page_title: Thekkumkur
section_title: The Battle of Changanassery
hierarchical_section_title: Thekkumkur / The Battle of Changanassery
caption_attribution_description: English: Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma മലയാളം: അനിഴം തിരുനാൾ മാർത്താണ്ഡവർമ്മ
context_page_description: The Kingdom of Thekkumkur was an independent kingdom in the southern part of Kerala in India from 1103 CE until 1750 CE. It was ruled by the Thekkumkur Royal Family. Thekkumkur lies between the Meenachil River and the Pamba River, from the Western Ghats to the Vembanad Kayal. Thekkumkur emerges as a result of administrative changes in the princely states at the end of the Chera Kulasekhara dynasty of Mahodayapuram. The literal meaning of the title is the southern regent and the attribute southern distinguished them from another kingdom known as Vadakkumkur which bordered it in the northern side. The royal household, Thekkumkur Kovilakam, were at Vennimala and Manikandapuram near Puthuppally, later it shifted to Neerazhi Palace at Puzhavathu of Changanassery and Thalilkotta at Thaliyanthanapuram.
context_section_description: The last king of Thekkumkur was Aditya Varma Manikandan and he resided in the Neerazhi Palace at Changanassery. It was a time when an alliance between Adityavarma and his younger brother Goda Varman broke out. The king was willing to the alliance with Kochi, however, the crown prince was sympathetic to Travancore and Marthanda Varma. Goda Varman (crown prince of Thekkumkur) and Marthanda Varma of Travancore were classmates at Madurai when they were studying of Rajyadharma. After hearing of the military advance of the Travancore under the leadership of Ramayyan Dalawa and Caption De Lannoy; the crown prince of Thekkumkur (Goda Varman) then advised king Aditya Varma Manikandan to make a friendship with Travancore kingdom by understanding the downfall of princely state Ampalapuzha (Chempakassery) and the fall of princely state Kayamkulam. Meanwhile, when Marthanda Varma seized Kayamkulam and Chempakassery, Aditya Varma realized that they were the next victims and sent his brother to Thiruvananthapuram for an unconditional peace mission and met Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma of Travancore and requested help.
  Unfortunately, Marthanda Varma asked Goda Varman, to promise that he would be in power if he helped to oust king Adithya Varman. Marthanda Varma had already heard the rift between the brothers. The younger king was well-received in the southern part of Thekkumkur kingdom. The self-righteous crown prince decided to return to Thekkumkur soon after the disagreement. The evil intelligence of Marthanda Varma and Ramayyan Dalawa aroused together. He sent a messenger to the younger king and told him the fake news, saying, "Departure to Kottayam immediately; the mother's health is bad". The crown prince Goda Varman decided to leave, boarded the boat and headed north; Marthanda Varma gave him some gifts for Thekkumkur king Aditya Varma Manikandan On the way, he descended on Anchuthengu Fort and received eleven ritual fire by the British authorities. From there he reached via Paravur Lake, Ashtamudi Lake, Kayamkulam Lake and Vembanadu Lake. The next day the boat of the crown prince reached Illyakkadavu at Thazhathangadi. Ramayyan's servants were followed by another boat and they slaughtered the crown prince Goda Varman and his servants. The next day was the declaration of war of Travancore. Crown prince's "classmate" challenges to Aditya Varman Manikandan for cheating and killing of his younger brother
  Ramayyan Dalawa spread the news that the Thekkumkur king Adithya Varman killed crown prince Goda Varman. But historian P. Shankuni Menon is justifying Travancore in his book Travancore History of Shankuni Menon. The Thekkumkur fort and the Neerazhi Palace at Changanassery were attacked in September 1749. The Vazhappally Pathillathil Potimar (administrator of Vazhappally Maha Siva Temple) assisted the king Aditya Varman in the Neerazhi Palace and transferred him to Nattassery at Kottayam. The Kannamperoor wooden bridge at Vazhappally was destroyed to prevent the Travancore troops from following them in the event of adverse weather. The Thekkumkur king Aditya Verman fled to Calicut and gave refuge to the Zamorin (Zamuthiri). Proceedings of September 11, 1749; On the 28th of the year Malayalam era 925 Chingam (September 11, 1749 AD), the capital of the Thekkumkur conquered by Ramayyan Dalawa and merged to Travancore kingdom.
caption: Marthanda Varma of Travancore who defeated Thekkumkur in the Battle of Changanassery
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