Controversy on (Hon.) Lt. Col. Mohanlal's Royal Salute

Sitting Left to Right:-
Lt.Col. Padmasree Bharat Mohanlal.

His Highness Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma the Maharaja of Travancore.

Gowri & Prabha the twin daughters of Avittom Thirunal Aditya Varma, younger son of the Junior Princess of Travancore

Pooyam Thirunal Gowri Parvathy Bayi,The Senior Princess of Travancore .

Mohanlal's mother.

Standing Left to Right:-

Avittom Thirunal Aditya Varma, younger son of the Junior Princess of Travancore, Aswathy Thirunal Gouri Lakshmy Bayi.

Manya Rajya RajyaSree Chathayam Naal Raja Raja Varma Valiyal Koil Thampuran Avergal of Chemprol Kottaram, Consort of the Senior Princess of Travancore Pooyam Thirunal Gowri Parvathy Bayi.

his younger son Aswathy Thirunal Rama Varma, well known singer.

Sree Padmanabhan Thampi, son of His Highness the Maharaja Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma.

On 1st August 2009 a letter to the Editor, written by a Professor of History was published in the 'Deepika' the oldest Malayalam daily (Estd. in1887) criticising Mohanlal for visiting Kaudiar palace in full uniform of Lt. Col Territorial Army, Madras Regiment and saluting HH. The Maharaja of Travancore terming it as undemocratic, unconstitutional and born out of colonial hangover. The letter is reproduced below. Click on it to enlarge and read.

On reading the above I wrote a reply letter to the Editor which was published on Sunday 9th August 2009. It is reproduced below. There is nothing neither undemocratic nor unconstitutional in Lt. Col. Mohanlal paying respects to a higher ranking officer of his regiment as His Highness Sree Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma the present head of the Travancore Royal family is a Honorary Colonel in the Madras regiment. In fact the FOC-in-C Southern Naval command and Southern Air command as well as the Police DGP customarily drop in at Kaudiar Palace when paying a visit to the city for the first time. Click on the picture to enlarge and read.

It is a historic fact that two Travancore infantry battalions were integrated into Madras regiment after the states merged with the Indian union and were called 9th (Travancore) and 16th (Travancore) battalions of the Madras regiment.