jah, was the all-powerful Palace Manager, the power behind the throne. He belonged to Sankaramangalam Family, a branch of Cheruvallil Tharavad at Karicode in Kollam.
The emergence of Sankaran Thampi as the leading favourite of the Maharajah limited the influence of another favourite Saravanai Ananda Narayana Aiyar. Thampi was often referred to as Sree Moolam Thirunal's Piers Gaveston.
Sankaran Thampi was closely associated with C.V. Raman Pillai. Two of Thampi's brothers were Tahsildars. Thampi survived the Dewanship of VP Madhava Rao, who tried to displace him. He remained powerful until the Maharaja's demise in 1924.
Officially he was also known with his full name, style and honours: Colonel His Highness Sri Padmanabhadasa Vanchipala Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma Kulasekhara Kiritapathi Manney Sultan Maharajah Raja Ramaraja Bahadur Shamsher Jang, Maharajah Of Travancore.
Moolam ThirunalBorn: 25 September 1857 Died: 7 March 1924
|Maharaja of Travancore