⚔️ The King Who Defeated the Dutch – Raghu & Pushpa Palat on Raja Marthanda Varma and Travancore’s Forgotten Legacy 👑

Raja Marthanda Varma was the only Indian ruler to defeat a European power — ending the Dutch ambitions to colonize India.
Yet, his story rarely finds space in Indian textbooks.

In this insightful conversation, authors Raghu and Pushpa Palat join Roshan Cariappa to rediscover the Travancore king who reshaped Kerala’s destiny — a man who built one of India’s most prosperous states, and then surrendered it all to God.

This episode unpacks the life of a ruler who combined courage, strategy, and devotion — and left behind a civilizational example of leadership grounded in humility.

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⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Intro
01:00 – Why Marthanda Varma Still Matters (And Why We Forgot Him)
05:00 – From Hunted Prince to Reformer King of Travancore
09:00 – Faith and Statecraft – Building a Kingdom with Devotion
14:00 – The Battle of Colachel – India’s Victory Over the Dutch ⚔️
19:00 – Prosperity and Reform – Trade, Pepper & Modern Governance
25:00 – The Surrender to Padmanabhaswamy – A King Who Became a Servant
32:00 – Legacy & Memory – Why Kerala’s Greatest Story Must Be Retold

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📚 About the Guests
Raghu & Pushpa Palat are authors and historians who bring India’s forgotten stories to light. Their acclaimed book, God’s Own Empire: The Story of Travancore and the Kings Who Built It, tells the extraordinary life of Raja Marthanda Varma — the king who defeated the Dutch and offered his kingdom to Lord Padmanabhaswamy.

📖 Buy their book: https://www.amazon.in/Gods-Own-Empire-Extraordinary-Travancore/dp/0143471589

📸 Follow Raghu & Pushpa Palat:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/raghupalat/
https://www.instagram.com/palatpushpa/
https://www.instagram.com/palatbooks/

Twitter/X – https://x.com/raghupalat
https://x.com/pushpapalat

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👤 Follow the Host – Roshan Cariappa:
Twitter/X – https://x.com/RoshanCariappa
Instagram – https://instagram.com/carygottheblues