Kilimanoor-the name has a magical ring no!- sounds
uncannily like Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa!? That is a place
a tourist in the right mind should visit when in Kerala. It’s divine connect
matches that of Sabarimala or Guruvayoor. So when in Kerala a while back, we were
determined to pay our respects to the ‘Prince among Painters and Painter among
Princes’, Raja Ravi Varma right at his birth-place, the Kilimanoor Palace. Every
famous place in Kerala is located between two famous places, given the
linearity of the state. In our present case, Kilimanoor town lies off the MC/SH
1, mid-way between Kollam and Thiruvanathapuram, a stretch of 80 KM approximately.
Kilimanoor literally means “land of the parrot and the deer”….
Reaching the place is tricky. While Sreebesh, our energetic young pilot and guide knows quite a
bit about Kerala history, Kilimanoor leaves him stumped. It is not there in
“Kerala guide-syllabus sirrh” he says jokingly. Maharaja Marthanda Varma however
looms large over his imagination, incredibly versatile as he was. Marthanda
Varma (circa 1706-1758) was the greatest King of the Travancore state,
the only Rajah in the whole of India who bested a European army (Dutch).
Kilimanoor was under the sway of the Nair octet, the Ettuveetil Pillamar
(Pillamar= Lord, from which derives the Nair title Pillai) and when the local
tribal chieftain rebelled against Travancore authority, it was annexed by
Marthanda Varma, reigns of the Kingdom handed over to the matrimonially related
Koli lineage. The clan is supposed to be simply Kshatriyas, no ifs and
buts like other Kerala castes. As Vivekananda once said in exasperation, Kerala
is a ‘mad-house of castes’!
So…there we are…come
heritage town Kilimanoor, and we are led to the Palace by tentative sign-boards, and alas...the
wicket gate and the massive doors are closed. The only photo-op seems to be this snap which
Sreebesh clicks.
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| THE PALACE AND US |
We allow for the
possibility of the monument being deserted, and stakes being so high, try to
force the wicket gate open, it swings inside with a rasping sound, and as we raise our
camera for another picture, out storms a tall, dark, handsome man with a regal
mien, expostulating that the estate is not a public place. We sheepishly
explain the design behind our visit, and acknowledging our erudition, he gives
us full marks, then invites us inside. He is none else than Rama Varma ‘Biju’ (the
appellation serves to distinguish him from his cousin, the renowned musician
from Ravi Varma’s direct lineage, Prince Rama Varma). The Palace wears white and radiates an old world beauty and charm...
Biju Rama Varma a
constituent of the family, heads the Ravi Varma trust. He is a practising
classical musician, and sings and composes both Caranatic and Hindustani. Swathi
Thirunal, his legendary ancestor has hundreds of Hindustani compositions to his
credit, we are informed. We apprise him of the musical pedigree of Missus. He
is thrilled and proposes an impromptu mehfil in the hallowed hall where
the Raja painted some of his most celebrated canvases. What a windfall says Missus
and she suspends the artiste’s innate disinclination to perform
unaccompanied and on the spur of the moment. BRV whips out his cell phone and switching
on the tanpura utitlity, seeks her base note, it’s the white sixth she
responds. Given the stature and seniority of Rama Varma, it is decided that Missus
will lead and BRV conclude. They keep it ‘light’ and Missus renders her
favourite Ram ka gun gaan kariye by the twin Bharat Ratnas Pt.
Bhimsen Joshi and Lata Mangeshkar, set to Bhairav by Pt. Shriniwas Khale.
The magic of the studio rubs off on her and she sings as if possessed. Dramatically,
BRV’s assistant emerges from inside and literally performs a sashtanga before
her! Leaves her flushed with gratitude really.
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| IMPROMPTU MEHFIL |
BRV then sings his Madhymawati,
Anupama Sundara as we reported in our previous dispatch. We are dumbfounded
by the rich timbre of his voice and his range, spanning three octaves. The taar saptak finale is simply
grand.
This video was uploaded by BRV's sister. BRV is a well-known composer, having given score to a number of Malayalee movies, and eminent singers, including Yesudas have sung for him.
Conversation naturally
veers around to the topic of the Raja’s painting. The Raja’s painting is egalitarian…of
‘utility’ to everybody, rich or poor, he says, without distinction of caste,
creed or station in life. He thoroughed every scripture before he painted the
Gods, and went by the basic common denominators, lest orthodoxy raise a finger.
So much so that in the present day, the paintings are themselves pointers for
the Faithful (chaddidharis excused, ha, ha…)! He had a way with faces,
which are suffused with emotion and charm. But alas…BRV laments, in the original
home of the painter, there is no Original. The Raja usually painted in his room
on the first floor. Like a true blue Malayalee, he went all over the world, and
many of his major works, particularly those of the Marathi ladies in nauwari
sarees, were painted in Baroda, where he was invited by erstwhile Baroda
regent Sir Madhavrao, earlier the Dewan of the Travancore state. The originals
of Goddesses Saraswati and Laxmi, the Ram Durbar, the Shakuntala are among the
hundreds preserved at the Baroda Heritage Art Gallery. Ravi Varma paintings are
scattered as in a diaspora, and his originals are displayed in numerous
galleries, like the Modern Art Gallery, New Delhi and the Sri Chithra Art
Gallery, Thiruvananthapuram. The Trust under the dynamic leadership of BRV
arranges retrospectives and art festivals in Kilimanoor, and is engaged in the
effort to acquire at least some originals for the benefit of aficionados like
CVB who are prone to visiting the Palace. Paintings by the Raja are known to command
prices in crores at international auctions, BRV confides. The palace was
maintained by Ravi Varma with the sale proceeds of some of his paintings says
BRV…
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| LIVING QUARTERS AND OFFICE |
Finally, he takes us on a
guided tour of the palace (built circa 1753). We are shown the place where
pujas were performed (kaavu) and only family could enter-you
know- the caste requisites were more stringent in Kerala than anywhere else…We
love the small mandapam with carved doors and arches for windows, which BRV says has hosted
the greatest musicians of present day India.
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| KAAVU ENTRANCE |
And finally, in spite of our words of dissuation, the Prince, in all grace and modesty, accompanies us right upto Sreebesh's Honda City and we wave a warm mutual good-bye...Senior and Junior are duly updated
about the day’s events with the anticipated seasoning. Senior’s tribute to YT for
the industry demonstrated by us in tracking down the Painter to the Nation’s
abode makes our day: “All sorts of things happen when you are around Dad!” says
he…
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