_Crossposted from [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/TamilNadu/s/l2C0eVigpj)_

This is a picture of Travancore princess Aswathi Thirunal celebrating Udayasthamana puja with the descendants of Pon Pandya Thevar of the Maravar cavalry who led the Travancore forces to victory in the Battle of Colachel against the Dutch. [3]

While the native Nair foot militia was unfamiliar with cavalry warfare (in the wars against Hyder Ali it was recorded that a single horseman could make a 100 armed Nairs flee) [1] the Mukkulathor (Thevar, Maravar and Kallar caste confederacy) of the neighboring Madurai region were famous for their horsemanship. [2]

Raja Rama Varma & Martanda Varma of the Kingdom of Travancore recruited Maravar horsemen from Madurai to defeat the neighboring Pillamar kings and the Dutch forces. These were key victories that helped establish the Kingdom of Travancore. [3]

**References**

[1] A History of Kerala, 1498-1801 by Kavalam Madhava Panikkar. Page 339. https://archive.org/details/dli.jZY9lup2kZl6TuXGlZQdjZU9l0Yy/page/339/mode/1up

[2] Political History of Carnatic Under the Nawabs by N. S. Ramaswami. 1984. Page 44-45 https://archive.org/details/politicalhistory0000nsra/page/n12/mode/1up

[3] The Kulasekhara Perumals of Travancore history and state formation in Travancore from 1671 to 1758 by Mark de Lannoy https://archive.org/details/2348448920908238

The martial role of Maravar cavalry in Travancore history is underrated.