Travancore

The Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævəŋkɔər/; Malayalam: തിരുവിതാംകൂർ, tiruvitāṁkūr ? ) was a former Hindu feudal kingdom (till 1858) and Indian princely state that had been ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from the capital at Padmanabhapuram or Thiruvananthapuram. The Kingdom of Travancore at its zenith comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of Tamil Nadu. The official flag of the state was red with a dextrally-coiled silver conch shell (Turbinella pyrum) at its centre. The king of the state was accorded 19-gun salute, the second highest among the honorary gun salutes that were granted by the British Empire to honour the heads of the princely states. The state government took many progressive steps in the socioeconomic front and the state was one among the best of princely states, with reputed achievements in education, political administration, public work and social reforms.