With a major chunk of their property lost to the government following the promulgation of the `Edavaka Acquisition Act, 1956', these members have been long awaiting the revision of the privy purse that falls way short of meeting their daily needs. Exasperated, some even ventured into business, only to meet with failure.

The plight of royal family members of Kilimanoor, one of the five autonomous states (Edavakas) under the erstwhile Travancore kingdom, is appalling. A lineage boasting of legends like the renowned painter Raja Ravi Varma, the royal family of Kilimanoor has been reduced to a life of penury about 40 km north of Thiruvananthapuram.

The Kilimanoor Edavaka had been permitted to collect taxes from 10,960 acres of land; an amount adequate to sustain their lifestyle.Following the State Government taking over their land in January 1956 under the Edavaka Acquisition Act, the family was left with a 12 acre-area in their custody, including the palace, school and the burial ground. The monthly pension granted to subsist their existence was Rs 14 per head.

M K Udaya Varma Thampuran, one of the few occupants in the palace, told a visiting UNI correspondent that all the Raja Ravi Varma paintings remaining with the family were taken away as ``permanent loans'' by the government.

``In 1906 when the renowned artist was bed-ridden, his last painting Kadambari was nearing completion. Even that painting was taken away by somebody. All that is left today in his name is a studio,'' he said. He alleged that while the State government chose to project Raja Ravi Varma as the symbol of Kerala's culture, his kith-and-kin ``were not given a single paisa'' while taking away the paintings. ``We are the victims of the Edavaka Acquisition Act,'' he lamented.

Interestingly, the familyhad also made contribution to the Indian freedom struggle. It was in the Kilimanoor Palace that Velu Thampi, the Dewan of Travancore, who raised a rebellion against the British, took shelter for some time.

As a token of gratitude, Velu Thampi entrusted his sword to the Karanavar (head) of the Kilimanoor family. Not long after, Velu Thampi committed suicide to avoid being captured by soldiers. The sword remained with the Kilimanoor family till August 1957 when it was formally presented to the then president Rajendraprasad during his visit to State.

The sword is still preserved in the Delhi museum.