Ravi Varman Thampi, better known as Irayimman Thampi, was a Carnatic musician as well as a music composer from Travancore, India.
Background
He was born in 1783 to Kerala Varma Thampuran, of the royal family of Cherthala, and Parvathi Pillai Thankachi of the Puthumana Ammaveedu Thampi family, daughter of Prince Makayiram Thirunal Ravi Varma and niece of the Maharajah Dharma Raja of Travancore. His early education was from his father but later he went under the tutorship of Shankaran Elayathu in grammar, linguistics and Sanskrit literature.
Career
He was a vocalist in the court of Swathi Thirunal. His compositions include the lullaby Omanathinkal Kidavo. (Prince Makayiram Thirunal was the younger brother of Dharma Raja).
His name was popularised as Irayimman Thampi.
He wrote his first poem when he was 14 and dedicated it to Karthika Thirunal Dharma Raja of Travancore. Thereafter he occupied an enviable position in the Travancore court.
Another daughter of Thampi was married by Sri Narayanan Thampi of Arumana, son of Maharajah Visakham Thirunal. Irayimman Thampi was already thirty one years of age when Swathi Thirunal Maharajah was born.
Irayimman Thampi wrote the lullaby Omanathinkal Kidavo for Swathi Thirunal.
He died in 1856. Swathi Thirunal referred to Ravi Varman Thampi as Thampi maman (uncle Thampi). He had the occasion to write a lullaby for Swathi Thirunal and ironically also wrote a charama sloka for Swathi in 1848.