Today when the description of Rama and creation
of the Rama Sethu as a myth is creating a furore, it is interesting to note
that for thousands of years, there was a royal family in South India with its
headquarters at Ramanathapuram near Rameshwaram, known as the Sethupati Rajas
or the guardians of the Sethu. Like the Maharajas of Kashi in North India, the
specific task of these kings was to guard the sanctity of Rameshwaram temple
and protect the Sethu - now so much under the limelight.
In fact even today, though the famous Rameshwaram
temple (which technically belonged to the Sethupatis) is administered by the
Government of Tamil Nadu, the head of the Sethupati dynasty, at present Rajeshwari
Nachiar, is the hereditary head of the temple's board of trustees.
Detailed information about the Sethupathis is
available in the 'Ramnad Manual' maintained by Tamil Nadu archives. It states
that, "The Sethupatis built several chattrams (dharmsalas) along the main
roads of the pilgrimage to Rameshwaram. Roads were opened through the forests.
Immense sums were spent on the restoration of the Rameshwaram temples, which
were falling into ruins, and the splendid Chockattan Mantapam or the cloistered
precincts of the temple at Rameshwaram being finally completed by the Sethupati
representatives.." Although the dynasty claims that they are mentioned
in the 2000-year-old sagas of Tamil literature, as the brave Marava community
guarding the Sethu since the times of Rama, the first historical reference comes
only in the 11th century AD, when Chola king Rajaraja made the head of Marava
community as Sethupati to protect the pilgrims to Rameshwaram temple and the
Rama Sethu.
The temple complex itself was built by Sethupati
rulers in the 12th century, with Sethupathy Maravar beginning the construction
of the grand Ramanathaswamy temple. Then again reference is made in A D1434
to the repair of the temple walls by the head of the Sethupati clan, known as
Udayan Sethupati. Geologists state that till AD1480, when a tsunami damaged
the present Rama Sethu, one could walk from India to Sri Lanka on the Sethu!
But only from AD 1605, we find detailed history
of these chiefs, who are described as masters of Sethu and their kingdom described
as Sethu Nadu (Land of Sethu). After the destruction of the Vijayanagar empire
in 1565, their viceroy in South India, the the Nayak ruler of Madurai, re-appointed
head of the same Marava community as the Sethupatis.
The most important of these monarchs was the
Raghunatha Sethupati II alias Kilavan Sethupati (1671 AD to 1710 AD), who ensured
that Sethupatis with their fiefdom over the area known as Ramnad, remained all
powerful. It was during his time, that the magnificent still existing palace
of Ramlingavilasam was created as the residence of the Sethupatis. No other
palace in Tamil Nadu has such extensive mural paintings. As soon as you enter
the Mahamandapam, you are surrounded by murals that glint like gem-encrusted
jewels on the walls. Some are dull and faded, while others flash forth their
brilliance, even 300 years after they were executed. In 1978, the Sethupati
family, unable to maintain the palace handed it over to the Government of Tamil
Nadu.
But in the18th century, the British entered
the politics of South India and as a measure to reduce the importance of the
Sethupatis, they were demoted as mere zamindars under the British in1803. Of
all the services, this royal family has done to India, the most important was
that of financing the visit of Swami Vivekananda in 1893 to Chicago, to address
the World Religions Conference. Swami Vivekananda reached Ramnathapuram in 1892
and met the then scion, Bhaskara Sethupati at his palace, and stayed there as
the official guest for eight days.
Initially, it was Bhaskara Setupati as the Raja
of Ramnad, who had earlier decided to go to US to attend the Parliament of Religions
as the representative of Hinduism. But after conversing with Swami Vivekananda,
he decided that Swamiji was the right person to attend the conference.
Vivekananda decided to accept the Raja's offer.
When Vivekananda returned from USA after his grand success, as he was about
to land at Rameshwaram, the overjoyed Raja was waiting with his entourage to
give him a royal welcome. Because of the achievement of Swamiji and as well
as the regard, the Raja had for him, he bowed his head and offered it as step
for Vivekananda to get down from the boat. But, Swamiji tactfully avoided this
offer, by jumping from the boat to the land. Then the Raja unyoked the bullocks
from Vivekananda's ceremonial chariot and pulled the conveyance manually with
his entourage, till it reached his palace. Later he erected a victory pillar
of 25 feet height with the Upanishad expression Satyameva Jayate to commemorate
the success of Swami Vivekananda at Chicago.
After Indian Independence, the Sethupatis still
retained their importance in the politics of Tamil Nadu. In fact Shanmuga Raja
Sethupati won the elections to the Tamil Nadu Assembly and held the seat thrice
from 1951 to 1967, besides being a minister in the Rajagopalachari Ministry
of 1952. He was well-known in horse racing circles and had a stable of over
50 horses in Calcutta and a huge garage of cars in Madras, including Rolls Royces
and a Bentley. But the abolition of zamindaries by the Government of India,
removed all sources of their wealth and today, the former Sethupatis are just
well-known prominent magnates of Tamil Nadu.
