Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi

Aswathy Thirunal
Gowri Lakshmi Bayi
Native name അശ്വതി തിരുനാൾ ഗൗരി ലക്ഷ്മിഭായി
Born Gowri Lakshmi Bayi
Travancore
Pen name Gauri Lakshmi Bai
Occupation Writer
Language Malayalam
Nationality India
Ethnicity Malayali
Citizenship Indian
Education Graduate in Economics
Period 1994- current
Notable works The Dawn(1994), Kerala Temple Architecture: Some Notable Features (1997), Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple(1998), Thulsi Garland(1998), The Mighty Indian Experience(2002), Budhadarśanaṃ: lēkhanaṅṅaḷ(2007), Glimpses of Kerala Culture(2011), Rudrakshamala(2014) etc.
Spouse Late. Sri Vishakham Nal Sukumaran Raja Raja Varma of Paliyakkara West Palace, Thiruvalla(m.1963-2005)
Children Prince Pooruruttathi Thirunal Marthanda Varma, Prince Avittom Thirunal Adithya Varma and Princess Bharani Thirunal Lekha Parvathi Bayi (adopted in 1994)
Relatives Lt. Col. G. V. Raja (father), Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi (mother), Maharajah Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma (uncle), Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma (uncle), Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma (brother)

Princess Aswathy Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi (born 1945) of the Travancore Royal Family is a noted Indo-Anglian writer from Kerala. She has ten books to her credit.[1]

Aswathy Thirunal is the niece of the last King of Travancore, Sree Padmanabhadasa Maharajah Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma and Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma. The current titular Maharajah of Travancore and the hereditary Head Trustee of Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Sree Padmanabhadasa Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma is her younger brother.[2]

Birth and Education

Aswathy Thirunal was born as the third child of Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore Royal Family and Lt. Col G. V. Raja in July 4, 1945. Her siblings are Sree Avittom Thirunal Rama Varma(1938-1944), Princess Pooyam Thirunal Gowri Parvati Bayi (1941)and Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma(1949).[3][4] She was educated at home by selected Anglo-Indian tutors along with her siblings. After finishing school, she joined Women's College Thiruvananthapuram to pursue a Degree in Economics and graduated from there in 1966.[5]

Marriage

At the age of 18 in 1963, Aswathy Thirunal married 26-year-old Sri Vishakham Nal Sukumaran Raja Raja Varma(1937-2005), better known as Sri R.R. Varma. Sri R.R. Varma belonged to the Paliyakkara West Palace of Thiruvalla and was the third and youngest son of Srimathi Rugmini Thampuratti of the Paliyekkara West Palace by her husband, Sri P. Raja Raja Varma of the Pandalam Royal House. He was renowned in the Management field, initially employed in Parry & Co Madras and was also one of the Managing Directors of Aspinwall Co. Ltd. The couple has 2 sons and 1 adopted daughter : Prince Pooruruttathi Thirunal Marthanda Varma, Prince Avittom Thirunal Adithya Varma and Princess Bharani Thirunal Lekha Parvathi Bayi (adopted in 1994 to continue the matrilineal inheritance of the royal family). Sri R.R. Varma died from injuries received in a car accident, at the Ochira District Hospital, Kerala, 30 December 2005.[6]

Literary Works

Aswathi Thirunal has written several books on subjects such as Travancore temples and Kerala temple architecture as well as two collections of English poems, numerous articles in newspapers, and books on the culture and heritage of India — more than 10 books in total. Some of her important works include: The Dawn (1994), Kerala Temple Architecture: Some Notable Features (1997), Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple (1998), Thulsi Garland (1998), The Mighty Indian Experience (2002), Budhadarśanaṃ: lēkhanaṅṅaḷ (2007), Glimpses of Kerala Culture (2011) and Rudrakshamala (2014). According to critics, the book Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple published in 1998, considered a comprehensive work on the ancient temple, is extremely popular and has run into several editions. The book was translated into Malayalam by K. Shankaran Nambuthiri and K. Jayakumar.[7]

References

  1. ↑ SANTHANAM, KAUSALYA. "Writer with a royal lineage". THE HINDU. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  2. ↑ Express, Express News Service (25 February 2014). "New Book by Aswathi Thirunal". THE NEW INDIA EXPRESS. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  3. ↑ Maheshawari, Uma. "Maharani Karthika Thirunal:Witnessing History". Kerala 4u.in.
  4. ↑ Express News Service. "Moolam Thirunal Anointed Custodian of Temple". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  5. ↑ SANTHANAM, KAUSALYA. "Writer with a royal lineage". THE HINDU. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  6. ↑ Buyers, Christopher. "India, TRAVANCORE : The Kulasekhara Dynasty GENEALOGY". Royalark.net. Christopher Buyers. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  7. ↑ Express, Express News Service. "New Book by Aswathi Thirunal". THE NEW INDIA EXPRESS. Retrieved 2 April 2014.

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