How Kerala became part of India
As the British prepared to exit the subcontinent in 1947, chaos had gripped much of northern India, but in the far south, a different kind of drama was unfolding — one of diplomacy and defiance.
At Independence, present-day Kerala comprised the two princely states of Travancore and Cochin. Travancore, established in 1729 by the Venad rulers, covered much of Kerala and parts of southern Tamil Nadu. Cochin, an older monarchy dating back to the 12th century, along with Travancore, made the region historically significant for its coastal prominence and maritime trade.
When the question of accession arose, Cochin, under the leadership of Rama Varma XVIII ‘PareekshithThampuran’, became one of the first princely states to accept the proposal of acceding to the Indian Union. Travancore, however, had different plans.
Its ruler, ChithiraThirunal Balarama Varma, influenced by his Dewan, Sir CP RamaswamiIyer, chose to stay independent. On June 11, 1947, Sir CP announced Travancore’s intent to remain a sovereign state, proclaiming that “Travancore is destined to be the saviour of South India.”
In a surprising manoeuvre on June 22, Travancore appointed a representative to Pakistan—a nation that had not yet come into existence. Muhammad Ali Jinnah expressed support for Sir CP’s position, giving the matter an unexpected geopolitical twist.
Following the declaration, the Travancore State Congress and other pro-merger organisations were banned, prompting a harsh crackdown on activists advocating integration with India. Tensions escalated on July 25, 1947, when an assassination attempt was made on Sir CP during a public event, leaving him grievously injured. With his most trusted adviser narrowly escaping death and growing pressure from within and outside the state, the Maharaja of Travancore reversed his earlier stance, and on July 30, 1947, formally announced Travancore’s decision to accede to the Indian Union.
This led to long-awaited talks for accession, with VP Menon representing the Indian government. During the final round of talks, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel visited the Hill Palace in Tripunithura (Cochin) in June 1949. The outcome was historic. On July 1, in the Durbar Hall of the Hill Palace, the Kingdoms of Travancore and Cochin were formally merged to form the United State of Travancore and Cochin (USTC).
This union laid the groundwork for the formation of the modern state of Kerala in 1956, following the linguistic reorganisation of states.
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