[citation needed] Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman was born on 26 November 1875 to Princess Brihadambal Rajammani Sahib of Pudukkottai and her husband M.R.Ry.

Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman was, therefore, crowned king at the age of eleven with a regency headed by the Diwan, A. Seshayya Sastri governing the state in his minority.

[2] Martanda assumed the reins of the government on 27 November 1894 when he attained majority and was invested with full powers by Lord Wenlock, the Governor of Madras, himself.

[4] The Manovarti jagir consisted of four villages which had been designated by Vijaya Raghunatha Tondaiman in the early 19th century as the private property of his three wives.

[5] Martanda was made a Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire in the 1913 New Year Honours' List.

[citation needed] In March 1915, Martanda travelled to Australia where he met Australian socialite Molly Fink at Hotel Majestic Mansions in Melbourne.

[1] In 1921, Martanda formally gave up his claim to the throne of Pudukkottai and nominated his brother Raghunatha Pallavarayar to rule the state in his absence.