Travancore

Merging Travancore with the Indian union was a difficult task, but not impossible, as was the case with other princely states. It became one of the first and earliest states to join the union of India after independence. Later, Travancore–Cochin, was founded after two earlier states, Travancore and Cochin, merged. Kerala was formed in 1956 when the Malayalam-speaking regions and the Malabar District united to form Kerala. Read on to learn more about how Travancore merged with India. 

Travancore 

From 1729 to 1949, the Kingdom of Travancore, also known as Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom. From Padmanabhapuram and later Thiruvananthapuram, it was controlled by the Travancore Royal Family. At its peak, the kingdom included most of modern-day Kerala’s south as well as the southernmost part of modern-day Tamil Nadu.

Eve of Independence and the arduous task 

The midnight of August 15, 1947, is the most important chapter in Indian history, as India awoke to Life and Freedom, as Jawaharlal Nehru put it. But, if freedom is the hard-won ambition of India’s nationalist leaders, bringing together the hundreds of geographical parts of the Indian subcontinent into a distinct whole was a much more difficult goal to achieve, and one that remained unfulfilled as of August 15. The conundrum of how to knit together the 500 regions and states that the British had left behind, was created after the Britishers departed from Indian territory.

The princely states were pampered and exploited by the British. They retained their semi-autonomy under colonial rule and posed the most difficult task to a free India. These states were important partners for the British to keep their mutual enemy, the French, in check. As a result, the princes were given authority over their lands, but the British were given the power to nominate ministers and obtain military backing as needed.

Once the withdrawal of the British was announced, the issue of the princely states not joining the union had to be settled for the new government that would be in power. By the late 1930s itself, the Congress had made clear their intention of integrating the princely states into the Indian union

A new states department was established to help with the process of merging the princely states with the Indian union, with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as its head and the secretary, VP Menon. Under Lord Mountbatten’s direction, they were tasked with persuading the princes to join the Indian union by persuading them. Bikaner, Baroda, and a few other Rajasthani states were among the first to join the Indian union.

Merging of Travancore with the Indian Union

Travancore, the southern Indian maritime state was one of the first princely kingdoms that did not intend to join the Indian union and resisted the Congress’ leadership of the country. The state was positioned in such a way that the marine trade flourished and it had a wealth of manpower (Human Resources) and mineral resources.

By 1946, C. P. Ramaswamy Aiyar who was the dewan of Travancore and a renowned lawyer of the time, had expressed his desire to build an independent state of Travancore. He also stated that Travancore would be willing to sign a treaty with India. According to the famous historian Ramachandra Guha, Mohammed Ali Jinnah was the reason behind Travancore’s desire and protest for independence.

Sir C.P. Aiyar also allegedly had hidden relations with the Britishers, who also supported the idea of an independent Travancore because they wanted to gain access to a mineral called monazite. Monazite was abundant in the Travancore and would give Britain an edge in the nuclear arms race. While the Dewan remained adamantly committed to his views and stubborn until July 1947, he changed his mind after surviving an attempt of assassination by a member of Kerala socialist party with whom he had sour relations. Consequently, Travancore joined the Indian Union on July 30, 1947.

Merging of Cochin and Travancore to form Kerala

Cochin and Travancore joined on July 1, 1949, to become the state of Travancore-Cochin, often known as Thiru-Kochi.

Travancore–Cochin, often known as Thiru–Kochi, was a state of India that existed from 1949 to 1956. Following the union of two previous states, Travancore and Cochin, on July 1, 1949, it was renamed the United State of Travancore and Cochin. Thiruvananthapuram was the state’s first capital. In January 1950, it was renamed the State of Travancore–Cochin. According to the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, the Malayalam-speaking regions of Travancore–Cochin merged with the Malabar District and the Kasaragod Taluk of the Canara district in the state of Madras to form the modern Malayalam-state of Kerala on November 1, 1956. 

Conclusion 

The story of Travancore begins with being a Princely state on the eve of Independence and ends with merging with the union of India and finally forming the modern state of Kerala. However, as highlighted in the article the journey was not smooth and the task of the Indian government was made difficult given the maritime location of the state, the rich mineral resources, the vested interests of the Britishers and the desire for autonomy. But eventually, the merging of Travancore with the Indian union was successful.