 Her mother belonged to a branch of the Kolathunad Royal Family that had settled in Travancore towards the end of the 18th century and was one of daughters of the artist Raja Ravi Varma.The Mavelikara family was closely associated with the Travancore Royal Family as Mahaprabha's and sister Thiruvathira Nal Bhagirathi Bayi Uma Kochukunji's direct aunts, Senior Maharani Lakshmi Bayi and Junior Maharani Parvathi Bayi had been adopted and installed as the Maharanis of Travancore in 1858.This adoption, which was the 6th in the Travancore House, was without results as the Senior Rani Lakshmi Bayi, who was married to Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran was childless while the Junior Maharani Parvathi Bayi had only sons.