Glass painting abandoned in Mana turns out to be rare portrait of Dharma Raja

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was painted on glass, the personage depicted in profile in it had tell-tale regal characteristics and the painting's ornate border betrayed European influence. Yet it elicited at best a cursory interest and was consigned to an attic till an amateur historian had a second look and thereby discovered a lost treasure.

A rare glass painting of the 18th century Travancore ruler Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma (often referred to as Dharma Raja), who ruled the kingdom for 40 years after the death of his legendary uncle Marthanda Varma, has been found at the southern branch of Sukapuram (Edappal) based Karuthedatu Mana at Kudamaloor in Kottayam.

Art historian M G Sasibhooshan who confirmed the identity of the painting by comparing the figure with other available paintings of Dharma Raja said the glass painting must have been created in 1790s after Travancore signed an alliance agreement with the East India Company. "This is the only known picture of Dharma Raja in informal dress and bare chest. It has the characteristics of company paintings in the early stages. The rose flower border of the painting suggests that it was drawn in tune with the European taste in the 18th century," he said. The artist who drew the painting must be a European on a visit to Travancore, he surmised.

Priests from Karuthedathu Mana were among the permanent invitees to the 'Murajapam', which the Travancore royal family used to organise with great fanfare at Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple.

King depicted as healthy but well past his youth
It’s believed that the glass painting was a gift of Karthika Thirunal to one of the representatives of Karuthedathu Mana during one of their regular visits to Travancore, said Narayanan Nambothiri of Kudamaloor Karuthedathu Mana. His relative and amateur historian T J Unnikrishnan Namboothiri was the one whose curiosity was first aroused by this glass picture that was lying idle and dust laden at the Mana at Kudamaloor.

The king is depicted as healthy but well past his youth. Karthika Thirunal, interestingly, used to organise large yagas and Murajapam to atone for the ‘war crimes’ of his uncle Marthanda Varma. As part of propitiating Brahmans, he used to distribute lavish gifts to the priests participating in the yagas and Murajapam.

The glass painting has been under the custody of the southern branch of Karuthedathu Mana since the early 1920s. But none of the family members attached any importance to the painting as they had no idea about the identity of the subject in the painting

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