THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Travancore royal family member Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bhai said that she was surprised when heard about the Padma Shri.. While talking to Kaumudy TV, she said that it was unexpected and that she had no hints about it.

‘She said women in the palace had never thought of going to work. I don't know if the children of today have this thought. A job is not required. Why do we have to work under someone, there is no need for that. Not that it's bad. We never thought about it then, she said.

She also responded to the question over the debate on social media calling her a thampuratty. I’m a member of the Kshatriya community. I am happy to say that I belong to the Kshatriya community. In our community, we are addressed as Thampuran and Thampuratty. There is no specialty of the royal family, it is commonly called like that. People sometimes call us Thampuran instead of Thampuratty. In Kowdiar itself, people call us Aswathi Thirunal Thampuran and not as Thampuratty. When we go outside, they call us Thampuratty. That's our moniker. These people forget the rest of our names. There are so many caste names, this is just the moniker. How many caste names like Nair, Pillai, Menon, Namboothiri, Iyer, Namboothiripad are there? Isn't all this the caste name? There is no problem with that, she said.

She also responded on the remark in connection with menstruation. 'The topic of discussion at a seminar was Sabarimala. Talked about women’s issue. My opinion was asked and I opined on it. I have heard many things about its purity and chemical reactions. By God’s grace did not utter a word about the other thing. There is another thing. We grew hearing about it. The Hindu community in India knows that Tulsi is sacred. Never pour water into it during menstruation time. It is a ritual. Not my personal invention. Someone then said that they water the plant at this time and there was no problem. Let them pour water. I said what we heard while growing. It is their choice to accept or not to accept. Tulsi is sacred, she clarified.

Aswathi Thirunal also said that in another birth, that she wants to be like the tender wind blowing around Sree Padmanabha. 'First an application was sent to the lord requesting the desire to be born as a tulsi kathir (spike). So not Padmanabha Swamy's thripadam, but specific as tulsi in Sree Padmanabha Swamy's Thripadam inside the fort in Thiruvananthapuram. One day I thought, if there is no nirmalyam, then tulsi will also be not there. The idol there is kadusharkkara and so there is no abhishekam and it could not be done on the moolavigraha. Nirmalyam is removed by gently sweeping with a peacock feather. It will then go away. Changed mind easily. Redrafted and then sent the next application. I'm backing away from that tulsi. I don't want tulsi, if made a tender wind then can walk around the place like this all the time. Should be born as a tender wind. That's where it stands now and there is no change,’ she said.