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24-592: The Paliath Achans were hereditary prime ministers to the Rajah of Kingdom of Cochin (Kerala) from 1632 to 1809 and second only to the Rajah in power and wealth in the central Cochin area during that period. The main family tharavadu ( Naalukettu ) is approximately 450 years old. The Kovilakam (palace) houses a large number of artefacts including ancient documents, religious sacraments, swords, rifles, and gifts brought by foreign dignitaries. Several other buildings, like

48-581: A Malayalam poem about the life of Vishnu (as spoken by a swan), the poet ( Kunjan Nambiar ) makes a reference to a Paliath Achan named Kuberan: Kochu Sankaran Muthat of Vatakketam in Triprayar was a student of Manorama Thampuratti of Calicut . He lived at Paliam, teaching students there. He wrote a commentary named Prasika , on the eleventh book of the Bhagavad Gita , based on earlier commentaries of his student, Paliath Achan: The Paliam family had

72-581: A joint ownership and maintenance agreement with the Paliam family, and the family still reserves their use for private functions and ceremonies, during which time the buildings are not open to the public. The Zamorin invaded Cochin in 1757. Due to the diplomatic efforts of the Paliath Achan, the Kingdom of Cochin was saved. During Hyder Ali 's conquest of the south of India in 1776, the Paliath Achan

96-415: A legislative duty, which was utilized when he would enact different decrees, such as announcing a festival or a day of rest for the kingdom. Rajadharma largely portrayed the king as an administrator above all else. The main purpose for the king executing punishment, or danda, was to ensure that all of his subjects were carrying out their own particular dharmas. For this reason, rajadharma was often seen as

120-688: A rich collection of manuscripts in Sanskrit and Malayalam. At the time of family partition, this collection was donated to the Kerala University Manuscript Library and the Tripunithura . Paliam satyagraha was a movement in 1947–48 to allow entry for Hindus of lower castes in the roads surrounding the Paliam family home in Chendamangalam and the temples. The success of this and similar movements led to

144-405: A two-edged sword". The executive duty of the king was primarily to carry out punishment, or daṇḍa . For instance, a judge who would give an incorrect verdict out of passion, ignorance, or greed is not worthy of the office, and the king should punish him harshly. Another executive dharma of the king is correcting the behavior of brahmins that have strayed from their dharma, or duties, through

168-677: Is the dharma that applies to the king, or the raja. Dharma is that which upholds, supports, or maintains the order of the universe and is based on truth. It is of central importance in achieving order and balance within the world and does this by demanding certain necessary behaviors from people. The king served two main functions as the raja: secular and religious. The religious functions involved certain acts for propitiating gods, removing dangers, and guarding dharma, among other things. The secular functions involved helping prosperity (such as during times of famine), dealing out even-handed justice, and protecting people and their property. Once he helped

192-1027: The Rigveda , where a rājan- is a ruler , see for example the daśarājñá yuddhá , the "Battle of Ten Kings". While most of the Indian salute states (those granted a gun salute by the British Crown ) were ruled by a Maharaja (or variation; some promoted from an earlier Raja- or equivalent style), even exclusively from 13 guns up, a number had Rajas: Warmadewa Dynasty Jaya Dynasty Singasari subjugates Bali 1284 Native rulers reemergence Majapahit conquers Bali 1343 Dynasty of Samprangan and Gelgel Vassalage under Majapahit 1343-c. 1527 Agung Dynasty Dynasty from Mengwi Dynasty of Panji Śakti Karangasem Dynasty Dynasty of Panji Śakti Dynasty from Klungkung Lordship of Ubud, under Gianyar suzerainty Dynasty from Tabanan Rajas of Pamecutan Rajadharma

216-434: The "capstone" of the other varnas' dharma both due to the king's goal of securing the happiness and prosperity of his people as well as his ability to act as the "guarantor" of the whole social structure through the enforcement of daṇḍa . In contemporary India, an idea pervades various levels of Hindu society: the "Ramarajya", or a kind of Hindu Golden Age in which through his strict adherence to rajadharma as outline in

240-542: The British East India Company and defected to their side in the conflict. After the rebellion, the British authorities deported him to Madras, where he was imprisoned at Fort St. George for 12 years. He was then taken to Bombay and remained a prisoner there for 13 years, finally passing away at Benares 1832. Paliath Govindan Achan was the last Paliath Achan to occupy the position of Prime Minister in

264-663: The Kingdom of Cochin. Another notable Paliath Achan includes Komi Achan I. Komi Achan I resisted the attempts by the Portuguese to impose their power on the Cochin Family. He allied himself with the Dutch, travelling to Colombo to sign a treaty with them. He also supported the Dutch against the Portuguese. In recognition of his efforts, the Dutch built him a palace (the Kovilakam ) at Chendamangalam. Between 1730 and 1740

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288-647: The Paliath Achan's Kovilakam (which was built by the Dutch, and also known as the Dutch palace) exist adjacent to the tharavadu. The buildings in the area date anywhere from 60 to 300 years. Both the Paliam Palace and Naalukettu are recognized as archaeological monuments by the Government of India and the State of Kerala, and both buildings are currently museums under the Muziris Project according to

312-493: The Vibhore to reach his goal by giving the devotion of his power in order to reduce the poverty from his kingdom. Protection of his subjects was seen as the first and foremost duty of the king. This was achieved by punishing internal aggression, such as thieves among his people, and meeting external aggression, such as attacks by foreign entities. Moreover, the king possessed executive, judicial, and legislative dharmas, which he

336-428: The king's power had to be employed subject to the requirements of the various ashramas and varnas' dharma, failure to "enforce the code" transferred guilt on to the ruler, and according to Drekmeier some texts went so far as to justify revolt against a ruler who abused his power or inadequately performed his dharma. In other words, dharma as both the king's tool of coercion and power, yet also his potential downfall, "was

360-665: The mention "Nayar Noblemen" who bestowed upon the Jews "gifts and books to all those who come, and titles to foreigners". Renowned author Sajil Sreedhar scripted and directed a t v series named Paliyathachan based on the Life of Govandan komi achan was telecasted in Dooradarsan Trivandrum. Sajil Sreedhar later published the screenplay as a book form titled Paliyathachan. In the Vishnuvilasam Hamsappattu ,

384-410: The root of all dharma and was the highest goal. The whole purpose of the king was to make everything and everyone prosper. If they were not prospering, the king was not fulfilling his dharma. He had to carry out his duties as laid down in the science of government and "not act at his sweet will." Indeed, in the major writings on dharma (i.e. dharmasastra , etc.), the dharma of the king was regarded as

408-610: The status of the Cochin kingdom dwindled due to the consolidation of power in Travancore under Marthanda Varma combined with the waning influence of the Dutch and a large-scale invasion by the Zamorin from the north. Paliath Komi Achan was able to effect a treaty between the Cochin and Travancore Kingdoms. This treaty facilitated the defeat of the Zamorin. The Chendamangalam Jews sing "The Song of Paliathachan" in which they mention

432-563: The temples in Kochi being opened for all Hindus in 1948. Raja Raja ( / ˈ r ɑː dʒ ɑː / ; from Sanskrit : राजन् , IAST rājan- ) is a noble or royal Sanskrit title historically used by some Indian rulers and monarchs and highest-ranking nobles. The title was historically used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia . The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia , being attested from

456-400: The use of strict punishment. These two examples demonstrated how the king was responsible for enforcing the dharmas of his subjects, but also was in charge of enforcing rulings in more civil disputes. Such as if a man is able to repay a creditor but does not do so out of mean-spiritedness, the king should make him pay the money and take five percent for himself. The judicial duty of the king

480-411: The witnesses were honest and truthful by way of testing them. If the king conducted these trials according to dharma, he would be rewarded with wealth, fame, respect, and an eternal place in heaven , among other things. However, not all cases fell upon the shoulders of the king. It was also the king's duty to appoint judges that would decide cases with the same integrity as the king. The king also had

504-609: Was able to effect a treaty between Hyder Ali and the Cochin Raja. In 1808, the British East India Company was trying to persuade the Raja of Kochi's men to defect their side. They had succeeded in getting the support of Nadavarambu Kunhikrishna Menon. Paliath Govindan Achan was provoked by this. He took with him 600 Nair soldiers and attacked the headquarters of Colonel Macaulay, the local British Resident, who

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528-421: Was deciding any disputes that arose in his kingdom and any conflicts that arose between dharmashastra and practices at the time or between dharmashastra and any secular transactions. When he took the judgment seat, the king was to abandon all selfishness and be neutral to all things. The king would hear cases such as thefts, and would use dharma to come to a decision. He was also responsible for making sure that

552-563: Was forced to flee. Following the attack, Paliath Achan and his men broke open the local jails and set free any prisoners found inside. The Paliath Achan later joined the Travancore alliance of Velu Thampi Dalawa . During 1809 and 1810, Paliath Achan, allied with Velu Thampi Dalawa , fought the British on Travancore soil. Achan engaged the British East India Company troops in battle, and was defeated. After this defeat, Achan surrendered to

576-484: Was responsible for carrying out. If he did so wisely, the king believed that he would be rewarded by reaching the pinnacle of the abode of the Sun , or heaven. However, if the king carried out his office poorly, he feared that he would suffer hell or be struck down by a deity. As scholar Charles Drekmeier notes, "dharma stood above the king, and his failure to preserve it must accordingly have disastrous consequences". Because

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