Travancore-the Footprints of Destiny

[padmanabha]

“Travancore - the Footprints of Destiny” the memoirs of Sree Padmanabhadasa His Highness Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma will be released by His Excellency Dr A P J Abdul Kalam at 3.30pm, Tuesday on 5th January 2010 at the Sree Vaikuntam Kalyana Mandapam.



The book is a fine blend of historiography and autobiography, covering early history of Venad and Travancore; the oneness of the royalty with the Sree Padmanabhaswami Temple. Sree Uthradom Tirunal has witnessed from close quarters the reign of his brother Sree Chithira Tirunal, the transition of power and the post independence era. When India became free, Travancore was a progressive and well-developed Princely State and it stood ahead of other princely states in the country.



The book takes us through the traditions, rituals and practices of the Travancore royals who are known for the intense worshipful reverence for the family deity, Lord Anantapadmanabha. Major events in the state's history like the accession to the Indian Union, the epochal Temple Entry Proclamation and landmark administrative decisions that had a lasting impact on the course of future developments in the state. The whole work took three years, with regular recording sessions, with His Highness. His Highness narrated the content to Uma Maheswari, a Freelance Journalist, who penned the book, as a first person account.

The content is supported by photographs of archival relevance including a fairly large number taken by His Highness Uthradom Tirunal.

The book designed by Dushyanth Parasher is published by Konark Publishers, New Delhi. Printed in multicolor and on art paper, the book is Priced Rs 2000/- and will be available at a discount rate of 1200/- on the day of release.