On July 16, 1902 - a vision became a reality in Kochi !
On July 16, 1902 - a vision became a reality in Kochi !
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The vision called Kochi Railway line, and its visionary, its dreamer, its achiever - H.H Rama Varma XV Maharaja of Kochi.
In 1861, the Britishers introduced the first railway line in Kerala : the Beypore-Tirur line which later extended upto Podanur near Coimbatore by 1862 which connected to Madras. It was a huge wonder in those days to see a train chugging on a railway carrying huge number of passengers and goods at a time.
One among them was a 12 year old prince from the Kochi Royal family, who loved to see a train chugging in his Kingdom. As he grew, his passion for a rapid transit grew up with him. But why should Britishers invest in a train for a relatively small kingdom like Kochi ?
In 1892, he became the Crown Prince of Kochi. Armed with a proposal, he met the Governor of Madras, Ferdick Nicholson, to start a line from Shoranur, the border town between Kochi and Malabar kingdoms, to Kochi. The British engineers and economists laughed at the proposal and the governor out-rightly rejected the prince's proposal, calling it amateurish and nonviable for economic reasons, even prima facie.
The Prince returned back to Thrissur with a heavy heart. Next three years, he dedicated his life in drafting a proposal and economic turnaround plan, that eventually turned the city's fortunes.
In 1895, he was crowned as the King of Kochi. He immediately appointed P. Rajagopalchari who was very influential in British circles, as his diwan. To everyone's surprise, in 1895 Kochi Durbar, the new King announced that the state of Kochi will own and draw a new line from Shoranur to Cochin, using the state's own funds.
It was most amusing to all. A state with a Rs 2 lakh annual Budget financing a Rs 44 Lakh worth project !. The Britishers called the king a lunatic and an idiot, though Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India had something else to say. Curzon felt the King was challenging the British indirectly and he asked the Madras Governor to accept the challenge, by asking the Madras Railway to work on the project with finances from Kochi state.
The project DPR was prepared and plans was laid. It would cost exactly Rs 44 lakhs. But to the surprise of all, in the 1896 meeting called by the Madras Governor asking the King to explain how he will finance it, the King presented an audited Balance sheet of Kochi Kingdom with a surplus of EXACTLY Rs 44 LAKHS in state treasury !
How did a kingdom with a little more than Rs. 2 lakh as reserve in budget, show a surplus of 44 lakhs within a year?
It was the sheer determination of a leader who was ready to have a vision and to work for his passions. The King sold his 11 sacred crowns, half of Hill Palaces Gold reserves, used up entire Temple gold treasures and on top the 14 sacred Golden Caparisons of Palace Elephants of Tripunithura Temple, leaving back only one. The Travancore Kingdom gifted 62 acres of land, for the rail line that would pass via its enclaves in Edappally and Angamally. The heroic story (history) does not end here. There was a shortage of Rs.13 Lakhs still.
For this, the King of the 19th century era used the buzzword of the 21st century pretty well - Public-Private Participation (PPP). The King called up Kochi's businessmen and asked them to contribute as much as they can. The King, being a role model by putting all his personal reserves into the project, inspired many businessmen to take Government Papers and Bonds. Every Temple in the Kochi state was asked to contribute to the finance of the project by subscribing to Government Paper. As a token, the King's Consort Neytharamma gave 300 sovereigns of Gold in public, which made a psychological effect on several Palace ladies and nobles to give up gold.
In short, within a year from the King's Announcement in 1895, a funding of 44 lakhs was collected. The Britishers were amazed at the skills of the King to make such a widespread funding for the project and sanction was duly accorded in 1899 and works started in full swing.
Troubles did not end here. The Britisher suppliers were lagging in the supply of materials, slowly raising the project cost. In addition, the King also was working to develop the Parambikulam Cochin Forest Tramways. The Cochin Treasury suffered terribly. On the eve of Onam of 1900, there was money enough for just 2 days left in the state treasury.
The King went to work in full force again. He abolished the privy purse to all Male Princes in the Kochi Kingdom, thus saving around Rs 3.5 Lakh from the Royal Household provisions. The money was put in again. The payment in gold to Lady members of Royal Household as allowance (known as Uthradakizhi) was stopped. Rather a sum of Rs 100 and new clothes were paid instead. The Palace asked its staff to have their Onam feast at the Palace itself, rather than issuing Onam Allowances to all, saving more than a lakh of rupees.
And once again, the King went to the Tripunithara Temple, to open up the remaining treasures and raised the balance amount of 20 Lakh Rs for funding.
Sensing that the Britishers were delaying in issue of rolling stock and a few stretches of line, the King directly contacted the German Political agent for supply of the same. The Germans who were assisting the King in building the Parambikulam Tramway project supplied the remaining tracks, rolling stock and signals and avoided another issue of project over-run.
The issue never ended there. Just before eve of final completion of the project, there was a shortage of another Rs 3.42 Lakhs. The Britishers were sure that the King could never raise the same.... However, to their surprise for the umpteenth time, the King raised it by taking a Loan from the Chidambaram Temple Authorities in Tamil Nadu.
By 1902, the line was finally ready.
The King also completed his state Mansion near the Railway station to view the first train chugging into Kochi (the Old High Court Bldg), and that happened on June 2nd 1902, when German Made Ivse Steamer chugging into Ernakulam Terminus. The Passenger traffic started on July 16th 1902, with the King and his wife as first passengers.
Kochi got a new line and new impetus for growth. More business travellers flocked into the erstwhile port town and there was one man who stepped out into Ernakulam Terminus on a morning of 1918 July who was meant to change Kochi's destiny forever - Sir Robert Bristow, the maker of Modern Kochi Port. What happened afterwards is History and the story of how Kochi became the state's commercial capital and today one of India's fastest growing cities.
The ability to envision for growth of a region for next 100 years is a rare trait for a political leader, but it is that which makes a statesman. And that vision made Kochi to grow from a merchant town into one of most bustling port metropolises in the land. His achievement is sung on regular basis and it is the growth of the city which still inspires everyone to dream big even without resources at hand.
But when his dream lies covered in weeds today, it also does expose our lack of knowledge about our own history.
