The Life of Raja Ravi Varma: years 1848-1885

Ravi Varma Koil Thampuran, later to be famous as ‘Raja Ravi Varma,’ hailed from Kilimanoor Palace in rural Kilimanoor, falling in the domain of the erstwhile State of Travancore in South India. On many fronts this aristocracy had distinguished itself in the local historical orbit, but with Ravi Varma, Kilimanoor gained for itself national and international exposure. Kilimanoor is a little town holding hands with rural enchantment and is located 40 kilometers north of the capital city of Thiruvanthapuram.

Like many of its geographical counterparts, Kilimanoor also possessed its own aristocracy, comprising Kshatriyas of the Koil Thampuran sub-caste who descended from the Tattari Kovilakam of Bejpore (near Kozhikode). This large family of ancient blood line had much to be proud of, as among its children, were scholars, artists and outstanding warriors, fearless and dedicated, who fought and, in certain instances, died fighting for the Travancore royalty. The inscription at the base of the peepal tree reads that it was planted in 1728 to commemorate the founding of the fief of Kilimanoor covering approximately 17 square miles, by a grateful Marthanda Varma, Maharaja of Travancore.

The close matrimonial ties between the Travancore royal family and the house of Kilimanoor spans centuries and continues to this day. It may be mentioned that the horse is the emblem of the Kilimanoor palace and the vehicle on which the family deity Sree Dharma Sasta rides.

Rohini Thirunal Amma Thampuran (1792-1849) appears as the first recorded artist of the Kilimanoor Palace. Her elder sister’s son Bharani Thirunal Raja Raji Varma Koil Thampuran was keenly interested in drawing.

He had the additional advantage of royal patronage and with passing summers became a good artist largely favoring the Tanjore School. On him rested the distinction of initiating Ravi Varma into the rainbow world of lines and colours.

Raja Raja Varma, the artist, detected signs of a possible genius in Ravi Varma. In accordance with aristocratic tradition, Ravi Varma was educated at the Palace, but his uncle added picture-making too, with special thrust on drawing, to his curriculum. Acknowledging and appreciating the blossoming youthful talent in his nephew, Raja Raja Varma tutored him to the best of his ability. This was somewhat restricted in nature as painting was only a hobby for Raja Raja Varma, who did not expect more from his nephew, as it was unthinkable for a member of the aristocracy to take to a profession. However, his early training contributed much to making Ravi Varma to a fine draughtsman.

Ravi Varma was thirteen when he made his maiden entry into the Travancore royal court which was located within the Fort area and neighbored the far-famed Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple to which the Travancore dynasty was ever bound. As the hub of scholarship and artistic activity, this Court was already in the limelight, especially from the Swathi age.

It was Swathi Thirunal’s nephew, Ayilyam Thirunal who sat on the throne at that time, and he too, was an enlightened patron of fine arts. He was much pleased with this young talent and directed that the lad live in the city to study and copy the pictures in the Palace, observe the painters at work and perhaps even try his hand at oils, depending on his progress. So Ravi Varma started to stay in a building belonging to the Kilimanoor family within the confines of the Fort.

The young boy wandered through a wonder-world, gazing at and absorbing the products of artists in the Palace and on the walls of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple and closely observing their execution.

The European paintings, especially reproductions of Italian masters, with their three-dimensional quality and impression of depth, treatment of composition, muted play of light and shade, were all indeed a novel experience to him. They stood in striking contrast to the murals he was familiar with, and opened up other green pastures and vistas, new to his deeply artistic soul.

All the moral support he got during that bleak period was the occasional advice of Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal, to the effect that perseverance was the best Guru (preceptor).

One day, driven by despair, he approached the Palace artist Ramaswamy Naidoo to teach him, even if in compromise, but drew a blank there. Naidoo was more under the patronage of Prince Vishaghom Thirunal Rama Varma, the younger brother of the King. The relationship between the two royal brothers was not too cordial. That reason apart, the senior artist had real cause to fear that one day this gifted boy would become his rival.

An evaluation of Sri E.M.J. Venniyoor, a competent and accepted art critic, is being presented here:

“The struggle at self-instruction lasted nine years. By the simple expedient of trial and error Ravi Varma learnt the technique of mixing colours. He could evoke a likeness without effort, could compose and construct with a sense of balance, and, for the first time in the annals of Indian Art, mastered and introduced the principle of perspective. What really sustained him during these years was his will to break through and excel and an abiding faith in divine grace.”

But “to be or not to be” was the question which haunted him – whether he should break the precedent of the State’s nobility and make a career of art, or whether it should simply be a pastime that he enjoyed.

It was not easy either for a commercial artist to be favored by fortune and to gain social equality. Yet, backed by royal encouragement, he decided to venture forth. Prior to that, for forty one days he stayed at the famed Sree Mookambika Temple in Kollur, in Karnataka, seeking the blessings of the Goddess of learning and arts. The Goddess was quick in the dispensation of Her favours.

On his return trip, his first paid commission sought him out. It was a family portrait of Kizakke Palat Krishnan Menon, Sub-Judge of the Calicut Court. The year was 1870.