She therefore held a very special place in the Travancore court, superior to the Maharaja's wives, and was termed the Rani of Attingal in her own right.

In 2013, her only surviving son duly succeeded his uncles as titular Maharaja of Travancore and is known as Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma.

Born as the only daughter of Queen Mother Sethu Parvathi Bayi and Sri Ravi Varma Koyi Thampuran of Kilimanoor, she married Lt. Col. G. V. Raja.

According to Oneindia online daily she was a witness to major events in pre-independent and independent India, was an accomplished dancer, singer and a linguist as well.

She was born as the only daughter of Sanskrit scholar and aristocrat Sri Pooram Nal Ravi Varma Kochu Kovil Tampuran of Kilimanoor Kovilakam and Amma Maharani Moolam Thirunal Sethu Parvathi Bayi of Travancore, on 17 September 1916, in the matrilineal Royal House of Travancore.

Recognizing her interests, her elder brother, Maharajah Sree Chithira Thirunal, appointed Harikeshanelloor Muthaiyya Bhagavathar as her music teacher.

The Maharajah felt that it was fine to make a different choice so as to find a suitable spouse for his sister and for the first time chose a bridegroom from the Poonjar Royal House.