Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi

Aswathy Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi (born 1945) of the former Travancore Royal Family is a noted writer from Kerala. She has ten books to her credit.[1]

Aswathy Thirunal

Gowri Lakshmi Bayi
Native name
അശ്വതി തിരുനാൾ ഗൗരി ലക്ഷ്മിഭായി
BornGowri Lakshmi Bayi
Travancore
Pen nameGauri Lakshmi Bai
OccupationWriter
LanguageMalayalam
Nationality India
CitizenshipTravancore
EducationGraduate in Economics
Period1994- current
Notable worksThe Dawn(1994), Kerala Temple Architecture: Some Notable Features (1997), Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple(1998), Thulsi Garland(1998), The Mighty Indian Experience(2002), Budhadarśanaṃ: lēkhanaṅṅaḷ(2007), Glimpses of Kerala Culture(2011), Rudrakshamala(2014) etc.
SpouseLate. Sri Vishakham Nal Sukumaran Raja Raja Varma of Paliyakkara West Palace, Thiruvalla(m.1963-2005)
ChildrenPooruruttathi Thirunal Marthanda Varma, Avittom Thirunal Adithya Varma and Bharani Thirunal Lekha Parvathi Bayi (adopted in 1994)
ParentsG. V. Raja (father)
Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi (mother)

Aswathy Thirunal is the niece of the last King of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.[2]

Birth and education

Aswathy Thirunal was born as the third child of Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore Royal Family and Lt. Col G. V. Raja on 4 July 1945. Her siblings are Avittom Thirunal Rama Varma (1938-1944), Pooyam Thirunal Gowri Parvati Bayi (1941) and Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma (1949).[3][4] She was educated at home by Anglo-Indian tutors along with her siblings. After finishing school, she joined Women's College Thiruvananthapuram to pursue a Degree in Economics and graduated from there in 1966.[5]

Marriage

At the age of 18 in 1963, Aswathy Thirunal married 26-year-old Vishakham Nal Sukumaran Raja Raja Varma, a member of the Paliyakkara West Palace of Thiruvalla. The couple had two sons and an adopted daughter. Raja Raja Varma died on 30 December 2005 from injuries received in a car accident.

Literary works

Aswathi Thirunal has written several books on subjects such as Travancore temples and Kerala temple architecture as well as three collections of English poems, numerous articles in newspapers, and books on the culture and heritage of India — 12 books in total. Some of her important works are: The Dawn (1994), Kerala Temple Architecture: Some Notable Features (1997), Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple (1998), Thulsi Garland (1998), The Mighty Indian Experience (2002), Budhadarśanaṃ: lēkhanaṅṅaḷ (2007), Glimpses of Kerala Culture (2011), Rudrakshamala (2014) and An Amateur's Attempt at Poetry (2018). According to critics, the book Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple published in 1998, considered a comprehensive work on the ancient temple, is extremely popular and has run into several editions. The book was translated into Malayalam by K. Shankaran Nambuthiri and K. Jayakumar.[6]

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References
  1. SANTHANAM, KAUSALYA. "Writer with a royal lineage". THE HINDU. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  2. Express, Express News Service (25 February 2014). "New Book by Aswathi Thirunal". THE NEW INDIA EXPRESS. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  3. Maheshawari, Uma. "Maharani Karthika Thirunal:Witnessing History". Kerala 4u.in. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013.
  4. Express News Service. "Moolam Thirunal Anointed Custodian of Temple". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  5. SANTHANAM, KAUSALYA. "Writer with a royal lineage". THE HINDU. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  6. Express, Express News Service. "New Book by Aswathi Thirunal". THE NEW INDIA EXPRESS. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
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