happy life and have nothing to repent of. Yes—I have been unwell. I am now getting better. The weather is just now quite monsoonish. Downright rain is steadily falling. The drooping spirit of man and beast are feeling a reviving influence. I am glad you are settled in beautiful Travancore and amidst old friends.

Many thanks for all your good wishes which I heartily reciprocate.

With kindest regards and affectionate remembrances,

Yours very sincerely,

T. MADAVA ROW

Details such as this remind us that behind the rigid hierarchies of courtly protocol, these personal exchanges reveal a more intimate dimension of Travancore’s history—one shaped not merely by offices and titles, but by enduring human relationships.

06.03.2026

TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY – 158

 A Statesman in the Crowd: The Young Madhava Rao in the Travancore Durbar

Sir T. Madhava Rao

This rare mid-nineteenth-century depiction of the Travancore Rajah’s royal court is remarkable for recording the portraits of many distinguished courtiers—both natives of Travancore and the Paradesis who, from the early decades of the nineteenth century, had rooted their lives in its soil. Among the most prominent non-natives in royal service were the Maratha Brahmins, who, aided by their knowledge of the English language, found favour with the British administrators. In Travancore, the coveted post of Dewan (Prime Minister) was held by Maratha Brahmins for more than half a century beginning in 1817.

This detail becomes all the more compelling when we realize that the painting includes the most renowned of these Dewans. Though barely discernible within the crowd, our eyes are instinctively drawn to the handsome face of a young man. In the composition he does not command immediate attention; pressed among senior officials, he stands not far from the Rajah’s throne—the focal point of the scene. At this moment, he serves merely as the Tutor to the young princes, the nephews of Rajah Uthram Tirunal Martanda Varma.

The Durbar of Rajah Uthram Tirunal Martanda Varma, oil on canvas (detail). 

Yet this young man—Tanjore Madhava Rao—scion of a distinguished lineage with a history of service in Travancore, stands on the threshold of an extraordinary career. He is poised to ascend the administrative ladder and to distinguish himself as one of the greatest ministers in Travancore’s history—a statesman whose destiny would eventually carry him far beyond its borders.

But the question remains: is this the earliest painted portrait of him? Though his likeness appears only as a miniature within this vast oil painting of more than sixty faces, he stands out—the brilliance in his eyes unmistakable.

Learn more about this painting and the artist behind it in my forthcoming book, 'The Forgotten Atelier.'

12.02.2026

TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY – 112

CARVING A NICHE FOR ARTS

'Carving a niche for arts', a write-up on master ivory carver Neelakantan Achari and his association with Dewan Sir T. Madhava Rao, The Hindu, 28-10-2017.

TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY – XLVIII

                                                   CARVING A NICHE IN THEIR FIELD

'Carving a niche in their field', write-up on 'Ananthapadmanabhan Achari' Kochu Kunju Achari, the master craftsman associated with the royal Durbar of Travancore, Thiruvananthapuram, The Hindu, 14-03-2015.

TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY - XXVI

                                                        THE ROYAL OCULIST

My write-up on C. Luke, the 'Royal Oculist' got published in The Hindu, (19-04-2014), Thiruvananthapuram edition.

TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY - IV

FAMILY HEIRLOOMS FROM VAIDYAN FAMILY

On my previous blog about Vaidyan C. Luke, I mentioned the prized possessions of the family. Mr. Kurian, who is my father’s friend was happy to show me those precious family heirlooms. I managed to take photographs of a few items.

An antique portrait of Visakam Tirunal Rama Varma, drawn by an unknown artist greets us when we enter the house. Many years back, the portrait (its lower part) suffered badly from silverfish attack. The damaged portion was removed and the painting was re-framed by Kurian’s father, Alexander Koshy Vaidyan.

Beside the portrait is a large framed photograph of C.Luke (which you can see in the previous blog), this picture is actually enlarged from an old family photo (seen below) dated 1880s.

(Above) Photograph of Luke's wife Mary (c.1930). Mary who hailed from a wealthy family owned many shops in Chalai Bazar, Thiruvananthapuram.

(Above) L.C. Koshy with his wife Elizabeth on their wedding day and L.C. Koshy in his later years.

(Above) Luke's medicine box, with small racks for carrying bottles safely and the 'chaana kallu' used for making medicines.

(Above) This circular stone block is an old clock! The markings on the surface of the stone are still visible. Now this stone is used as a step. The next piece is the map of Travancore, carved in wood.

TALES FROM THE CAPITAL CITY - II

VAIDYAN C. LUKE

Nowadays no one notices the small street named Luke’s lane near G.P.O, even those who know the lane doesn’t bother to know how it got the name. At the end of the street, there is an iron gate and a small board with the name ‘Kukies Holiday Inn’. Once you enter, you are inside another world, with an ambience you will never hope to find in the very heart of the bustling city. Here, time seems to have come to a halt. On the right is an old house with tiled roof, later additions have diminished its beauty and in course of time, it has lost most of its former grandeur. Once it was a fairly large ‘nalukettu’ with all traditional elements like the courtyard and ‘pattayam’. On the right side of the house is a very old sapota tree (Achras sapota) said to be around 200 years old.

This was the house of the great Vaidyan, C.Luke (b.1843-d.1894), the eye-specialist who surpassed even European doctors with his knowledge of traditional medicines, handed down from his forefathers. Luke’s ancestors were the members of Thayyil family of Thevalakkara. His ancestors were Brahmins who later embraced Christianity (Krishnan Nampoothiri and his wife Lakshmi Antharjanam (from Kothamangalam) of Thazhamangalathu Madam got attracted to the teachings of Christ and accepted Christianity. Thomman (Jr.), the only son of Krishnan (Thomman) and Lekshmi (Mariyam) learned Sanskrit and Medicine from Viratarajaguru and became a famous scholar and physician. During this period, Maharaja of Travancore invited Thomman (Jr.) to treat his mother’s eye ailment. Thomman succeeded in relieving the pain from the eye of the royal matriarch in the first attempt itself. Pleased by this, the King bestowed the title ‘Vaidyan’ to Thomman and his successors). Luke’s father was a well-known figure in Travancore. In a letter to C. Luke Vaidyan, Dewan Sir. T. Madhava Row says that he personally knew his father 'who was an able oculist.'

Luke and his brother came to the capital city from Kollam during the reign of Aayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma. As the practitioners of traditional medicine, they had to face many challenges as English medicine was gaining its hold in Travancore at that time. Most of the educated noble families opted for English medical treatment.

But the talented brothers with their sheer dedication managed to get the patronage of many noble families including the royal family. An important achievement in their career was their successful treatment of the Dewan’s son T. Ananda Row (b.1852-d.1919), in 1871 when the latter was preparing for B.A. examination (Ananda Rao went on to become the Dewan of the Princely State of Mysore). In a letter written by T. Madhava Row to Luke dated 28th May 1871 the Dewan expresses his gratitude to the brothers who treated his son’s eye disorder. “Two well known European members of the medical profession were successively consulted, but their treatment showed no permanent benefit…… You undertook the treatment accordingly. With apparently very simple appliances and mild treatment you were able in a very moderate time to accomplish what you had promised.” from these words of the Dewan we can get an idea of the simple treatment techniques employed by the brothers. The Dewan further expressed his gratitude by sending Luke a purse containing 150 British Rupees (a princely amount in those days), suggesting him to buy a watch or books with the money.

Luke was appointed as the palace Vaidyan by Maharaja Visakam Thirunal Rama Varma and he was bestowed with a Veerasringala. Luke was employed in Maharaja’s College (University College) as a teacher of scriptures. He played an important role in establishing the Syrian Church in Statue. Luke married Mary, the couple had three children, his eldest son L.C. Koshy was also a prominent figure, he was the curator of the Museum and was also employed in Huzur Kacherri and was the supervisor in charge of the street lighting.

The Maharajas College and the St. George’s Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Statue.

C.Luke's tombstone at the Christ Church, Palayam, photographed c.2017 (From the family collection).

C. Luke who served three kings starting from Aayilyam Thirunal to Sree Moolam Thirunal died in 1894; he was buried in CSI Christ Church at Palayam. The old tombstone with the inscription ‘Government Oculist’ is still there in the church graveyard.

Luke’s grandson Alexander Koshy, even though not a famous Vaidyan, kept alive his family traditions, treasured the knowledge handed down to him by his ancestors. Some old palm leaf documents on traditional medicine, antique furniture, photographs, portraits and the grinding stones in various sizes are preserved by the family members. Sir.T. Madhava Row’s letter (in the Dewan's own hand) to Luke is one of the prized possessions of the family archives. Kurian, the great-grandson of C. Luke who lives in a building adjacent to the ancestral house is proud to be a member of this illustrious family.

Before you step out of the gate and merge into the busy streets of the city, take a deep breath and look back, can you still see a man with his large headgear and black coat with the medicine box and people waiting to see him?

Sharat Sunder Rajeev.
12-10-2008.