The Communist Princes of Cochin Royal Family | Ft. Prasanna Varma | SAGA with Manu S Pillai | Ep 3

The third episode takes us into one of Kerala’s most fascinating and lesser-discussed histories—the royal family of Cochin. This was a dynasty where princes became communists, princesses spun khadi in response to Mahatma Gandhi’s call, and matriliny shaped complex and intimate domestic worlds.

Manu S Pillai is joined by Prasanna Varma, a literary translator whose father and husband both belong to the Cochin royal family. Through personal anecdotes and historical insight, the episode explores how ideology, caste, gender, and politics intersected within a royal household—quietly challenging our assumptions about power, privilege, and rebellion.