Rama Varma, Maharaja of Travancore (1832-1880)

Full-length seated carte-de-visite portrait of Rama Varma, Maharaja of Travancore (1832-1880) from the 'Album of cartes de visite portraits of Indian rulers and notables' by Bourne and Shepherd, early 1870s. The Princely state of Travancore is now in Kerala state. The region was brought under the control of a local prince, Martanda Varma, in the 18th century. Rama Varma who succeeded to the throne in 1860 was a great patron of letters and had many scholars at his court. He himself wrote two prose works, Meenaketancharitam, a retelling of one of the Arabian tales and Bhasa Sakuntalam, a translation of Kalidasa's Abinjana Sakuntalam which were both published by Kerala Varma Valiya Koyitampuran after the Maharahja's death.

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