Iravivarman Thampi, better known as Irayimman Thampi (1782 October 12 – 1856 July 29), was an Indian Carnatic musician, music composer and poet from the Kingdom of Travancore. He was a vocalist in the court of Swathi Thirunal. His compositions include the lullaby Omanathinkal Kidavo, one of the most popular lullabies in Malayalam.
Irayimman Thampi, named Iravivarman Thampi after his grandfather, was born in 1782[1] at Kottakkakom Kizhake Madom, in Karamana, Travancore to Kerala Varma Thampuran, of the royal family of Cherthala, and Parvathi Pillai Thankachi of the Puthumana AmmaveeduThampi family, the daughter of Prince Makayiram Thirunal Ravi Varma and niece of the Maharajah Dharma RajaofTravancore royal family.[2][note 1] Thampi was brought up by his parents at a house called Kizhake Madom and after early education from his father, he went under the tutorship of Shankaran Elayathu in grammar, linguistics and Sanskrit literature.[3] He dedicated his first poem, written at the age of 14, to Karthika Thirunal Dharma Raja of Travancore which earned him a notable position in the Travancore court,[4] enjoying the patronage of four kings viz. Dharmaraja, Balarama Varma, Swathi Thirunal and Uthram Thirunal as well as two queens, Gouri Parvathy Bai and Gouri Lakshmi Bai.[5]
Irayiman Thampi married Kali Pillai Thankachi, daughter of his maternal uncle Puthumana Krishnan Thampi, and the couple had had seven children[note 2] including a daughter, Lakshmi Kutty Pillai Thankachi, better known as Kutty Kunju Thankachi (1820–1914), who continued her father's artistic and poetic legacy.[6] Another daughter of Thampi was married to Sri Narayanan Thampi of Arumana, son of Maharajah Visakham Thirunal. Irayimman Thampi was already thirty one years of age when Swathi Thirunal was born, but outlived him for a decade. It was for putting Swathi Thirunal to sleep, when he was a baby, Irayimman Thampi wrote the lullaby Omanathinkal Kidavo, which went on to become one of the most popular lullabies in Malayalam language.[7]
