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Paolino Bartolomeo and Karthika Tirunal Rama Varma Rajah (Dharma Rajah) of Travancore.

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Filip Vezdin or Bartholomeo a portrait from 1793 M ost of the information we have presently of our past are derived through the writings of travelers from abroad who visited our country from various times. The Europeans at large had the uncanny ability to record history as it unfolded before their eyes. They were also very meticulous in the details so that we are able to understand about various customs of ours as our forefathers practiced it. Missionaries like Samuel Mateer, Visscher, Spencer and Bartolomeo who visited Travancore wrote not only about the missionary work but also about the customs of the natives, the flora and fauna, Indian music, local governance and about the industries. Though we could find many a mistake in their observations and most often may disagree vociferously about many, we must admit that these were written out of their perspective and conviction and as such need to be respected. In this context, probably out of my limited scholarship in historical matter