Regal, but not detached

Regal, but not detached

If you were to assume that Royalty is your license to aloofness, you wouldn’t be too far off the track. One look at the Royalty globally, and you would see the distance they maintain from the common man and his daily problems. It is an unwritten rule that the Royalty stays away from the general populace and has hardly a word to say in affairs that matter most to the people around. This is especially true in countries that follow a democratic system with Royalty as just the figureheads.

However if there is one erstwhile kingdom, which is in total contradiction to this it is the Royal Family of Travancore. Even as the rulers of a princely state, the then Maharaja of Travancore and other members of this family, were never at an unreachable distance from the commonest of commons. They had devised a one of its kind method to cut the distance between them and their subjects by submitting their Kingdom to the Supreme Lord, Sree Padmanabha, and maintaining that they themselves were only Daasas (Obedient Servants) of the Divine Emperor. This they have maintained even after India attained independence and Travancore State became part of the Union of India.

Hence it comes as no surprise to see members of this family actively participate in matters of common good, and mingling with everyone at common centers. One of the prime example of this is HRH Pooyam Thirunal Gowri Parvathy Bayi.  There are a few qualities that keep her firmly, in the hearts of everyone she meets and interacts.

Ease of approach is one of the most important factors that make a person dear to others. To a populace, exposed to the intricate protocols of contact so called persons of importance, the fact that Her Highness can be called directly on her phone, and gets a prompt response, comes as a breathe as fresh breath. There are no airs of unreachability. The polite greeting and responses with humility can even take your breathe away. For people used to pompous behavior from even the little bigs, this comes as a pleasant surprise.

It does not end with politeness and humble responses. Her Highness has an active interest in all matters that concern her people. And unlike the barrage of hollow words and promises, which your social leaders have for you, Her Highness has an open ear for your concerns and suggestions. In short she listens as much or more than she speaks. And when she does speak, she does so only with complete knowledge of what she speaks of.

But most importantly is her willingness to come out into the hot sun and be an active participant in things that need attention.

He humble demeanor and willingness to hear you out, even the youngest, makes any audience with her an absolute pleasure. These interactions are likely to have results as it ensures everyone participation and takes input from all. It will be more a conversation than an elocution. It may be a great idea f the powers that be take a leaf out of her book.

Finally, it is her genuine interest in most a matters that make her participation important. Unlike the uninterested participation of our social figure to appease people, she take active interest in most matters of public concern. In short there are no pretenses, what you see is what you get.

As someone who had the fortune of her participation in a great many programs, I feel proud of my acquaintance with her. Her Royalty manifest itself not in airs but in actual involvement in matter that concern the poorest of poor. Her love for the Earth the mother of all, is a concept we would all benefit by taking a leaf out of. And it is with same softness that she approaches society. Swasthi Foundation has benefitted from her advice and involvement in all our project and we proudly boast of Her Patronage. The value of the time she offered us on all our endeavors is priceless.

Your Royal Highness, you surely light a pathway that many of those around would do well to follow.