original_query: What is the history of the Travancore royal family?
query: What is the history of the Travancore royal family?
answer: The Travancore royal family, also known as Kupaka Swaroopam, etc., ruled the Kingdom of Travancore until 1949.  Their origins are debated, with legends connecting them to ancient kings, the Chera dynasty, and even Parashurama.  Key figures include Marthanda Varma, who consolidated power, and Swathi Thirunal, a popular 19th-century ruler.  The family followed matrilineal inheritance (Marumakkathayam), often adopting princesses from the Kolathiri dynasty.  Their privileges were abolished in 1971, but the family remains, with Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma as the current head.