A REV I SED

AN D

EN LARGED ACCO UNT

O F T H E BOBBI LI ZEIVI I N DARI ,

CO M PI LE D BY

M A HA - RAJ AH SA H E B M E H A R BAN - I - DO STA N

MAHA- RAJAH SR I RAO SI R V E N KATA SWETAC HA LA PATI

K C I E . N G - RAO B H D U R . RA A A A , ,

B B MA HARAJ AH O F BO I L I .

SECO N D ED I TI O N .

M A D R AS

PR I NTE D BY AD D I SO N 6: CO .

P R E F A C E .

( F I R S T E D I T I O N ) .

H E “ T compiler of the Bobbili Zemindari , 1 889 which was publ ished i n , made a

gross mistake as to the Founder o f the Sama sth an am n t o ; and subseque t its publication , some more records and further accounts

have been obtained from several sources .

I t o have , therefore , undertaken write this

Revised and Enlarged History o f the

Zemindari , and it took m e more than a year

t o identify the Founder of the Sam asth an am .

R . B O B B I L I . . , V S ,

66 71 1 9 0 8 0 2 . 0 .

This Second Edition published in 1 907

brings the History of the S am asth an am up to

date .

R . V . S . ,

B o bb i/1 .

BOBBI LI ZEMI NDARI .

4 4 4 4 4 4

HI S is one o f the most ancient Zemin

d aries in India . It is included in the

Vizagapatam District, Madras Presidency , and h possesses a very interestin g istory . It is N to . situated in lat . , long . 83 1 0 E . to , is surrounded by the

Chi u ru alli G a a atin a a British taluks of p p , j p g

Pal c o n d a an d hicaco l e ram , Salur, Parvatipur, C , and consists of the Pergunnahs (Tanas) o f

K av ite Bobbili , Raj am , y and Sitanagaram , and each is under the charge of an officer called Ameen . The ancient Zemindari is

300 e e about squar mil s in area , and contains 2

1 39 ero ati 53 A rah arams 5 J y villages, g , and i R 436 800 M o kh asas . s s . Its revenue about , , includin g the v al ie o f ut garces of l é

n i s i fg t a d . e sh paddy , which is p kind The p

.

- R . 83 65 1 R 30 2 s s . 83 . cush is , and the land cess , There are about tenants with pattas or

leases . The average rate of rent per acre of R 7 R 2 s . d r s . wet lan d is % , and of y land .

2 41 in am s There are about , which yield R 1 8 50 1 V lam s . e a annually , enj oyed by Doras , R 4896 2 43 in am s s . yieldin g , enj oyed by

D esasth ul u - 643 Akarams and hill peons , an d 8 2 4 R s . 3 6 yieldin g , enj oyed by the ryots . All the above imams are given from J e ro yati lands A and are held o n service tenure . s a rule

so n they descend from father to , subj ect to f the will and pleasure o the raj a . The p o p u

lation , which is about entirely Telu gu Hindu ,

to o f 1 88 1 is accordin g the census , 1 89 1 according to that of , and

to 1 90 1 accordin g that of . The estate is well supplied with tanks and irrigation 3

th e channels , former numberin g about The irrigation chan nels are mostly con nected

an h av ati V e av ati with the rivers J j , g an d

N a av ali r . g , which run through the Zeminda i

The principal wet crops are rice an d sugar.

cane . The dry crops are ragi , gingelly , oil

e- - - seeds, hors gram , red gram , green gram ,

- & c . black gram , tobacco , The followin g estates and other villages an d lands have been eventually purchased and added to the

Samasth an am .

1 Tumm l An n amra . a a a u et a p , j p and six other villages leased to the Vizia n agaram — Zemindari . The annual rent of this Hunda is R 2 2 4 s . 95 , .

2 . K arakav al asa Mul a av al asa and g estates . — e 3 R s . 3 1 1 2 The annual rent of th se estates is ,

- eish cush R s . 7 992 R 2 1 s . 60 p , , and land cess , .

ero ati e 53 The j y and other villag s number , and the number of p attad ars is The population accordin g t o t h e census of 1 90 1 is 4

3 Pe a en ki . d p Hunda and certain villages and lands situated in and about the ancient

— Zemindari . The an nual rent of this portion R 47 482 is s . , includin g the rent in kind ,

2 2 - R 2 9 2 9 3 s . 0 . eish cu sh R s . p , , and land cess ,

The j ero yati and other villages are 2 4 in 8 2 o f 9 . number , and the number tenants is

The population ac c ording to the census of 1 90 1 is

4 Siri u ram o f . p Thana consistin g portions

K irl am u di Are m u d i m of p , p , Rayavara and

D an t am u r G o d av er i Estates , all situated in the — i Distric t . The annual rent of this Than a s

h h R 1 8 1 1 6 - 85 3 4 e is cu s s . R s . 6 , , p , , and land cess

492 7 ero ati R s . , The j y and other villages are

1 8 n attad ars in number, while the umber of p 5 1 is 6 . The population of this Thana (census 1 90 1 ) is

Thiru vu r t th e 5 . Thana si uated in Chin gle

— n i R 2 s s . 6 403 put District The a nual rent , ,

i h h R 7 7 90 - R e s cu s s . s . 1 2 34 p , , and land cess , . 5

‘ The number o f j ero yati and other villages is

1 2 an d o f attad ars , that the p Th e population (census 1 90 1 ) is

The annual rent of the villages and oth er lands which were presented to the temples at Bobbili and Sitarampur by the former Rajas of m R 30 668 Sa asth an am s . . the is , Th e number

at tad ars 490 of p is .

The total a n nual income of the Sam asth an am and o f the other estates eventually bought amounts at present to about The total population livin g within the limits of the ancient Zemindari and the Estates added to the Zemindari excludin g the first item is

to 1 90 1 accordin g the census of . The total number o f tenants is

o f The chief town is Bobbili , the residence the

° ' 1 8 34- N - . . . . E Maharajah Lat , lon g . It

7 0 - is about miles north west of Vizagapatam . ff . . w h o Sir M E Grant Du , visited Bobbili in

1 883 as - , describes it a clean and well kept 6

w town , furnished ith all the appliances of

— An glo - In dian civilisation schools , hospitals — and what n o t all within a walk o f the remains

1 2 6 e a o o f the Old Fort , where y ars g was enacted one of the most ghastly stories which

” even I ndian History has to record .

The population o f the town with its suburbs

- Mal l amma ettah Gollapalli , Pata Bobbili and p , 1 89 1 accordin g to the census of , is of

333 Muh am this number are Hindus, 0 m ad an s 6 . , and Christians And again the 1 90 1 population , accordin g to the census of , is u of this n mber are Hindus , 333 59 Muhammadans , and Christians . There

is a Canadian Baptist M ission i n the town .

’ ’ This M ission maintains a Girls School . There is also a Roman Catholic Chapel with a small

con gregation .

There are a Vishnu and a Siva te mple ; the other public inst itutions are —The Sub

’ e f e- the Magistrat s O fice , the Polic station , 7

’ - f Sub Registrar s O fice , the Post and Telegraph f O fice , the Local Fund Dispensary , the Sama th an am Samasth an am s Gosha Hospital , the

f Samasth an am O fices , the High School , Sri

’ Maharani Caste Girls School , the Victoria

’ Town Hall , the Maharaj ah s Chattram , the

’ Samasth an am Poor House , and the Travellers

Bungalow for Europeans . There is also a Local Fund U nion or Panchayet subordinate

Farvati r to the pu Taluk Board . The town is

- supplied with drinkin g water by four tanks , which are situated on the four sides of the town .

The weavin g of cloths and the manufacture of brass and bell - metal articles are the chief

o n industries carried .

The Bobbili family belon gs to th e tribe

V el ama w h o d known as Doras , (accor in g to Orme) “ esteem themselves the highest blood

t o a of Native Indians next the Br hmins , equal

- e e to the Raj puts , and support this pre emi n nc 8

se by the haughtiest Ob rvances , insomuch that f the breath of a di ferent religion , and even of

” the meaner I ndians, requires ablution . The m en are u - u of this race , as a r le , well b ilt and o f a warlike disposition . They are proverbi

so so ally haughty , much that they are not known to serve any but the chiefs o f their own

o f caste . Most them are very backward in

education and full of prej udices . Th ey are very darin g and reckless o f life when th eir feel

in gs are hurt, or when anythin g happens to ff o end their notions of respect . The gallantry

—R ao shown by Raj ah Ran ga an d his followers, who consisted o f V el am a Doras and D esastu l u

Tal a as ( g ) , in the memorable siege of Bobbili i n

1 7 58 o n , made such a deep impression the Hindus that it has been commemorated in ballads which are sun g to this day by wander

n a ing mi strels in many p rts of the Presidency .

“ ” A Prab an dh a called Ran ga Raya Ch aritra

(History of Ranga- Rao) contains a description h of t e battle of Bobbili . 9

The following isa brief sketch of the import ant events in the lives of the successive Raj ahs f o Bobbili . It must be mentioned that in consequence o f the destruction of th e Bobbili 1 7 58 Fort in , and the anarchy which followed

that destruction , there were hardly any records from which sufficient information regardin g some of the Raj ahs could be gathered .

TH ND F TH SAMASTHA A E FOU E R O E N M.

Sam asth an am As regards the founder of the , the genealogies given in those Prab an d h am s that have been composed by the members o f th e family , or are dedicated to them by poets , the history of the Zemindari compiled by th e

’ R an an a k . a u l u late G g y , Carmichael s District

S am asth an am Manual , an d the records , all

e ff th se di er from one another . I now , there

t o t he f fore, propose examine dif erent accounts , and to show who is the real founder o f the

Bobbili family. 2 1 0

Pr ab an dh ams The referred to above , all

An i o t amu l u s a begin with the ancestor p , and y that Lin gapp a Ran ga- Rao built the fort and

o f town Bobbili . It is from the latter that they trace the genealogy of the successive

generations .

The Prab an d ham s are th e followin g

“ 1 K sh e tra M ah atm am ( ) Sree Kurma y ,

m K ri t n a m a a ee co posed by K . Venkata s So y j and dedicat ed to Raj ah R ayad app a Ran ga

Rao .

2 San k al a Su r o d a am ( ) p y y , composed

R a a a a - by Raj ah v d pp Ran g a Rao .

“ 3 Pra ad a n a Pari atam ( ) p j , composed by

K o th an d aram a a K . yy and dedicated to Raj ah

l i - R a Sw eth ac h a ap at Ran ga o .

(4) Hari Bhakti Su dh o d ayam and

Mitrav in d a arin a am p y , both composed by

an ard an a - so n Raj ah J Ranga Rao , the second of

R a ad a a - Raj ah y p p Ran ga Rao . 1 1

o f I n his history the Bobbili Zemindari , R G . an g a n ayaku l u says that R aj a h Dharma

R ao S am ast h a n a was the founder of the m .

H e fi nds this stated in some of the records o f

Samasth an am the , to which much weight

. must apparently be attached But this cannot,

c for the followin g reasons , be a cepted as true .

1 5th 1 82 1 I n his letter, dated the December, , E . s . A j Smith , q , the then Collector and gent

l o f of Vizagapatam , in askin g the then Raj ah

R a ad a a Bobbili , y pp for his opinion on some matters then under the consideration of the

Government , such as the entrustin g of the

t o police administration the Zemindars , and the making o f all the Zemindaries inalienable

c a under ertain conditions , inquired of the R j ah w h o the founder of the S am asth an am was and what customs prevailed in the Sama

I n sth an am in the matter of succession . reply

fo to the inquiry about the under, the Rajah 1 2

says that Raj ah Dharma Rao , the grandson

S arva n a Sin am u l u of g y g , a scion of the

Venkatagiri family , was the founder of the

Sam asth an am .

But five years after w ards Raj ah R ayad app a

“ himself composed a book named San kal pa

Su r o d a am s y y , in which he doe not even mention the name of D harma Rao in the

genealogy . On the completion of the book

m o f A he ade a gift an graharam , by a deed

1 3th 1 82 6 dated September, , to a Pandit who

I n a h elped in the task . it he says that R j ah

Lin gapp a Ran ga- Rao was the ancestor that

o f built the town and fort Bobbili , resided there

t and conquered the coun ry as far as Bastar .

He mentions also the names o f An ipo tam u l u

S arv a n a Sin am u l u v ict o ri and g y g as the great, o u s , and learned members of the family before

Rajah L in g app a .

The other four Prab an dh am s also begin

t w o m with the sam e great me bers of the family ,

1 4

- giri , bein g a member of the twenty eighth

generation , comes , therefore , un der the

R a sixteenth generation after Dharma o . If we take this Dharma Rao as the h ead o f the

Bobbili family , there must have been about sixteen generations from him to the present Li Raj ah o f Bobbili . But from Raj ah n g app a w h o Pr ab an d h am s sa , all the y , was the B builder of the fort at obbili , there are only

ten gen erations . Therefore , from all these

R ao circumstances , it seems clear that D harma A could not be the founder of the House . gain ,

a Rao opposite to the n m e of Dharm a , in the

o f ninth generation the Ven katagiri family , it

o n e o f a is written that he is the R vu Varu .

o f Th e families Venkatagiri , Pittapur, Bobbili ,

’ and j etp ro l e (in the Nizam s Dominions) are

B ut n et ro l e all Ravu Varu . Ve katagiri and j p

have , in later years , chan ged their family names fo r the names of the towns where they

settled . All these four families , and many

other families descended from these four, have 1 5

“

via R e ch erl a . the same Gotra , , The Ven katagiri family is not only the first t o whom

the surname Ravu Varu was applied , but is also

D ral the head of th e V el am a o u . The family

was at first called Ravu Varu , but after some

years they lived at Am an agal l u near

Am an a an ti Warangal , and were hence called g

Varu .

Again , the thirteenth generation settled at

Velugodu , and since then to the present day V they have been called e l u go ti Varu . This

o f Dharma Rao , of the ninth generation the

fo r Venkatagiri family , some reason or other

changed his family name fro m Am an ag an ti

Varu for the older name of Ravu Varu o r he

might have become th e founder o f th e Pittapur

r o some other family c alled Ravu Varu . But

we cannot call him the founder o f the Bobbili

fo r o r family ; , if we take this Dharma Rao the Dharma Rao of the t w elfth generation as its

o r founder , we have to add four five more generations to the Bobbili family and to assign 1 6 them some names as well as places fo r them

to live in .

This family nam e Ravu Varu is on e of

is e historical importance , but it not the nam of

a place where the members of the family lived .

I ts origin is this

The M aharaj ah Pratap a Rudra of Waran gal c onferred this name of honour on the family

Ch evi a l ias B h etal a of Reddi Naidu , the foun

S am asth an am der of the Venkatagiri , and also ordered that every V e l am a Dora must have

f I n Ravu added at the end o his name . the

H history o f Padm an ayak a Ch arit ra there is

e a verse in regard to this family nam , which translated runs as follows

w h o w as b e He has the title Rao , which

to his stowed by the kin g , prefixed name , is the ruler and if it is affixed to the name th en it is

l m a a general mark of the V e a caste .

Now l et us s ee who were An ip o tamu lu and

arva n a Sin am u l u w S g y g . They ere none other 1 7 than the An ip o t amu l u and S arv a g n ya Sin ga

V n mulu of the e n k at agiri family . The first o e w as a great warrior, who distin guished himself

e by his valour . He kill d many chiefs in battle and conquered the country as far as th e river

Krishna . It is said that in a sin gle battle h e killed and conquered o n e hundred and one chiefs who had combined together against

in m . S arv a n a S a u l u him The secon d , g y g , was

f r hi w a celebrated o s learnin g . H e s well versed i n many branches of knowledge an d always surrounded himself by pandits and

“ poets . He composed a book called Sin ga

" B h u al ee am p y . He was called S arv ag n ya (one w ho knows every thing) by the people . Though

they were members of the Venkatagiri family ,

o f which was the original lin e Ravu Varu , they were praised in the histories o f Bobbili and

o f o w n Pittapur as the members their families , for the simple reason that they were their

o f ancestors and great reputation . But they

were always me ntio n e d b efore the founders 1 8

of the houses . Their names have also b e come household words in every V e l am a

family .

“ R an an a aku l u o f G . g y , the compiler the

” i Bobbili Zemindari , was altogether m staken

in the view h e took . Followin g the letter written by Rajah R ayad app a Ran ga- Rao to the Col lector , he takes Dharma Rao as the founder of the family , yet strangely puts

An i o t amu l u w h o t o p , belon gs the sixth gener

o f so n ation the Ven katagiri family , as the o f R ao w ho o f Dharma , is the twelfth gener ation in the same genealogy . Again he puts

Sarv ag n y a Sin gam ul u as the great grandson of

R ao to D harma , while accordin g Raj ah Raya

’ d a a s pp letter and the Venkatagiri genealogy ,

Dharma Rao is the grandson o f Sarvag n ya

Sin g am u l u . H e has also added two more

Lin a a —R ao generations before g pp Ranga , thus

showin g more generations i n the line . He had not an v sort of authority t o add these ex tra

generations . 1 9

Note here that Raj ah Lin g app a Ran ga - R ao is mentioned in all the above Pr ab a n dh ams as a resident of Bobbili and the builder o f th e

d o n o t sa fort . But they y he was the founder of the house Then it must be another one

who first acquired this Zemindari .

’ I n Carmichael s District Manual , and also

in the recently published histories , the name of Pedda R ayad u is mentioned as the founder

of the house .

’ 3 a Carmichael s Manual says in para , p ge 2 9 1

TH B BB AM L A E O I LI F I Y ND ESTATE .

‘ ’ V el am a The Zemindar is a Dora , of th e same branch of th e t rib e as the Zemindar of

. I n . 1 652 Venkatagiri in Nellore A D . , an ancestor named Pedda R ayad u entered the district in the train o f the F o u d ar or N aw ab of

c a A Chi acole , Shere Mahammad Kh n . nother

’ retainer of the Khan s w as Pu sapati M ad h ax- a 20

n o f Varma , the a cestor the Vizianagaram

family ; and the rivalry between these tw o

houses dates from this period .

Pedda R ayad u soon distin guished himself

’ by rescuin g the N awab s so n out of the hands of certain rebels whom he defeated with great

‘ ’ slaughter at a place called R an g av aka near

w w Palasa i n Ganj am . The Na ab re arded him with the lease of Raj am H unda in this district

an d gave him the title of Ran ga Row, which

has been borne by all his successors . The new Zemin dar built himself a fort an d petta

‘ to which he gave the name of B eb b u l i h ’ (the royal tiger ) , in onour of his patron s

‘ ’ ‘ ’

. B eb b u l i designation , Shere From the name of the tow n and Zemindari has been

" corrupted into Bobbili .

l n speakin g about the population o f the

n Circars , and after me tion is made of the 1 40 Brahmins , the following occurs on page of the Fifth Report”

2 2

Madras Manual o f the Administration by M . acl ean e 1 . 1 60 Dr says in para , page

SKETCH ACCOUNT OF THE BOBBI LI MI ZE NDARI .

This estate is in Vizagapatam District . It is surrounded by the British t al o o ks o f Gu j ap a tin u er Ch e e o o r u l l Sau l o re Parv ati o re gg , p p y, , p , h Pal co n d a . , and Bobbili It consists of five

B eb b o o l K avite pergun nahs , y , Rajam , and y,

Seetan a aram M etto o ram am o o l u g , and g , and f R 3 5 000 o s . 7 yields to its owner a revenue , , 90 000 R s . per an num . Of this , , is paid to i h h Government as p e s cu s . The estate pos 2 sesses an interestin g history . When in 1 65

o f Sher Mahomed Khan , the Nawab Chicacole , entered the district , he was accompanied

by two men , rivals to each other , one being

Pe dd ara o o do o n y , the a cestor of the present

o f chief Bobbili , and the other the ancestor of the Vizianagaram family ; and from this

tw o time dates the rivalry between the houses . 2 3

Pedd arayo o do o soon after received in reward

for gallantry the estate of Raj am , where he

B eb b o o l built a fort , namin g it y (the royal

’ o f ti ger) , in honor his patron s designation ,

B eb b o o l f Sher (tiger) . From y the name o the town and zemindari has been corrupted into

Bobbili . This estate bordered on V izian ag a

- ram , and the ill feelin g between the chiefs was

c increased by constant confli ts of interest . In

1 7 56 the disorderly behaviour o f the Po l ig ars

M . called for measures of repression , and Bussy marched with a European force to restore

h is order . On reachin g Vizianagaram the

Raj ah assured him that the chief o f Bobbili

to was the instigator of all disturbances , and

o w n testify his loyalty , j oined the French with a force o f men t o assist in crushin g his

rival . Before attackin g the latter, M . Bussy

f fo r o fered the chief a pardon the past , and land of equal value elsewhere , if he would abandon his ancestral estate ; but the offer was

o n refused . The attack the fort of B obbili is 2 4

one of the most memorable in Indian History .

to At daybreak , the field pieces began play

on the mud defences , practicable breaches were at once made , and the assault sounded . A ’ fter four hours desperate fighting, hand to

c o ff han d , Bussy alled his men to allow the A can non to widen the breaches . second assault was then ordered , but with no better results ; fo r not a man had gained footin g within the ramparts when five hours later

Bussy again withdrew t h e stormin g party to f repeat the argument o artillery . The defend

n o w ers recognised their desperate position , and collectin g their wives and families put them to death , and returned to their posts .

The assault soon recommenced ; and when at sunset Bussy entered the fort as victor

o f with the rem nant his army , it was only be c ause every man o f the garrison was dead

u An o l d or desperately wo nded . man ,

however, crept from a hut , and leadin g a child to Buss y presented him as t he son of th e 2 5

e dead chief . Four other men had pres rved their lives ; and two nights later , when the

e Vi zian a garam camp was buried in sleep , th y

’ crept into the Raj ah s tent , and before the sentries had discovered and shot down the

assassins , they had stabbed the Raj ah to death

- tw o . with thirty wounds The child , Chinna

Ranga Row , saved from the slaughter, was invested by Bussy with the chiefship of the l an ds that had been offered to his father ; but

e e re befor he attained his maj ority , his uncl gai n ed by force of arms the former estate of

z Rajam . At last the Vi ianagaram family com promised with their rivals , and leased to them

K av ite the y and Raj am pergunnahs . The old feud , however, again broke out, and the Bobbili ’ 4 chief fled into the Nizam s country . I n 1 7 9 when the Vizianagaram estate was dismem

R o w w as e bered , Chinna Ran ga r stored by the ’ 1 80 1 British to his father s domains , and in a p ermanent settlem e nt was concluded with

’ C o R a ada a hinna Ranga R w s adopted son , y pp , 2 6

R 90 s 000 . at an annual tribute of . , Since then

the peace of the estate has been undisturbed .

R ayad app a was succeeded in 1 830 by his so n

Sw eth ac h e ll a u tt w ho p y , was an excellent 1 862 manager of the property . Dying in ,

Sw eth ac h e ll ap utty was succeeded by Seeth a

o u t ramakrishna , whom he adopted of the family of the Zemindar of Pittapur in the

Se e th aram ak rish n a G o d av eri District . havin g

1 868 i Lakshmee died childless in , his w dow ,

Ch el l e g o o mm a (Ch e l l ayyamma) succeeded

I n 1 87 6 . w as to the estate , the title of Ranee conferred upon her in consideration of her liberality in contributin g garces of paddy t o alleviate the distress durin g the

I n 1 87 1 s h e . th e Ben gal famine , adopted

V e n cat a Sw etach el l a utt present Zemindar, p y, out o f the family of the Zemindar of

V e n cat ag h e rry in the N ellore District .

V e n cat a Sw etach el l apu tty assumed charge of the estate in 1 88 1 on his attaining

” maj ority . 2 7

I n the I mper ial Gaz etteer of I n dia by 2 1 V l I I I . o . W . W . Hunter, , on page , a similar account is given about Bobbili .

Evidently Pedda R ayad u came in 1 652 i n

M o f the train of Sher ahammad Khan , Nawab

M ad h av a Chicacol e . The other chief was

Varma , the ancestor of the Vizianagaram family .

M adh av a Varma and Pedda R aya d u could n o t be common persons coming in the train of

Sher Mahammad Khan t o help him in the con

M a h v querin g of the Circars . d a a Varma was

t o Pusa ad u a said be a chief of p near Kond palli ,

to . close Bezwada At that time , the country

as far as the southern bank o f the River

Krishna was under the Venkatagiri Raj . The then Raj ah of Venkatagiri was N irvana

R a a a a l ias R y pp Pedda ayapp a . He was gener

ally called by the latter name , and must in

all probability be the same Pedda R ayad u w h o

came in the train of Sher Mahammad Khan .

o f y I n the history the Venkatagiri famil , he is

placed in the fifteenth generation of that line . 28

He must have been a great warrior and a distin guished person ; otherwise the name

R ayapp a would n o t have been given to several descendants of th e families of Venkatagiri and

Bobbili . Before him there was not such a

a R a a a name s y pp in the Venkatagiri family .

R a a a o r R a ad u At Bobbili , Pedda y pp Pedda y ,

o f bein g the founder the Raj , his name was given to several descendants of the Bobbili

House , as hereinafter shown in the genealogy .

There are also tw o big tanks that bear his name in the Zemindari , each of them bein g called

” in ri R ayan g a Tank .

From the above circumstances it is pretty clear and certain that Nirvana R ayappa a l ia s

R a a a Pedda y pp , the fifteenth lineal descend ant of the Venkatagiri family , cam e to the Circars i n the train of Nawab Sher Mahammad

Khan , rendered valuable military services to the Mogul Government in conquerin g the

w as Circars , and , in return , granted this

Zemin dari by the Mogul Government .

30

N o w let us see what is said of Pedda

R a a yapp in the Venkatagiri history . On page 2 8 , it runs as follows

I F T E E N T H F GENERATION .

’ Chin a Sin gama Naid a s so n was Nirvana

a l ia s R a a a R ayapp a Naidu Pedda y pp Naidu . This individual defeated the Raj ahs of Velu

o f godu , took possession the fort , and planted his white umbrella thereon . Hence h e obtained th e title o f V e l u g o d u g u Raya V ib hu d u from a descendant and namesake of th e great

Prat a a p Rudra Maharaj ah .

N irvana R ayapp a Naidu was also noted

his for liberality and religious disposition . He w as V ish n ava a strict follower of the sect , and he is also said to have granted away a large number o f houses t o Brahmins on account o f

o n their havin g invoked rain one occasion ,

w as ff when the country su erin g from drought .

“ Poet M all an n a has written a poem called

‘ V k h n m y u n taro a a on his death . 31

SI XTEENTH GENERATION .

R a a a o f Nirvana y pp Naidu had four sons , two o f whom nothin g is known . The de sce n d an ts of the eldest are known only for

is five generations after him , but nothin g known about them .

The third so n Kumara Timm a N aidu

to continued the line . This in dividual is said have ruled his dominions from his capital Velugodu and to have conquered all his

t o enemies . He was also very liberal Brah

” mins and gave them houses and lands .

In the above quotations nothin g is said

’ about Pedda R ayapp a s obtainin g the Bobbili

Raj . But it is said he had four sons , and of the second and the fourth o f these the compiler

An f of the history knows nothin g . d even o th e eldest nothin g is known but th e names of his

descendants for five generations . But nobody

n o t knows why the eldest did succeed his father .

Of the and u h so n second the fo rt , nothing 32

is mentioned in the book . The youn gest or

’ R an a a fourth son s name is g pp ; in Telugu , the letter “ Ra ” and the letter “ La ” are

written in such a way that many people , unless

y they are clearl written , mistake one for the

other . In the old days , I need not say , it must have been far more difficult to distin guish those letters when written o n palmyra leaves

the writin g material of that time . Therefore ,

L in a a very likely , the name g pp was misread

R n or miswritten as a g app a .

Evidently Pedda R ay ad u m u st have gone to the Circars in the train of Sher Mahammad

so n Lin a a Khan with his youn g est , g pp , left him to reign over the newly - obtained Zemin

to dari of Bobbili , and returned Venkatagiri .

Or Pedda R ayappa must have given to the

R a n a a accompanyin g youn gest son , g pp , the

Lin a a o f name of his great ancestor g pp , the f ninth generation o the Venkatagiri family . AD 1 434 This Lin gapp a reigned from . to

47 h is h t t 1 6. Durin g reign e came o he 33

Circars, conquered the country as far as

a an n ad a re c ia j g or Puri , to the entire pp

o f G a a ati tion the Maharaj ah j p , the then

an n a r Maharaj ah of j ag d o Cuttack . The country thus conquered extended from j agan n ad on the north to K o n d av ati Seema

the in south , and from Calin gapatam on the

I n east to Ch eekati in the west . one bat tle he killed 32 chiefs who combined together

against him .

Ta lb o s Mr . J . y Wheeler in his History of

India, in describin g the battle of Bobbili of 1 7 58 , says

The Raj a of Bobbili claimed to be a Raj put

of high descent , whose ancestors had fought under t h e ancient Mah a raj ahs of j agannath in

” the o ld mythical wars against the South .

Though Mr . Wheeler calls these wars mythi

cal , yet as a myth contains a germ of truth ,

the germ in this case , as gathered from the

e m to h Lin a a Venkatagiri history, s e s be t at g pp 5 34

conquered the Circars as shown above . There

’ it ce rt ai that R a ad u s fore , is pretty n Pedda y so n Lin a a w hose ' mame g pp , must have been

: misread or miswritten in . the history of

n e b his his Venkatagiri , or cha g d y father for

’ e gr at ancestor s name , is the one who built the fort at Bobbili and resided there Thus Pedda

R ayad u becomes the founder of the Bobbili

Lin a a Raj , and g pp the second in generation .

R a ad u is That Pedda y , who , it said in the

Venkatagiri history , was a strict follower o f e the Vishnavite religion , was the found r

to e of the Bobbili Raj , is a c rtain extent supported by the fact that the members of the Bobbili House have been strict

Vish navites . I have shown and explained this account in detail to my brother, the present Rajah of

Venkatagiri , Dr . Marsh , my old

an d o f tutor , several others , all whom have concurred in my concl usions as abov e stated . 1 .

TH OUN E F DE R OF THE SAMASTHANAM.

B RAJAH PEDDA RAYA U BAHADU R GARU .

R a a a Nirvana y pp , generally called Pedda

R a adu y , the fifteenth Raj ah of the Venkata

Sam ast h an am giri , was one of two chiefs who arrived in the Northern Circars in th e train

e of Sh r Mahammad Khan , when that General came to conquer the country for the Mogul

Government ; and fo r his valuable services at that time was rewarded by the grant to him

o f the Raj am S am asth an am . The other chief

y was Madha a Varma , the founder of the

Vi zianagaram Samasth an am . With the Sama

sthan am Pedda R ayad u was granted the here

ditar o f y titles Raj ah and Bahadur , and the 36

N o w b at right to use a white flag , Dhanka , , and other insignia of royalty . After every r thin g was settled the Ci cars , he returned

” - R hi n Lin a a the newly obtained aj t o sso g pp .

l l .

RAJAH L I N GAPPA RAN GA- R AO BAHADUR

GARU .

Raj ah Lin gappa selected the site o f the old

d u Bobbili Fort as his hea quarters , on acco nt of the frequent disturbances alon g th e foot of

the hills , in which his services were constantly called for by the then Government . There he built a fort and town which he named

B eb b o o l his y , after the name of patron , Sher

Mahammad Khan (Sher m eans tiger ; Beb

booly , a royal ti ger) , and resided there , as all the ancient Prab an dh am s say without the ff slightest di eren ce amon gst them . H e also rendered important services in con nection with the disturbances , then of frequent occurrence ,

in Bastar and other hill tracts . He obtained

38

in twelve number, and these , which are still known by the significant name of

u- G ram am u l u : Am avil li 2 Pot , are p , ( )

V an taram 3 Gan ad a 4 An tl avara 5 , ( ) g , ( ) , ( )

Te rl am 6 G an an n a ad u 7 V uttaravilli , ( ) g p , ( ) ,

8 ara an a uram 9 Pal a ara 1 0 ( ) N y p , ( ) g , ( ) Kancha

1 1 G all avilli 1 2 V u dd avo l u ram , ( ) , ( ) .

At the same time he received from the Mogul Emperor the hereditary title Ran ga

“ ” Rao (Lord R an gav aka) . Vaka means an

fi at elevated surrounded by hills , usually a

F itto o rid ar seat or resort of a . It has also

“ ” another meanin g Victor in Battle . This title has si nce then been used by the Raj ahs

’ as of Bobbili , well as by all male members of m i a . s the Bobbili f mily , after their na es It also said that on another occasion he killed the chief of Hiramandalam .

In the Presidency Ma n u a l it is stated that the Bobbili Zemindari consists of five

: ‘ K avite pergunnahs Bobbili , Raj am , y, Sita 39

- m m l G ra a u u . nagaram , an d Mettu There is ,

e e u how v r, no such perg n nah as M ettu

r m amu l u - G ramam u l u G a . M ettu means dry villages ; and there are dry villages in every

pergunnah . It is evident that the word M ettu

Gram am ul u h as bee n used in error for the

- Gram am u l u - word Potu , as the Potu Grama mulu above referred to were at that time

and up to the death o f the late Raj ah

1 868 a n e ( ) managed s o pergunnah . The

error is probably due to the writer of the

n o t o r misu n d er Presidency Manual knowin g ,

o f standin g , the meanin g th e word Potu , fight .

Raj ah Lin g appa Ran ga- R ao havin g n o male

R ao so n issue adopted Ven gal , the third of

y R ao o f Madha a , a member the Venkatagiri

family .

1 1 1 .

- A RAJAH V ENGAL RANGA R o BAHADU R GARU .

Rajah Vengal Ran ga - Rao was a child when

w a his adoptive father di ed . So the estate s 40

y managed first by his own father Madha a Rao ,

then by his eldest brother Padma Rao , and then b N ara a y his elder brother pp Rao , from whom

Raj ah Ven gal Ranga - Rao took charge of the

his estate on attainin g maj ority . He managed the estate remarkably well , formed some Agra

harams for Brahmins , an d also dug tanks , which

his e still bear either his name , that of adoptiv

y father, or that of Madha a Rao . Padma Rao

N ara a and pp Rao , during th eir management , dug each some tanks bearing their respective names .

IV .

RAJAH R AN G APAT H I RANGA - R Ao BAHADUR

GARU .

Raj ah R an g ap at hi Ran ga - Rao was o f a

charitable disposition and was very religious .

There was nothin g noteworthy in his reign , except that he made a pil grimage to Sriran gam

and other places .

an ar d an a His younger brother, Raj ah j

- e P Ran ga Rao , generally call d edda Janar 41

- dana Ranga Rao , acquired the estate of

L u ckw aru - tah p Co .

Lu ckw aru - Co tah p , supposed form erly to have belon ged to a branch of the

R u n aro w g family , situated about ten coss ” f west of Vizianagaram . (Fifth Report o the 2 2 1 V l o . . Select Committee , page , I I , on the

affairs o f the East India Company) .

At that time , an d for many years afterwards , the estate of K asimko ta belon ged to Ch e l ikan i

Varu , relatives of Ravu Varu .

V .

RAJAH RAYAD APPA RANGA - R AO BAHADUR

GARU .

Rajah R ayad app a Ran ga - R ao bein g a minor

’ o f at the time his father s death , the then

Raj ah V e n k atap athi Ran ga- Rao o f L u c kw aru p

Co tah o f an ard an a - , son Pedda J Ran ga Rao

th e e e above mentioned , managed stat and ruled 6 42

f r o f it o some years . After the death his son

an ard an a - j Ran ga Rao , who also managed the

R a ad a a estate for a few years , Rajah y pp Ran ga Rao obtain ed possession of his ancestral est ate and ruled it with ability and skill for several

years .

VI .

RAJAH GO PALA K RI ST N A RANGA- RAO

BAHADU R GARU .

Raj ah R ayadapp a Ranga - R ao adopted

K rist n a - Raj ah Gopala Ranga Rao , the eldest

son of Ravu Gopala Rao . The second so n

V n al a - R ao al was e g Ran ga . G O p Rao is said to have been a lineal descendant o f the Bobbili

famil y , but from whom this line has sprun g is

w as n o t clearly known . It in this reign that the memorable attack on the Bobbili Fort by

V iziaram araz Raj ah Pedda of Vizianagaram ,

w as assisted by the French under Bussy , made 1 7 58 in . 43

The followin g accou nt of the attac k ~ o n

o f Bobbili Fort, and the circumstances which

’ is led to it, extracted from Orme s History of

l 2 54 — 2 60 the ndostan (Vol I I . , pages )

“ o f Po l ars w h o The first in rank these yg ,

R an arao all call themselves Raj ahs , was g of

B o b il e e : the fort of this name stands close to

f V iza a the mountains about 1 40 miles N . E . o g patam ; the districts are about twenty square miles . There had lon g been a deadly hatred

V ize ram rauze between this Polygar and , whose

his person , how much soever he feared power ,

R an arao e o f g h ld in the utmost contempt , as

o f low extraction , and new note Districts belongi ng to V ize ram rauz e adj oined to th o se

B o b il ee of , whose people diverted the water o f the rivulets , and made depredations , which

V izeram rau ze , for want of better military

’ R an a means , and from the nature of g rao s

n o t V i . z country , could retaliate e ram rau ze

‘ u se d his utmost influence and arguments t o

y o f persuade M r . Buss the necessity o f removin g 44

this neigh b our ; and Mr . Bussy proposed that

B o b il e e he should quit his hereditary groun d of ,

in exch ange fo r other lands o f greater extent

and value , in another part of th e province ;

but R an g arao treated th e p r Op o sal as an insult .

Soon after , it became necessary , to send a

detachment of sepoys t o some districts at a

distance , to which the shortest road lay through

some part o f the woods of B o b il e e : permission

e was obtained but , either by some contrivanc

o f V izeramrau ze — , or the pre determin ation of

R a n arao at g , the detachment was sharply tacked and obliged to retire with the loss of 30

V izeram sepoys killed and more wounded .

ran ze improved this moment o f indignation ;

an d Mr . Bussy , not foreseeing th e terrible

t w as even to which he proceedin g , determined

to reduce the whole country , and to expel the

Polygar and all his family . “ The Province of Chicacole has few exten

in sive plains , and its hills increase frequency and magnitude as they approach the vast range

46

n until thoroughly hardened , before the ext is applied . The parapet rises 1 0 feet above th e rampart , and is only three feet thick . It is indented five feet down from the top in inter stic es six w inches wide , hich are three or four feet asunder . A foot above the bottom of these interstices and battlements runs a lin e of

t w o round holes , another feet lower , and a 2 third within feet of the rampart . These holes

are , as usual , formed with pipes of baked clay : they serve for the employment o f fi re

arms , arrows , and lances ; and the interstices

o f for the freer use of all these arms , i nstead

- loop holes , which cannot be inserted or cut in

ro e c the clay . Th e towers , and the square p j tions in the middle , have the same parapet as the rest of the wall and in two of the pro j ec tions on opposite sides of th e fort are gate

o f is ways , which the entrance not in the

front , but on one side , from whence it con

n n tin es through half the mass , and then tur s by a right an gle into the place ; and , on any 47

alarm , the whole passage is choked up with

trees , and the outside surrounded to some

distance with a thick bed of stron g brambles . The rampart and parapet is covered by a shed Of stron g thatch supported by posts ; the eaves of this shed proj ect over th e battle

ments , but fall so near that a man can scarcely

squeeze his body between . This shed is shel ter both to the rampart and guards against 500 the sun and rain . An area of yards , or

more , in every direction round the fort , is pre

o m s served clear, of which the circumference j

the high wood , which is kept thick , three , four, or five miles in breadth around this centre .

Few o f these forts permit more than o n e path through the wood . The entran c e o f the path

from without is defended by a wall , exactly similar in construction and stren gth to one of

the sides of the fort , havin g its round towers at the ends , an d the square proj ection with

its gateway in the middle . From natural sagacity they nev er raise this red oubt o n the 48

ed ge of the wood ; but at the bottom of a recess ,

o n f cleared purpose , and on each side o the

recess , raise breastworks of earth or hedge, to

gall the approach . The path admits only three men abreast , winds continually is everywhere

commanded by breastworks in the thicket, an d

has in its course several redoubts , similar

a to that of the entrance , and like th t flan ked

by breastworks on each hand . Such were

o f B o b il e e the defences , against which 7 50 Mr . Bussy marched with Europeans , of 2 50 whom were horse , four field pieces , and peons and sepoys , the army of

V izeramrau ze n , who comma ded them in person .

“ Whilst the fi eld - pieces plied the parapet f o the first redoubt at the entrance of the wood , detachments entered into the side o f the re cess with fire and hatchet , and began to make

t o a way , which tended brin g them in the rear

as of the redoubt ; and the guard , as soon con v in ced of their danger , abandoned their station 49

an d j oined those in the posts behind ; the same

e Op rations continued through the whole path ,

which was five miles in len gth , an d with the

same success , although not without loss . f o . When in sight th e fort , Mr Bussy divided

o n e his troops into four divisions , allottin g ,

fi el d - o f o f with the piece , to the attack each R . o w the towers Ran ga was here , with all his

parentage , men bearin g arms , and nearly

twice this number of women an d children .

at The attack commenced daybreak , on

‘ 2 4th o f fi el d - the j anuary , with the pieces

against the four towers ; and the defenders ,

lest fire might catch the thatch of the rampart ,

’ had pulled it down . By nine o clock , several

of the battlements were broken , when all

m e e v e c e c I n h This nu b r is id ntl y not orr t . t e oth e r histori e s

s a e e e e me n a n d V e l a m a s I f h it is id th r w r . t e dur a

t h e a e W t h a e m t h e e a m t h e tion of b ttl , l st d fro rl y orning till e v e b e c e e a e a m s i e a m a ning , onsid r d , it would pp r i po s bl for s ll force of 2 50 me n to h av e d e fe nd e d t h e fort for s o lon g a t ime

a t h e a e c e a m c a a ck e ag inst l rg omb in d r y whi h tt d it . 50 the leading parties o f the four divisions advanced at the same time , with scalin g ladders ; but after much endeavour for an

u ho r , not a man had been able to get over t h e parapet ; and many had fallen wounded ;

r other pa ties followed with as little success , until all were so fatigued that a cessation

fi e l d - e was ordered , durin g which the pi ces ,

havin g beaten down more of the parapet,

gave the second attack more advantage ;

but the ardo u r of the defence increased

with the dan ger . The garrison fought with

o f the indignant ferocity wild beasts , defending

their dens an d families several of them stood ,

o n as in defiance the top of the battlements ,

and endeavoured to grapple with the first ascendants , hopin g with them to twist the ladders down ; and this failin g , stabbed with

e their lances , but bein g wholly exposed th m

selves , were easily shot by aim from the rear

Of the escalade . The assailants admired , for n o Europeans had ever seen such excess of 5 1

u i o f l co rage in the nat ves ndostan , and con tin u al l ff y o ered quarter , which was always

answered by the menace and intention O f

death : not a man had gained the rampart at

’ two o clock in the afternoon , when another

cessation of th e attack ensued ; o n which

R o w Ranga assembled the principal men , told

them there was n o hope o f maintainin g th e

w as to fort , and that it immediately necessary preserve their wives and children from the

o f violation the Europeans , and the more

f V iz i gnominious authority o eram rau z e . A number called without distinction were allot

c ted to the work ; they pro eeded , every man

e with a torch , his lanc , and poignard , to the

habitations in the middle of the fort , to which they set fire indiscriminately , plying the flame

w t with stra prepared wi h pitch and brimstone ,

and every man stabbed , without remorse , the

o r h woman child , w ichsoever attempted to escape the flame and suffocation Not th e

t o helpless infant, clingin g th e bosom of its h o f mot er, saved the life either from the hand of

the husband and father . The utmost excesses ,

o f d whether reven ge or rage , were exceede by the atrocious prej udices which dictated and m performed this horrible sacrifice . The as

w h o sacre bein g finished , those accomplished

a it returned , like men gitated by the furies , to

L aw w h . . o die themselves on the walls Mr , commanded one of the divisions , observed ,

co n fl a ratio n whilst lookin g at the g , that the number of the defenders w as considerably

: diminished , and advanced again to the attack after several ladders had failed , a few grena

o t diers g over the parapet , and maintained their footin g in the tower until more secured

the possession . Ranga Row hastenin g to th e

w as defence of the tower , in this instant killed

- His o s by a musket ball . fall increased , if p

his sible , the desperation of friends ; who , crowdin g to reven ge his death , left the other parts o f the ramparts bare ; and the other divisions of the French troops , havin g advanced

54

d succeede , and the preservation of this infant was felt by all as som e alleviation to the horrible catastrophe o f which they had been the unfortunate authors . The tutor and

y the child were immediately sent to Mr . Buss ,

who , havin g heard of the condition of the fort ,

would not go i nto it , but remained in his tent , where he received the sacred captives with the humanity of a guardian appointed by the stron gest claims of nature , and immediately

a o in tin commanded patents to be prepared , pp g the so n lord o f the territory which he had

Offered the father in exchan ge fo r the districts o f B Ob il e e ; and ordered them to be strictly guarded in the camp from the malevolence o f enemies .

“ The ensuing night and the tw o succeedin g days passed in the usual attentions , especially

o f w ho the care the wounded , were many ; but

w as in the middle Of the third night , the camp alarmed by a tumult in the quarter of Viz e f f amrau ze . o o r Four the soldiers Ran ga Row, 55

o n seeing him fall , concealed themselves in an unfrequented part o f the fort until the night

v c was far ad an ed , when they dropped down the walls , and speakin g the same lan guage ,

passed unsuspected through the quarters o f

V izeram rau ze an d , gained the n eighbourin g thickets where they remained the tw o succeed

in g days , watching until the bustle of the camp

had subsided ; when two of them quitted their

retreat , and having by their lan guage again d d deceive those by whom they were questione ,

got near the tent of V iz eram rau z e ; th en creep

ing o n the ground they pass ed under the back

o n part , and enterin g the tent found him lyin g

V iz m r . era au z e his bed , alone , and asleep was

extremely corpulent, insomuch that h e could scarcely rear himself from his seat without

a tw o ssistance the m en , restrainin g their very

breath , struck in the same instant with their

poignards at his heart ; the first groan brought

e in a sentinel , who fired , but missed mor

e i s imm d ately thron ged in , but the murderer , 56

heedless of themselves , cried out , pointing to ‘ " ’ the body , Look here we are satisfied . They

were instantly shot by the crowd , and man gled

after they had fallen ; but had stabbed Vize= ramrau ze 32 in places . Had they failed , the other t w o remainin g in the forest were bound

to o r by the same oath perform the deed , perish

in the attempt .

One o f the t w o w h o stabbed V iziaramaraz was a Sirdar o f Ran ga- Rao named Tandra Pa

a a w h o c e p yy , had the harg of the fort at

w h o Raj am , and with three others hastened

o f to Bobbili , when he heard the destruction

o n of the fort , swearing to wreak ven geance the author of that destruction .

It must be m entioned here that Ven gal Rao ,

- Rao brother of Ranga , took a very prominent part in the d efence of the fort and fought with hi i ncreased fi erce n ess after the fall of s brother .

R ao Durin g the battle Ven gal , who armed

s d himself with a spear, is aid to have challen ge 57

to sin gle combat , an d killed , a Sirdar of

’ w h o the Nizam s forces , , armed with a sword ,

o n mounted himself a charger . The two opposin g forces anxiously observed the duel

from a distance. Vengal R ao w as severely woun ded in th e head , and lay unconscious in the fort from the effects of the wound until the battle en ded . Afterwards he went . to Rajam 1 7 65 with his nephew , and till his death in remained a determined opponent to the au

th rit P o y of the u sap atis . The valour displayed

in this Bobbili battl e is greatly praised in

“ R an garaya Ch aritra and in ballads which are su n g up to the present day in every part

e - of the T lugu speakin g country . There is also somethin g said about the battle

” H adekh ath in a Persian book called Alam ,

written by Meer Abdul Kasim (A . D . It was again lithographed in 1 848 by the

l Mul ck p ermission of Seraj a Bahadur . The e author, Abdul Kasim , g nerally known as Meer

e w as e- N izamalli Ale m , the Prim minister of 8 58 .

Khan Ba hadur and also o f his son Sek en d erj a

al so Bahadur . He was the head of Sir Salur

’ Jung s family . The book contains the History N of the izams of Hyderabad . I n it , in page 2 31 , it is stated as follows

Some battles were fought between V iziara maraz an d the Zemindar Ran ga R o w of Vela 7 00 ma family , who had infantry of the Vela

V iziaramaraz ma people . Afterwards went

B to w ith M . ussy fi ght against the Zemindar

Ranga Row , fought with him and killed all

” his caste people .

Again , and in the same page , it runs as follows

I n th e battle 7 00 brave V el am as desp er ately fought with the Raj puts and the French troops and killed many of them before they th emselves were killed .

- I t may not be out of place to quote here so me tran slation s of Extracts from the Local 59

d a n Recor s, m intai ed in Fort th e m o f u t enmity , an d so e the battles fo gh between Bobbili and Vizian agaram before th e

great battle at Bobbili .

When V iziaram araz was sendin g his army through the Bobbili Zemin dari under Sak i

N ara an araz y to conquer Narayanapatnam ,

which is about five miles north - east o f Parvati

’ o f pur, Ranga Row s forces attacked those Vizianagaram to prevent them from passin g

through the Bobbili Raj and defeated them .

Afterwards V iziaram araz collected all his

forces together with those Of some o f the Poly

gars under him and attacked Bobbili . I n this

battle V iziaramaraz was defeated and w as pursued by the Bobbili army till he took refuge

in the fort at Kumila , which was the former

capital of the Vizianagaram Raj .

n e Agai , with the intention of takin g reveng

V iziaram ara z B e l am on Bobbili , built a fort at g near Parvatipur an d en tered ‘ into int rigues 60

w h it the Bobbili people . From here he sub

at dued the chief of Narayanapatnam , and

. e tacked Bobbili , but without result In thes

expeditions and battles Vi zianagaram lost four

thousan d men , either in the way of fightin g or by the malarious fever caught by the drinking

of bad water at Narayanapatnam . The chief of Narayanapatnam sent his vakil to Vizia nagaram to represent that he fought with

Vizianagaram , believin g what Bobbili Varu

his promised him , that he now tendered

apology , and that he begged that his estate

mi ght be restored to him . Thereupon Vizia

z ramara pardoned him , collected from him the

o f his batta expenses the army , and restored

estate to him .

“ V iziaramaraz o t Again , g all his army

ready and collected the D e sastu l u (fi ghting

men in the Raj) to invade Bobbili . But the

D esastu l u said that it would be quite im

possible for them to gain victory ov er the

o V el amas , who c mbined together with a

62

Then comes the account o f the last “ and great battle at Bobbili as found in the local

to records , somewhat similar the account

e quot d above .

The purport of an account of the battl e of Bobb ili as given in the Kaifiyyat of Barab atti

Kristna D Ga a a hi h ' a eo j p t , t e R j ah of Cuttack.

to I n the year Yuva, correspondin g the

1 67 7 th e a Saliv ah an a year of the r of , Mir

N izam al li Khan Bahadur, the Nawab of

- in Golconda , conferred the Commander

Chiefship of Kalin ga on M . Bussy , and

as appointed Haidar J an g his Dewan . The

his Nawab placed in charge a very large army , and directed him to restore order and peace in the country , and to fill the treasury with the tributes collected from the Zemindars of the

Circars .

Leavin g Golconda , Bussy passed Masuli patam on his w ay and then crossing the 63

Go dav eri encamped at the K o tilin gams li ( K o tip al ) near Raj ahmundry . He then directed his Dewan to issue orders to all the

Zemindars o f the Circars that they should come out of their estates to pay their respects

F araman as to him . The accordin gly prepared by Haidar j an g were forwarded to the Zemin

dars concerned .

“ I n V iziara obedience to the summons ,

a o f m raz , Raj ah Vizianagaram , went to the

o f y camp Bussy , followed by fort thousand infantry and four thousand cavalry . So also

e w nt many another Zemindar and Proprietor .

Only the Zemindar o f Bobbili was c o n spicu

- R a ous by his absence . Ran ga o learnt that

V iziaramaraz , who bore in his heart his succes

to sive failures capture the fort of Bobbili , and who cherished a vindictive spirit towards Bob

to bili , was the first pay his humble visit to the

Commander- in - Chief only to induce the latter to hel p him to gratify his vindictiveness and

’ ' to achieve his lon g- cherished obj ect ; and so 64 b e anticipated inevitable collision with his

e th e en my , Raj ah , in case he should also go there . It was for this reason that Bobbili put o ff t o his visit, intending pay his respects to the French Commander- in - Chief at a future

date .

“ he W n Bussy was attended by his Dewan ,

V iziaramaraz paid his respects to him , and

after a short formal conversation , represented that he would pay the permanently fixed

amount of twelve lacs of rupees , and requested

him to return to Golconda . The Commander in - Chief hay in g replied that they must go as

e far as Chicacole before they return d , the

Raj ah w h o wished to turn to his advantage their march to Chicacole by instigatin g them

- to join him against Ranga Rao , led away

’ m e Haidar j ang from his aster s pr sence, and

’ offered him the tempting b rib e o f three lacs

of rup ees to induce Bussy to help him in

e obtainin g a certain obj ect of his . The Dew n

havin g slfo w n an inclination to accept th e 65

ff o er, the Rajah introduced the subj ect by

‘ sayin g : Ranga—Rao frequ ently raises in su r rections in o ur country and obstructs the

o f o u r proper cultivation lands . The payment of the revenue in kind or in money is greatly hindered . He has u nder his control an army o f four thousand men and a band of o n e

V l am thousand e a warriors . Never has he surrendered to u s in spite o f o u r repeated

’ ‘ ’

o n . attacks Bobbili We have Often heard ,

‘ said Haidar j ang , that you have , under your

o u control , a mighty army , and that y are a

D o warrior o f no ord inary type . you really

’ D o so fear any dan ger from him not think ,

‘ rej oined the Raj ah ; it is but true that we

have a large army . But he has a Sirdar

T Pa a a w h o named andra p yy , alone is enough to throw the whole army into confusion . With

o f the help of this Sirdar , the Zemindar Bobbili

sets us at defiance , and even the Commander in - Chief . This will be evident if you only consider the fact that even w hen we who have 9 66 been so famous fo r strength and courage

h as have implicitly obeyed your summons , he not thought fit to pay his respects to you in

answer to your call . I need not say any more

’ on the matter .

Roused by the in fl amin g words of the

‘ F o r Raj ah , Haidar j an g exclaimed us who

so o u have conquered many countries , y seem

to say it is a great matter to overcome Ranga

o f Rao , who is but a common Zemindar a hilly

u tract . God help it , we shall red ce Bobbili i ’ and instal yo u as ts lord . He then touched

his sword and swore to do it without fail .

- e e Ran ga Rao having h ard , by m ans of

o f his spies , the details conversation between

to Haidar J an g and the Raj ah , summoned his

presence such principal V el am a Doras as

m D am man n a I n u an ti R an a a Da era , g g yy , and

K an dim al l a D h arm ara adu y , and said to them ,

‘ - in - C We hear that Bussy , the Commander hief ,

is H comin g to Kalin ga ; and aidar Jang, it 67

V iziaram araz - appears , assured that he would subdue us and instal him as the master of

our Zemindari . The Raj ah is elated with j oy

u r that he will rule over o estate . Bussy has become the supreme master o f this country and

h as hence come to rule over it . It is true that the Raj ah and ourselves are enemies but there h as n o t been any e n mity between Bussy and

ourselves . Then why would Bussy carry arms against our fort at the instigation of the

" e Raj ah Let us , how ver , send a Vakil of ours to Haidar j an g to sound his heart . We shall

then adopt what steps may appear advisable .

We have , moreover, a real friend in M . Cum mander who is acquainted with our sense of

t o dignity . We can get him write letters

t o sa to M . Bussy and H aidar j an g y that he is responsible fo r all political matters so far as Bobbili is concerned , and that it is against the principles o f political j ustice to wage war against us at the instigation of

’ V izi m az ara ar . 68

c In a cordance with this deliberation , he

y wrote letters to Buss and Haidar j an g, and

n t o Pan th e n a B u t c h e n n a d es e trustin g them , patched him with the followin g instructions :

‘ G o to Haidar j an g and sound his feelin gs

o u d o towards us . If y not find him favour

to u s to ably inclined , you will then go Masu

i mm n r l atam . C u a d e p , pay your respects to M

and fully representin g to him the state o f mat

R edd in a ad u ters through Maddala y , the inter

. G et preter , deliver this letter to him letters written to Bussy and Haidar J an g to keep up

the usual relations with u s ; and after they ff peruse the letters , mark if any chan ge is e ect

’ ed in their attitude towards us .

“ w h o M eanwhile Haidar j an g , had bee n

won over by the Raj ah , approached Bussy to persuade him to help the Raj ah against

‘ - a—R ao Ran ga Rao , and spoke thus Ran g , the

Zemindar of Bobbili , a plain region in Kalin ga ,

is c raisin g riots in the ountry . H e obstructs

t o V iziaram araz the collection of rent due . If ,

70 has not come to cultivate our friendship "Go

’ back to your master . The Vakil findin g him

to very a n gry , and unwillin g remain there any

more , addressed him thus The Ravu Varu

are entirely innocent , and towards the Circar

are implicitly obedient . The evil design that you harbour towards them at the instigation o f

o u t o some person , y will be persuaded give up only when the person w h o is competent to check you in your procedure restrains and

’ o u censures y . Then the Agent rose up from his seat, and before he left the place , once more tried to pacify him with the followin g

‘ conciliatory words : Ran ga- Rao has hesitated

V iziaramaraz to come here because , his enemy ,

w as the first to come . But if you should pro mise to treat the R av u s with the same respect

to which yo u show the rest of the Zemindars ,

Ran ga - Rao would before long pay his respects

’ ’ ‘ n o t d o u . , to y No , he need come to us sai

’ ‘ . Haidar j an g , he must vacate the fort

‘ Th e R av u s will n o t leave the fort so long as 7 1

’ ‘ ‘ e B utc h en n a fo r t his th y live , replied ; and

o f o u evil design yours , strictly y are not to

- blame , for it is some ill adviser that tempts you to act thus . You will give up these bad

thoughts , only when those who are in a posi

’ tion to check you persuade yo u to do so .

Then the Agent left th e place for Masulipatam

’ in accordan ce with his master s instructions . Thereupon Haidar Jan g despatched a pair of scouts to Bobbili to brin g him information

as to the paths to Bobbili , the extent of the

plain before the fort, the forest in its vicinity ,

and the strength of the fort . They were also

- entrusted with letters to Ran ga Rao , askin g

- him to vacate th e fort . Ran ga Rao , havin g read the contents of the letters , gave expression to his feelin gs in the followin g words ‘ " Shall we , with life , ever leave the fort We

’ shall leave o u r lives and fort simultaneously .

e t o ff He then prepared r plies the same e ect ,

e to and havin g given pr sents the messengers , directed Damera D amman n a to accom pany 7 2 th em to Haidar Jang to try once more if recon

w a D mm n n ciliation s possible . a a a assured

’ to Bussy s Dewan that , if he should promise

— o ff renew the lease , Ranga Rao , who put his visit fo r n o other reason than his fear that his

enemy might play Bussy against him , would

ere lon g pay his respects to them . But Haidar

a j an g, whose he rt continued proof against any

D amm an n a such arguments , sent back to

Bobbili with n o better answer than he had

given before .

“ B utc h e n n a Meanwhile , whose endeavours to conciliate Haidar j ang had failed at Raj ah m u n d r y , directed his steps to Masulipatam ,

mman r t o . C u d e where he paid his respects M , and had the whol e story repre sen ted t o him

M N a through addala Reddi yad u . The French General felt sorry to hear it and then wrote to

e Bussy a lett r, the contents of which ran as

‘ follows ' If it should be known t o the world that the French , instigated by the Raj ah of

V z e i i ianagaram , attack d the fort of Bobb li 7 3

w ff r o f - ithout any O ence on the pa t Ran ga Rao , an d thereby caused great loss and inj ury t o

t o him , our nation would be exposed a great f o . n o t t o deal infamy I , therefore , advise you adopt this line of rash and imprudent procedure which would certainly make us liable to much

’ blame and bad repute . Entrustin g the letter

o f to the Vakil , he commanded a countryman

n B tc h e n n a o e . u his , M Martin , to accompany , and to tell Bussy in his name the followin g

‘ words o f good advice : V iz iaramaraz has always sought to brin g Ran ga - R ao into

troubles ; but as the latter is a great warrior , and has a high sense of dignity and honour,

t o he has never once yielded his enemy .

e The Raj ah , b arin g this in his heart , instigates you to take action against him .

And if you should act up t o his ill - advice

. V e l ama and carry arms agai nst the fort , the

- Doras , who have high notions of self respect ,

R av u s w h o especially the , are famous for

- R ao their keen sense of honour , Ran ga bein g 1 0 74

th e o u chief of them , will not let y return with safety ; if yo u should at all return with

life , all the residents i n the fort, includin g

y men , women and children , will h ave certain l

to d o perished a man before you can so . The

ultimate result woul d in that case b e the u n

questionable liability o f the French to much

e . blame and gross infamy . Do not , ther fore ,

’ ’ attack their fort at the Raj ah s insti gation .

’ A t o his e . ccordin g master s ord rs, M Martin ,

B ut ch en n a accompanied by , reached Kasim

kotah , where Bussy lay encamped , and , after

th e Vakil delivered the letter , fully represent

u mman d er ed t o Bussy what M . C had directed

- in - him to do . The Commander Chief , after havin g perused the letter and heard Martin ’ s

representations , called Haidar Jan g near

Cu mm and thus remarked As M . an d er is a i great fr end of mine, and is as worthy of my

I m u st e honour as my teacher, abid by his

’ good counsels . H e also read out to Haidar

’ n der . Cumma s e e Jan g M l tter, on h aring 75 which the D ewan said nothin g in reply as if its conte nts had met with his approbation . On

n the third day after that , Martin retur ed

o f to M asulipatam . The very evening that

’ day the Raj ah went t o H aidar j an g s tent and

‘ thus spoke to him : Do you n o t now find a stron g attestation to my remarks about Ran ga

" h as to . Rao He sent , you know , his Vakil M

Cu mm an d er , by whom he had a letter written to to Bussy , besides prevailin g upon him sen d a special messen ger to speak o n his behalf .

But he has not at all thought fit to come and pay his respects to you . It is now manifest h ’ o w defiant he is in his attitude towards you .

Haidar Jan g , whose wrath and vindictiveness

’ were still further roused by the Raj ah s in fl am ing words , mentally confirmed the resolution he had already formed to put an end to the

Zemindari of Bobbili .

“ K a imk Wh en M . Bussy left s o tah and e n

camped at D ev u p al l i (near G aj apathin ag a

Ch elikan i V e n ka a ram) , yy , who was sent with 76

Chitte l a R aman n a to present p a n s apa r i to the

Commander- in - Chief and his Dewan (probably

a mark of respect in those days) , visited Hai

w h o his dar j an g, , wrath bein g kindled at

V el am a seeing him , thus accosted the Dora

‘ Has your master left the fort with all his

O ld people , and youn g , or does he still occupy it ‘ In what way have we offended the Cir

’ V e n ka a car, replied yy , identifyin g himself

‘ his to with lord , to be thus ordered vacate the fort Are we guilty o f leavin g in arrears the p e ish cu s h due t o the Government ; o r have we resisted the demand of the p e ishcu sh by the

’ ’ Circar " U nmindful of th e V el ama Dora s

relevant questions , H aidar j an g an grily de c l ared that the fort must be vacated by Ran ga

V e n ka a Rao . Then yy , remarkin g that Hai

’ dar j a n g s unreasonable enmity t o the Zemin dar of Bobbili must only be a continuation of the feelin gs of hostility that he might have

c d cherished in a previous life , and that it oul

a i n n o other way be accounted for , took le ve

7 8

Sirdar, havin g accordin gly gone into the fort to b y deliver the message , was received Ranga

R ao with due respect and courtesy , and after

a short formal conversation , fully represented

to the Zemindar what he was directed to do .

V el am a n The lord , whose feeli gs were bitterly wounded at the contents of the message , gave

‘ : the followin g unambiguous reply Sir, the

N au b ath was granted to us by the Moghul

n o r Emperor , but was neither stolen unjustly

wrested by force from anybody . We , there

d o se e fore , not why we should lose our lon g enj oyed privilege of the play o f the N au b ath

o u r . o u r on rampart As to leavin g the fort , let it be observed that , even when the direst

calamities befell us , we never left this place for any other , and that we have here enjoyed all f kinds of prosperity and a fluence . We have ,

o f moreover , never incurred the displeasure the Circar, that we should thus be ordered to

f r leave the fort o good . But if you should think it desirable to mark the difference b e 7 9 tw een the valour of V iziaram araz and that of

o u . ourselves , y can adopt the followin g plan

Let the yellow ban ner o f the Circar be placed in the charge and protection of V iziaramaraz

at th e head of his forty thousand sepoys . If we should then succeed in wrestin g it from his possession w ith the help of our small force which

o f consists only four thousand , be then pleased hi to s . make us masters of Zemindari If, on

t o the other hand , we should fail take the flag

d o from him , you may then what you please

with us and our Zemindari . But if your favour

o n ff depend the amounts of the bids o ered , we bind ourselves to pay twice the amount the

h as ff to Raj ah o ered pay , in case you should

’ promise t o give away to us the Raj ah s fort

a and estate . We suggest third course for

your consideration . Let the Raj ah with his

forty thousand fi ght with us w h o have bu t four

thousand men at our command . If, in the f battle , we should suf er a defeat , let Bobbili be

t i o . g ven away the Raj ah If , on the contrary, 80

t h e Raj ah should be routed by us , let his

estate and fort be ours . But , if you will take into your consideration none o f the above p ro

o sal s p , let this be borne in mind that we are determin ed not to surrender the fort so lon g as

’ we live . Hussai n Ali Khan then returned to the camp and intimated to Haidar j an g that

R an ga- R ao would neither stop th e play of the

N au b ath n o r vacate the fort, and that , if his

fort should unj ustly be attacked , h e would ff o er his utmost resistance . He also mentioned to him the alternative proposals that Ranga

R ao made fo r the consideration o f Haidar

. th e j an g The latter , wh o , without weighing proposals , only burnt with increased rage at the

’ o f Zemindar s last words defiance , exclaimed

‘ see If that is the case , I shall that he is presently expelled from the fort ’ H is burn ing words were immediately supported by

the Raj ah who was near . Thereupon Hussain

Ali Khan , who knew the whole truth , said to

‘ Haidar j an g Should you be guided b y th e 8 1 instigating words of V iziaramaraz a n d attack

- - - the fort of Ran ga Rao , who is a well to do

o f Zemindar possessing a keen sense dignity ,

d o honourable , and at the same time in nocent , yo u think you can make him surrender the fort without the loss o f a great many lives "Would

o f not all the residents the fort , from the oldest

th e person to youn gest , have fallen to a man before you should be able to force entrance into

" e e the fort Do not, therefor , und rtake to com mit such a horrible deed ; for Nemesis will before long make you suffer the consequences of such

’ an atrocity . But Haidar j an g was deaf to all

such words of warnin g and advice . He and his instigator then approached Bussy and told him — that Ran ga R ao would not surrender unless and until their artillery should open fire upon the

- in - fort . The Commander Chief havin g granted

e permission , the attack commenced . (Her

o f follows a description the battle , which

’ is here omitted , the description given in Orme s

Histo ry of M e l n dosta n being superior) . 1 1 82

When the can non balls were found to be committin g havoc on the inner apartments

- V el ama of the fort, Ran ga Rao called the

‘ e e l aders togeth r and said , The dan ger has i passed beyond its lim ts . The army o f the enemy is vast . It shall , therefore, be our look out at present t o guard our honour and win

r Ch el ikan i V e n ka everlasting glo y . Let yya go into th e inner apartments and completely do ’ V l away with women and children . The e ama

’ to warrior went in faithful his master s order, and observing the wife of Ran ga - R ao sit with

so n her in her lap , simply told her that the ’ N enemy s army approached too near . o sooner had he said so than the honour- lovin g consort of Ran ga - R ao entrusted her son to a female servant with a request t o take him o ut of the

save to fort and him , then prayin g God ,

V iziaramaraz uttered curses on , then plantin g a sword in the ground , threw herself upon it

V e n k a a and died . yy then thoroughly made

t away with the rest of the women . A the sam e 83 moment a hundred V el am a families related to the rulin g family and residin g in the fort

— ’ . so n met a similar fate Ran ga Rao s , while he w as bein g taken out through a private

o f o f entrance , fell into the hands a sepoy the

to opposite party , and was taken Bussy , who

took all care of him .

“ Pa a a V iz iaramara u After Tandra p yy killed j ,

o f Bussy , struck with wonder at the daring

Pa a a d p yy , admire his loyalty to his master

’ and then callin g n ear him Ran ga - Rao s

so n b e i i brother and , granted them perm ss on

as to rule over their ancient estate usual , and in addition bestowed upon them the J aghir o f

” Kottapalli .

A short account of this battle is also given in the followin g histories

l az ettee r O I n d ia 1 I m er ia G . . p f , by W X 48 4 485 W . Hunter, Vol . II I , in pages , . 84

2 l o cl ia o I n dia . C e ae . y p f , by E Balfour, l l 2 7 1 Vol . . , page .

’ ’

a l m L i e o L r l i e . . 3. M l co s o a C v f f , Vol I I , 2 —4 pages .

VII .

RAJAH V EN K ATA RANGA - RAO BAHADU R

GARU .

( 1 7 94 — 1 80 1 )

Raj ah Venkata Ran ga - Rao ( born o n the

1 4th e Octob r, the son , and the only

o f surviving member of the family , Rajah

K rist n a - R ao w as Gopala Ran ga Bahadur, saved

’ o ld by an man contrary to his father s wishes , from the fate which overtook the rest of the family durin g the disastrous battle of Bobbili at

which his father was killed . He was then a lad o f v er 3 o r 4 y tender years (about years old) ,

o ld and was presented by the man , his tutor, to

M r . Law on the battlefield , whilst the latter,

i i o f w th the rema nd er his army , was contem

86

Till then it seems that accordin g to the Settlement of Bussy in the year the estate of L u ckw aru p - Co tah was under the

Sama th an am s . Bobbili I n the above book M .

Bussy calls Venkata Ran ga- Rao Sirdar o f

L u k w r - h Bobbili and c a u p C o ta . It is stated in the Madras Manual that , after Vengal

’

Rao s death , the Vizianagaram family at last compromised with their rivals and leased

K av it e the y and Raj am pergunnahs to them , but this can scarcely be believed from the other i nformation available , and for the follow

ing reasons . By this supposed compromise

- Chinna Ranga Rao , instead of receiving any consideration from the hands of the V izian ag a

ram family , would lose the absolute right over

these pergunnahs , which had been regained by force of arms by his uncle , and would become a subsidiary chief under Vizianagaram .

Moreover, if the Vizianagaram family had secured proprietary rights over those p erg u n

b w Sitarama na s , why did De an Raj invite 87

Chinna Ran ga- Rao to Vizianagaram on some pretext and keep him there under restraint "

Chinna Ranga- R ao lived at Raj am under ’ 1 7 65 his uncle Ven gal Rao s care till , and afterwards was under the care o f another

I n u an ti N arasa a . relative , g Chinna yy While he was under the guardianship of the latter,

Sitaram a Raj , the brother and D ewan of

V iziaram araz Chinna , a grandson of Pedda

V iziaram araz , endeavoured to get hold of

- R ao Chinna Ran ga , and several times invited

to re— him Vizianagaram , promisin g to assign to him the Bobbili and Sitanagaram per

u n n ah s g , which had been annexed to th e

Vizianagaram Zemindari after the battle o f

Bobbili . These invitations were , however, not

I n u an i accepted , and for several years g t

Chinna N arasayya was able to influence Chinna

Ranga- R ao and to make him disbelieve the promises held forth but at last , when he had

attained the age of fifteen , he neglected his

’ e z relative s advic and went to Vi ianagaram , 88

e where he was detained for nearly two y ars .

K av ite After he was taken to Vizianagaram , the y and Raj am pergunnahs came u nder the Pusa patis til l Chinna Ranga - Rao was restored to

his ancestral Zemindari . He then fled to

Sam arl ako ta a amma , where his aunt , j gg , a

M all ammad ev i sister of , who was killed at the

l o f w as batt e Bobbili , livin g with her husband ,

N il ad ri Rao Bahadur Garu , the then Rajah of

Pittapur, who , for fear of Ananda Raz , had

Sam arl ak ta left Pittapur and lived at o . Here

Chinna Ranga- Rao stayed for a few days till some of the V el am a D o ral u and Tel a gas were

called from Bobbili , and then went to Haidara

f r o . bad , and stayed there many years By the time he succeeded in gainin g the good - will

t ne E n l ish of Nizam , the authority of the g Company was established in the Northern Circars Then he was called back by

the Collector of the Northern Division , to

o f re co m whom , it is said , he brought letters me n d atio n m N w s fro the izam , and a restored 89 to his ancestral estate with all the honours and privileges enjoyed by his predecessors , the former Raj ahs o f Bobbili . It is also said that the N izam ’ presented him a horse with Dhanka

fo r when he took leave of him . H e built himself a fort at Bobbili , now called the Old

o f Fort , about a mile from the site the Old

Fort where the battle took place . The D ewan

a Kh na, the upstair house , an d the zenana

t o u apartments close it , which he b ilt , are still

in good order . His rule , which extended over

seven years , was chiefly remarkable for the

a rah aram s many g he formed , for the large

irrigation tanks he dug , and for the gardens f he laid o u t . N early all th e tanks west o

B hyrisagaram and Pad m arayan in g ari Ch e ru v u

M ll amm a h . a C eru v u were du g in his days ,

Mal l amm a Mall amm a Peta , and Tope owe

their existence to him , and bear the name of

M ll amm a i a d ev . his mother , Bein g childless ,

he adopted a b o y named R ayad app a from the

Palteru Ravu family of , which was supposed 1 2 90

o o f t be a branch the Bobbili family . He died 1 802 o n 7 th . the M arch ,

RAJAH R AYAD APPA RANGA- RAO BAHADU R

R GA U .

1 802 — 8 1 30 .

Raj ah R ayad app a Ran ga- Rao was born on

4th 1 7 90 w as his e the j anuary , , and in thirte nth

w i year hen he was adopted . H s adoptive

Chin n amm a th e mother, Garu , a lady of Kota

e giri family, rais d an obj ection to his adoption ,

which l ed to a voluminous correspon dence

between the Collector and the Government, but

owin g to the able represen tations mad e by his

V e n k atara adu paternal uncle , Ravu y Garu , his adoption was ultimately recognised by the ff Government . Great e orts were made at this time by the Pu sap atis to get his country incorporated with V i zianagaram ; but their 91

prayer was rej ected and he Obtained from the

Su n n ad Government a Permanent Cowle , or

- et- I stimirar 2 1 st 1 803 Mulk , dated October, .

a rah aram s He formed many g , established

c h att ram s at Raj am and Bobbili , and did many

other charitable acts . H e dug several tanks ,

n r m of which R a garaya Saga a is the largest .

The followin g account of an interview b e tween the Raj ah and Sir Thomas Munro is

taken from the Minutes of Consultation o f His

’ V ia e Excellency . ( Selections from Minutes

and other official writings of Maj or- General i . S r Sir Thomas Munro , Bart , by 1 8 8 . A . J . Arbuthnot , page , para

Su arn am The Bobbili Raj a m et me at p , a

large weaving village in his own zemindari .

He came on his elephant , attended by his

brother- in - law an d another person employed

his in service chiefly as a legal adviser , on

account o f his supposed knowledge of the

’ V i d e C a rmi ch ae l s M a nu a l . 92

. in tel li Regulations The Raj a is an active , gent man , and manages and looks minutely ff into all his own a airs . H e answered with great readiness every question I put to him o n

the state of his country . He said that it was divided into four pargan as in three Of which he collected his rents in money , and in the fourth in grain that his settlements were made

ryotwari , except in a few small villages , which were rented at a fixed su m to the heads of the village ; that he gave every ryot a pottah speci fyin g the amount of his land and his rent ; that

' n o t the rent was fixed , varying with the u seasons , tho gh h e frequently in bad seasons granted some remission to the poorer ryots ; that the rent which he received in kind in one

a a parg n was not a share of the crop , but a fixed

o f quantity grain from each ryot , accordin g to the nature and e x t e n t o f his l and ; a n d that he treated

as n his ryots well , was evident from one of them ever brin gin g c ompl aints against him before the

Court On my asking him how t h e state of

94

1 82 1 R a ad a a I n the year , Raj ah y pp received the followin g communication from th e then

" Collector and Agent to the Governor o f

M adras :

“ TO

RAJAH SAH EB M E H AR B AN DOSTAN RAJAH

R AYAD APPA - RAO RANGA BAHADUR .

For your information , we have herewith enclosed an abstract of th e Regulations now in the course o f pre paration . The chief Obj ect of these Regulations is to guarantee to the holders of the ancient zemindaries the per manent enj oyment o f the estates and o f the customary privileges in vogue in their estates , and thereby to enable them to maintain their ancient prestige .

Yo u are aware of the contin gent co n se qu e n ces of the present bad system of manage 95

ment prevailing in the zemindaries . Towards

’ the clearance of the Zemindars debts, and owing to other irregular ways o f managing the

estates , they are sold away and are for ever f alienated from the families o the Zemindars .

“ Therefore yo u had best consider th e ad vantages that shall accrue to you from the

passin g of the aforesaid Regulations , which shall invalidate any alienation of the Sama

sth an am v from your family i n fa our of others ,

except in the three followin g cas e s

1 . When yo u j ustly transfer your estate

to another party with the previo us consent

o f the Government obtained .

“ 2 3 o u . When y forfeit it as a penalty for your violation of the stipulations of the

agreement executed and submitted by yo u

to o r the Government , for the transgression of

the orders o f the Government .

o f If you should , desirous obtainin g the

e e above mentioned advantages , agre to giv 96 up the rights that you have in virtue of the

- - - I im irar Su n n ad Mulk et st (Permanent Cowle) , of alienating your S amasth an am to others by

o r sale , by a free gift , in any other man ner , yo u had better intimate the same to us by means of a written petition .

“ w h o e Thos e Zemindars thus repr sent, in

a written form , their willin gness to give up th eir rights of alienation , will never be deprived of the advantages promised to them ; n o r shal l a summons be ever issued for their attendance in person in any court of j ustice without the sanction o f the Govern

ment being previously obtain ed . It has also been decided that those ancient Zemin dars , who comply with the conditions above

i referred to , should be entrusted with the adm n istratio n of the police in their zemindaries ;

and sanction will be granted to them to con

duct the police work by their o w n men in

accordance with the custom in practice in

their districts .

98

3 o r . Is it binding not on the eldest so n (in case the custom of primogeniture prevails in your estate) to maintain the other members of the family "

4 W as . the zemindari ever divided at the time of the partition of the other family property

“ 5 . Is there any such custom in your family

6 . If such a partition had ever taken place ,

t o what were the chief causes that led it , and with whose sanction was the partition made "

1 t/z D ecembe r 1 8 2 1 5 , .

’ C uT C H E Rv COLLECTOR S ,

Z VI IANAGARAM .

(Signed) SM ITH 99

THE RE PLY.

To

M E H AR B AN N E s . DOSTA JOH N SMITH , q ,

Co l l ecte r ,

V iz a a a ta m D ist r zet g p .

From the abstract of the Regulations you have sent us with your letter dated the 1 5th

1 82 1 ro v id December , we have made out that , p ed we relinquish the rights which we have in f 7 tu o . vir e the para of the Permanent Cowle , the

Government intend to make our Samasthan am

r for ever inalienable from o u family .

Though , by agreein g to the proposal , we should make ourselves subj ect t o such in conveniences as the disability to procure debts

t when necessary , we who are inclined to hink

to that the Zemindars , loyally acting up the

m e o f wishes of the Govern nt, are sure bein g

e to a help d by God , fully desire be pl ced in 1 00 enjoyment o f the benefits meant t o be con ferred upon u s through the proposed Regula

tions , and shall voluntarily relinquish our authority to alienate o u r S am asth an am in f o . favour any party We are not , however , at present prepared to submit a written petition to that effect for the reasons hereinafter to be mentioned with due respect .

“ Though we should consent t o renounce

S am asthan am our right of alienatin g the , one other disadvantage to us from the n ew

Regulations is , that nowhere therein is it expli c it that His Ex c ellency the Governor- in

Council has decided t o continue to keep the

Mo t ar h a collection of p tax in our hands, and

o n to that , the other hand , the question as who is to be entrusted with that work is yet

t o . be decided If, in accordance with the

7 t h 1 82 0 Proceedin gs dated August , and issued to you by the Honorable the Revenue

Board , the Government should arrange to give u s compensation for the amou n t of the

1 0 2

m present within our j urisdiction , the for er give loans to the latter under the assurance that with our help the loans can be , without

f . any di ficulty , recovered If the ryots be now

d o ur placed beyon control , they will dis

ero iti continue givin g loans to the j y tenants . This will greatly hinder the payment of the

revenue by the latter .

“ If the Government , although they should

t o o f thereby subj ect us a variety losses ,

should contemplate the removal , from our

o f M o tar h a — a hands , the collection of the p tax that was included in the permanent assess ment and n o t excluded from t h e operation of the stipulations of the Permanent Cowle

bestowed upon us by the Government , how can we have any fa ith that the Government would keep the promised advantages in our permane n t enj oyment "You have informed us

o ur u that , on s bmittin g a written document expressin g o u r willin gness to resign our rights

S am ast h a n am of alienatin g our , the Govern 1 03 ment would entitle us to the promised privileges and advantages by passin g the

proposed Regulations . But as it has come within our experience that many Regulations lon g in force are amended and repealed by f new ones , we cannot have su ficient assurance that the rights to which we should become entitled through the said Regulations would

be kept in o u r permanent enj oyment .

“ Havin g considered all th e aforesaid cir cu mstanc e s o u r , we beg to submit request in the followin g lines

If the Government should be pleased to keep under our control the collection o f the

Mo tarpha reven ue in accord a nce with the o custom till now in vogue , and if they sh uld also graciously condescend to execute in o u r favour a document bindin g themselves to

ad van t keep , in our permanent enj oyment , the ages n o w o ffered through the proposed Regu ~ l atio n s s , we hall then submit the required 1 0 4

written petition stating that we resign the rights

o u r S amasth an am to transfer to another party ,

o r whether by sale , by a free gift, by any other

n o w mode of alienation , the rights that we enj oy

- - - in virtue of the S u n n ad Mulk et I stimirar .

We shall also humbly submit , for the

information of the Government , some details with regard to our estate such as the time of

its acquisition .

The ancestor from whom we trace our

a n in am l lineage is S rvag ya S g u u . I n generous recognition of the signal services rendered by

R a an in his Dharma y Garu , the

o f w h o Nawab Haidarabad , was at that time

the supreme ruler of the country , conferred on

the latter the Sam asth an am of Bobbili together with such fittin g Royal Insignia as the White

N au b ath Flag, the Dhanka and the , besides

Und e r t h e h e ading T h e Found e r of t h e S a ma s t h a na m I t w as shown th a t Dh a rma R ayan in G a ru could no t b e t h e

found e r o f t he ze mind a ri .

1 0 6

Raj ah R ayad app a Ranga- Rao began build in g the local temple of Sre e V e n u g o p al a

t b u . swamy , died before it was fi nished The estate o f W u n gar ad a and the village of

Yamb an n av al s a were purchased in h is time .

tw o H e married three wives , of whom were

r m arried under unique c i cumstances . He was first betrothed to a lady in Sitanagaram of

Ch e l ikan i the family , but before completing the marriage he chan ged his mind and was

t o Ter l am o f I n u an ti betrothed a lady , in , the g

o f family . On the evenin g before the night

the marriage , the father and brothers of the former betrothed lady brought her in a palan

quin to the palace gate , where they halted and stood with drawn swords on either side of the conveyance . Then they sent in word to the

e fl e ct ' t h at Raj ah to the , if he did not consent

t o to marry their child , they had determined

n o t put an end , only to her life, but also to

o f th eir own lives , at the very front the gate

w ay . Thereupon , the Rajah , thinking that, - b e if he refused to marry her, they would

to sure carry out th eir threats , called them into the palace an d consented to marry the

t o lady first betrothed him , alon g with his

rO o sal w as second betrothed . This p p accepted , subj ect to the condition that the sacred ribbon (Man gala - Su tram) should first be tied

to on the lady first betrothed , and this the

Raj ah consented . At the marriage the Raj ah stood in the middle with his first and next

t to betro hed the right and left respectively , and then tied the sacred ribbon in the

same order . Thus , in those old days , the father of the former succeeded in fully carry

o u t . ing his desire Fortunately the first wife ,

Chell a am ma yy Garu , gave birth to a good

o f family four sons and five daughters , and

B ut ch e amm a t the second , yy Garu , only o a sin gle daughter . After many years of a

happy married life , the second Rani expired ,

and then the R ajah married a lady , Lakshmi

n arasa amma o f V av il av al sa I n u an ti yy Garu , g 1 08

9 family . She lived for about 0 years and died

9 l d w as in 1 89 . This o lady very virtuous and

w a orthodox in her religion . Her life s one l which few would probab y be able to beat .

’ t o - - She lived see her grand son s grand son .

Raj ah R ayad app a Ran ga - Rao Bahadur Garu 1 7 1 830 died on the th j anuary , leaving behind

ix him four sons and s dau ghters . His sons

Ch al a ati - were Rajah Sweta p Ran ga Rao , the

an ard an a - eldest , Raj ah j Ran ga Rao , the

Sitaram ac h an d ra - second , Raj ah Ran ga Rao ,

- the third , and Raj ah Venkata Ran ga Rao , the

fourth .

X I .

RAJAH SW ETA C HALAPAT I RANGA- R AO

BAHADU R GAR U .

1 830 1 2 86 .

Rajah Sweta Ch al ap ati Ranga- R ao was

o n 1 5t 1 8 born the h August 1 0 . His reign is

the lon gest and most import an t in the history

1 1 0

In this as in every other case , the mere temptation of money failed to accomplish the

o f desired purpose , but the Zemindar Bobbili , w ho visited me several times when I was at

w Palkonda , and hom I did all in my power to persuade t o exert his powerful influence in aid

a re of th e public authority , succeeded in pp hendin g Kambara V e n katrayu d u and his

A ara u d u neph ew , pp y , within littl e more than

a month from that period , and with a feeling

h to hig ly honourable his character, respect fully declined the proffered reward o n the

ground that he had only performed a duty he owed t o the Government . The prisoners are n o w about t o take their trial before the j udge on circuit fo r the atrocious murders commit ted by them in

’ Sir ede ick Adam Minu es President s ( H. E . Fr r ) t ,

1 35 a a. 2 . 30th J une 8 , p r 7

‘ o f The Zemindar Bobbili , whose conduct durin g the disturbances in Vi zagapatam and 1 1 1

Ganj am is praised by Mr . Russell in his

reports , visited me at Palkonda accompanied i S t aram a a . by his D ewan , yy I told him that

Government entertained a high sense o f the zeal and loyalty he had evinced in the assist ance he had rendered to Mr . Russell as 1 Commissioner . adverted particularl y to the apprehension of Kambara V e n k atrayu d u and

o f his n ephew , the reputed murderers the former Dewan o f Palkonda (whose lon g suffered impunity was a signal of the weakness o f a d to our administration in this quarter) , n the honourable spirit he h ad man ifested in de clin in g the proffered reward for the important

I al o service . s noticed with approbation the f o fer he had made to Mr . Russell of the services of his peons in aid of the public

authority free from any charge . He answered , as he did to Mr . Russell , that he had only

his d performed uty , addin g that now M r . Russell had shown to the country that no further compromise with reb els and criminal s 1 1 2

f t o e would be suf ered , there was reason ho p

e ther would be an en d to disturbances . I

t o took occasion , in reply to this observation , f ’ explain that the main obj ect o Mr . Russell s mission was to assert the authority of Govern

e m nt and the laws , and make examples of

t those by whom hey had been outraged , or who had given countenance and protection to offenders and it was th e determination of the

Government to exert its power t o brin g every

criminal to j ustice , and to punish with severity any w h o should be foun d guilty of raisin g

disturbances . I said that Government expect

ed him to continue as he had done , to set an

r example to the other Zemindars , an d elied on his rend erin g to th e Magistrate every

assistance in his power fo r the maintenan c e f o peace and order . I think that a formal expression of the approbation of Government should be conveyed to the Zemindar through the Collector in such a man ner as may be

” most gratifyin g to him .

1 1 4

Mr . Russell , the Commissioner , an d further that the Right Honourable the Governor- in

Council cannot compare other Zemindars t o him in any respect by his utmost exertions being used in assistin g the Magistrate to afford

e relief of the community and pres rve the peace .

Ex tract from a l ett er from the Acti ng Agent in

Gan am J ud c a De a men da ed 23rd j ( i i l p rt t) , t

55 1 . Decemb er , 1 856, No .

“ PARA . 9 . I would beg leave respectfully t o suggest that G o x e r n m e n t notice with approval the readiness with which the Rajahs of Vizianagaram and Bobbili have sent in

t their quotas , th e Sirdars an d men have exer ed themselves to th e utmost , and have given me much satisfaction .

(A true Extract) . PYCR OF T (Signed) T . ,

/zie S eer eta r C f y .

(True Copy) .

(Signed ) P . B . SM OLLETT

r Ag e n t to t/ze Go ver n o . 1 1 5

N 3 . O . . J UDICIAL DEPARTMENT

Ex tracts from the Minutes of Consultation under

h r . date t e 3 d J anuary, 1 857

Read the followin g letter

ro m the Actin g Agent in

Ganj am . Reports proceed

So w rah s in gs with the , the success of the j oint attack

So w rah s on the , the flight f

D u n d o o se n ah of the , and states that a continuan ce of th e field force for any

. length of time will probably n o t be necessary .

“ ’ - 3. f . 9 . PARA Copy of p ara . o Mr Knox s letter will be furnished to the Agent in

Vizagapatam , and he will be instructed to communicate t o the Rajah o f Vizianagaram and Zemindar of Bobbili the ack n o w l ed g 1 1 6 ments of Government fo r the ready and f ” e ficient assistance which they have afforded .

(A true Extract) . PY R F . C O T (Signed) T ,

C/zie e r et a r f S c y .

TH E AGENT TO TH E GOVERNOR

OF FORT ST . GEORGE ,

a t V iz a a a ta g p m .

(True Copy) .

(Signed) P . B . SM OLLETT,

A en t to t/ze Go ver n o r g .

47 40 No . . To RAJAH SAH EB M E H AR BAN DOSTAN

RAJAH SW ETA C H AL APAT I RANGA- RAO BAHADUR GARU

I am in receipt of your lette r d a ted the

1 3 o u t o th instant , in which y allude what

1 1 8

o f o u at the time your departure , if y should ,

o n e when you are stage from Vizagapatam , intimate to us the time of your arrival at the place

OFFICE OF TH E MAGISTRATE

Z OF VI AGAPATAM ,

e a t/z M a 1 8 y , 39 .

(Signed ) AR BUTH NOT

tWa ist r a te g .

A A (Signed ) C HEN N U R R MI H ,

A ssist a n t M a n a er g .

To ff 1 808 the same e ect , in the year , Maj or

D . to General Goudie , Com . G . N . , wrote

Rajah R ayad app a Ranga - R ao saying that he had ins tructed the Commanding Officer t o fire

the us u al salute o n his arrival at Vizagapatam 1 1 9

Ex tract from the Minutes of Consult ation

e nu De a men nd a he 3ro ( R ve e p rt t) , u er d te t 1 1 a 1 85 N . 3 Febru ry, 7 , o .

R ead the followin g letter from the Agen t to the Governor at Vizagapatam

Reports that an amicab l e f settlement o f the lon g existin g 1 1 t h Janu ill - feelin gs between th e Zemindars anm of Vizianagaram and Bobbili in f 1 857 point o f etiquette has been effect Ni 5 o . 1 . ed through the mediation O f the A gent .

With reference to the expressed wishes of

Government , Extract M inutes Consultation , 1 853 N 441 1 9 O . th April , , , that the Agent in

Vizagapatam sh ould direct his endeavours to effect an adjustment of the dispute between

the Zemindars o f Vizianagaram and Bobbili by i an nterchan ge of their villages , Mr . Smollett

reports in the abov e letter that under his 1 2 0 mediation an amicable settlement o f their long existi ng dispute and ill - feeling has been happily arranged , in a manner satisfactory to both part ies and by mutual concessions . The

Right Honourable the Governor- in - Council desires that the Agent will communicate to the two Zemindars the gratification which Government derive from being i nformed that the matters in dispute between them have been so satisfactorily and honourably settled . His Lordship in Council views with entire approval the endeavours made by the Agent for the reconciliation o f these two great pro

r i t o rs e so . p , which have been fully successful

(A true Extract) .

(Signed) H . FORB ES ,

A S ee to o vt . g. ] . G

(Tru e Copy) .

(Si gned) P . B . SMOLLETT,

A e o n g n t to t/ze G ve r o r .

dari there is scarcely anything t o do . Crime ff appears almost unknown , while minor O ences of common occurrence elsewhere are equ al l ff y rare , a ording most satisfactory evidence of the efficient and sound management to

which alone such a state o f thin gs can be f traced . Disputes o other kinds between ryot

and ryot appear also as little known , and I do

n o t think I had a sin gle petition or complaint

f o r on my recent visit a fectin g yourself , in any

h way c onnected with t e fiscal management o f

your large Zemindari , and it gives me the greatest pleasure and satisfaction to bear this

testimony to a state o f affairs which reflects so

as much credit on you individually , as well on

those who are your coadj utors I n the good and f great work o sound administration . I shall

not fail to bring the subj ect o f this letter under

the notice o f His Lordship the Governor- in

Council , in view to the expression by Govern

ment o f their approbation of your successful

ff e e e orts in th caus of Peace and Order . I 1 23

o f remain , with every sentiment respect and

regard ,

Your faithful friend and servant ,

e A (Sign d) C HAR LES W . RE D E, Ag en t to t/ze Go ver n o r PAL N D A C O ,

tli F o n a e r r 1 8 8 . 5 y , 5

The Agent addressed the Govern ment as

in stated the above letter, and received the followin g reply

REVEN UE DEPARTM ENT ,

R ST . FO T GEORGE ,

t/z a 1 M 1 8 8 . 5 y , 5 N O . 636.

E S . H . BAYLEY , ",

A . G . SECY . TO TH E GOVT O F

F o r t t eo e S . G r g ,

E S C . W . R EAD E , ", R AGENT T o TH E G O V . OF T FORT S . GEORGE

a t V iz a a a t a nz g p . SI R , I am directed by the Right Honourable the

Governor in Council to express his satisfaction 1 2 4 at th e favourable opinion you have formed o f the personal character of th e Zemindar of

O f f his admin is Bobbili , and the e ficiency of t ratio n in the territory o f which he is possessed .

l have the honour to be ,

Sir,

Your most obedient servant ,

(Signed) W . H . BAYLEY ,

to o ver n men t S ec . G . Ag . y

(Tru e Copy) .

(Sign ed) C . W . READ E

Co l l ecto r

The Rajah made large additions to the

Zemindari .

r I n the limit s of the Madugul u Zeminda i .

1 Su ravaram 2 a an n a ( ) Dundi , and ( ) j g dh a u ram V an t arl a al em p with its suburbs , p and

A al arazu u ram 1 835 pp p , were purchased in

B h u ati G from Rajah Krishna p Deo aru ,

Zemind ar o f M ad u g u l u (3) Pappu Chatti Seri

1 2 6

M o kh asa 1 843 village , was purchased in in

public auction from D an tu l u ri Seetaram arazu

N ara an arazu 4 Garu and y Garu ; ( ) j ammu ,

5 Gu an ival sa 6 Amb ativ al sa an d 7 ( ) jj g , ( ) , ( )

w Chin ta al li eta Duvvam ith its suburbs , p p

Seri et a 1 843 and p , were purchased in from

Sri Tirumala Pe ddin ti Sampat Kumara Ananta

Ac h ar ul u A avarl u n ar Venkata y yy g u .

I n the adj ustment of the dispute between

o f the Zemindars Vizianagaram and Bobbili ,

’ o f under the mediation the Governor s Agent,

to Mr . P . B . Smollett , referred in the Minutes of

3rd 1 857 N o . Consultation , dated February , ,

1 31 e , quoted befor , the above mentioned seven

villages were permanently lease d on the h 1 858 1 0t March , , by the latter to the former

’ 2 2 568 er f r R s . o , p annum , the Governor s

Agent , for the time being , bein g m ade answer

able for the rents . I n sendin g the papers con nected with the proposed transfer of the seven villages to the 1 2 7

’ Rajah of Vizianagaram , the Governor s Agent wrote as follows

TH E . H . H . RAJAH OF BO BBI LI

“ SI R DEAR ,

$4 >l< I am desirous that yourself and the Raj ah

Of Vizianagaram should meet in my tents in

December next . The Raj ah expresses himself

d o most happy to so , and also that all past

differences Should be forgotten . I am sure

n you must share in this feeli g , and if I am

permitted to be the means o f bringing about

so happy a result, it will be a source of much f pleasure to m e . I can safely a firm that the

Rajah o f Vizianagaram is very desirous o f

to provin g you that , as far as he is personally

w to concerned , he ishes maintain the most

perfect friendly relation with Your High ness ,

and it only remains o n your part to shew that

the feelin g is reciprocated , and of this I look 1 2 8

fo r to your assurance in reply this letter . A llow me to subscribe myself,

n Your faithful friend and serva t,

(Signed) C . W . READ E,

A e n t to t/ze o ver n o r g G . Z VI IANAGARAM ,

2 t/z October 1 8 4 , 5 7 .

Th e " proposed meeting , however, did not

ffe take place, owin g to some di rences regard in g etiquette] . The Raj ah bestowed the proprietary estates

Wu n arad a o n of g , Kintali , and Mantina Rajah

I n u an ti R a an in th e g Rama y Garu , and estates of Chidik ad a and J agan nadhapuram o n Raj ah

I n u g anti R aj ag o p al a R ayan in Garu both being

- in - i e his brothers law , . . , his sisters husbands , and thus made them th e Proprietors of these estates respectively . The latter dyin g without

Chidik ad a issue , and j agannadhapuram were

the o f taken back with consent his widow,

GO a amma p yy Garu , sister to the Raj ah , and

to I n u a n ti Sitaram asw ami were given g Garu , a

’

th e i. e . o so n . nephew of Raj ah , , an ther sister s

1 30

family . Havin g no issue , the Raj ah adopted the third so n of Raj ah Su ryaro w Bahadur

. th Garu , the Raj ah of Pittapur He died on e 1 8 2 1 8th 6 . August ,

X .

RAJAH S I T ARAM A K R I ST N A RAYAD APPA

- R AO RANGA BAHADUR GAR U . 1 863 — 1 868 .

Raj ah Sit aram a K rist n a R ayad app a Ran ga

1 5th 1 845 Rao was born on the September, , at

Pittapur . He had not attained his majority

by a few months when his adoptive father died , b u t the Government did not bring the estate

under the Court of Wards for this short period .

He was a strict disciplinarian , and ruled only

fo r five y ears . Durin g this period he continued and enlarged th e good works of his father and amo n gst other thin gs established the Anglo 1 4 Vernacular School at Bobbili in 86 . He visit m ed Lord Napier at B imilip ata . He m arried

’ his pate r nal aunt s dau ghter o f the I n u gan ti

o n 1 7 1 868 . family . He died the th May , 1 31

HI S K C H E L LAYAM MA WIFE , RANI LA SH MI

BAHADUR GARU .

’ After her husband s death , the management

o n of the Zemindari devolved her . She had ,

I n u an ti Sitaram asw am for her Dewan , g y Garu ,

Siri u ram w h o Proprietor of p , a man of ability , had also been Dewan durin g the time of her

— - n t o father ih law . She bega build the new

in aus palace , the old palace bein g considered

i i w as p c o us . When famine ragin g in Be n gal

1 873 sh e fo r in , sent there, the relief of th e

f o f su ferers, about Bengal maunds R 50 000 s . paddy , valued at , , for which th e

Governments of India and Madras , in their

6th 1 87 3 Proceedin gs , dated December, , and

5 1 87 4 to th j anuary , , were pleased praise her 1 87 5 greatly for her liberality . I n December, , when His Royal Highness the Prince of

n o w - Wales , Kin g Emperor , visited Madras ,

r n she sent her Dewan there as her rep ese tative , an d h ad a ‘ the honour to receive medal from

n His Royal Highness . The Governme t showed 1 32

' their appreciation o f her charitable acts b y c o n

o n o f ferrin g her the title Rani , as a personal

1 87 6 f l l w i i . o o n s distinction , in February , The g

2 2 n d 1 876 the substance of the letter , dated ]uly , , addressed to the Rani by the Actin g Agent to the Governor in connection with the help She rendered to the Government in the quelling of

o u t a rebellion that had broken at Bastar .

“ MADAM , I am directed by the Government to commun icate to you their thanks fo r the assistance yo u rendered to them in the march of an army for the crushin g o f the rebellion that recently

t broke o u in Bastar , and for other convenient arrangements that you made fo r them in that

connection . I have , therefore , gladly com mu n icat e d the matter to you and enclosed an

” extract from the order . (Signed) A ct ing Ag en t to t/ze Go ve r n o r

’ OF F ICE OF GOVERNOR S

AGENT ,

z e n d n l 1 8 6 . j y , 7

1 34

fi fty of your sepoys at a time when the Police t st were absent from tha ation . I am much

‘ ” t o o ml obliged you for y ur ti e y help .

R . GA STI N (Signed) H ,

Ag e n t to t/ze Go ver n o r

’ O FFICE OF TH E GOVERNOR S AGENT ,

Z VI AGAPATAM DISTRICT ,

MAD AG E D A CAM P ,

t M a r c/z 1 88 1 s 0 . 3 ,

1 87 1 In the year the Rani adopted , under

so n o f the authority of her husband , the third

Raj ah S arv ag nya K u m arayac h e n d ra Bahadur Garu (2 7 th generation of the Venkatagiri

R O f family) , the aj ah Venkatagiri , and durin g the minority o f her so n S h e continued

the management of the estate , and had him

a educated under a European tutor, Mr . M rsh ,

M o n 7 th n o w Dr . arsh . She died the May 7 1 88 . X I .

MAHA - RAJAH SI R VEN K ATA S VV E T A CHALA

A - R AO PATI R NGA BAHADUR ,

" The Maha - Rajah was born on the2 8th

1 862 w as August, , and adopted by the late Rani 1 87 1 of Bobbili at Venkatagiri in . He came

to Bobbili from Venkatagiri in December 1 87 2 . His first teachers were two native

gentlemen . He was under their instruction

fo r some years , and afterwards was under the

E s fo r tuition of Marsh , q , three and a half

years . His Sanskrit teacher was Su su rl a

Sitaram asastri - , a well known pundit of these

parts . Besides instruction in the usual course

th e of studies , Raj ah received many useful

H e b e e d a a acc t t h e e a 1 90 0 will styl R j h in his ount ill y r . 1 36 l essons o n morality and other subj ects from these two He atte nded the Durbar held in 1 87 7 at {fizag ap atam in honour o f Her Maj esty Queen Victoria assuming the title of EM PRESS OF I ND IA , and at this Durbar

he and th e late Maharajah , then the Kumar

Raj a, of Vizianagaram , were the only natives that were seated on the dais with the European

f b e . su s o ficials Happily , at this Durbar, the quent heads o f the t w o rival houses of V izian a garam and Bobbili introduced themselves to

f r each other o the first time . In 1 87 8 he went to Venkatagiri to attend

o f the installation his eldest brother, the pres

t o ent Rajah . It is a very happy event note

h 2 n d 3rd here that the t ree brothers , the , the ,

4th to and the , given in adoption the families o f et ro l e Pittapur, Bobbili , and j p respectively, came together there for the first time after

their adoption . Here he shot his first tiger . 1 880 In , his first wife , whom he married in

1 87 8 so n , gave birth to a , the Kumara Rajah ,

1 38

° th e l iab ilities R 46 000 s . . father , while were , He assigned to his adoptive mother, for life , the estate o f K arak av al sa and some other villages R 60 0 0 0 . s . n yieldin g annually , The installatio

o n 30th ceremony took place the November .

His brother, the present Raj ah of Venkatagiri , came and attended it, and Mr . Turner, the then

G . Collector, led the Raj ah to his addi A few

to days prior this ceremony , the Raj ah married

’ his first wife s Sister, as the custom , in general , prohibits a widower from ascendin g the Gaddi . In 1 882 he raised the Bobbili M iddle School to the standard of a High School ; gave up

— the salary grant in - aid which the School was receivin g from the Government ; founded a

Sam asth an am Poor House , called the Poor

fo r House , the lame , the blind , and other

decrepit persons , and established a Sabha

‘ ’ called B u dh an an din i for the discussion of subj ects relatin g to religion , morality , science ,

to & c . He made a pilgrimage Tirupati and

n M visited Ve katagiri and adras, 1 39

1 8 8 3.

Hi D u fl s . . Excellency Sir M E Grant , while

on a tour in the Northern Circars , visited

w as Bobbili in February , and accommodated

t o in the old palace . H e seemed be pleased

saw with what he there . In replying to an address presented to him by the inhabitants of

Bezwada , the Governor observed

We have in these North - Eastern Districts

w h o - o f V izian a a men , like the Maha Raj ah g

o f o f ram , the Zemindars Mandasa, and Bobbili ,

o f and the Raj ah Pittapur, are doin g much in various ways for th e enlightenment of those around them .

’ I n this year the Raj ah of V e n katagiri s second wedding an d the weddin g of h is

Mu dd u K ristn a e brother , Raj ah , took plac

while the Raj ah was at Venkatagiri . The Raj ah

also visited Benares , Gya , and Allahabad with the obj ect o f performin g the religious rites

or Sraddhas of his adoptive father and other 1 40

ancestors as , owin g to his adoption into the

Bobbili family , he thought that it was his first duty t o perform these incumbent rites at his earliest convenience . I n the same year his

t o so n second wife gave birth a , and died a few days afterwards , just like her elder sister , the

’ ah Raj s first wife .

1 886 .

In this year he made an extensive tour in

Southern India , visitin g nearly all the import

ant towns and shrines , and attended the

et ro l e weddin g of his brother , the Raj ah of j p ,

" at Venkatagiri . H e paid his respects to H . E

ff . Lord Du erin , th e Viceroy , at Madras He

Pra n - built the u g Mahal in the Palace .

1 8 87 .

Th e year 1 887 was a v e ry sad year for

Raj ah . H e lost his adoptive mother , and

s o n dear youn ger , and he himself was ill

several months .

1 42

I n this year the Raj ah mad e another exten

sive tour in Northern India, during which he had the honour of payin g his respects to His k Royal High ness th e Du e of Con naught,

ff . H . E . Lord Du erin , the Viceroy , and H E .

Lord Reay , the Governor of Bombay . He

also went to Gya for the second time , and

performed th e religious rites for his deceased

adoptive mother .

O n th e occasion of the 69th Anniversary o f

- the birth of Her M aj esty the Queen Empress,

His Excellency the Viceroy w as pleased to

confer on the Raj ah the title of Raj ah as a

personal distinction .

- It is , however , a well known fact that the

Raj ahs of Bobbili have been from the fo u n d a

tion of the Zemin dari addressed as Raj ahs .

When the question o f hereditary titles was R raised , the aj ah submitted to the Govern

a ment m any letters , and other p pers , showing

th at the Government had addressed his au ces 1 43 tors as Raj ahs from the beginnin g of the

h . t e . British Rule over Circars H E . the

o n 1 6 1 890 Viceroy was , the th D ecember , , pleased to recognise the title of Raj ah as hereditary in this family , as well as in the

families of Vizianagaram , j eypore, Venkata

K al ah asti K arv etin a ar giri , , g , Pittapur, and in some of the families in Malabar and latterly in the family of Ramnad .

Ex tract from the l etter of the Coll ector of Viza=

a a m ta No . 1 234 d ed 19 h t Ma . g p . , at y, 1 888

To

TH E CHIEF SECRETARY TO GOVT .

SIR ,

I have the honour to report on the subj ect G O 2 9th 1 886 967 of , dated October, , No . ,

Political .

=is

1 8 . Bobbili is one of the three large

es Estat in the District , the other two bein g 1 44

- Jeypore and Vizianagaram . The Sun nud i

Mil k eu t - I stim rar was issued in the name

‘ R a ad a a Raj ah y pp Ran ga Row , Zemindar of ’ f Bobbili , and the files in my o fice clearly show

o f that the Zemindars Bobbili have , ever Since o u r advent into the country , been always

addressed with that title . This Zemindar has responded t o my call and has submitted the originals of several letters addressed t o his predecessors at different periods since the

1 807 o n e year , i n every of which the title appears and contends that the fact that the title w as in u se SO early is proof of its having been

th e M ah m ed an in vogue under o Government . He adds that many hereditary titles and other honours were conferred on his ancestor Rajah " Lin a a g pp Ran ga Row third in the line, but that nothin g o f those times was left after the

1 7 57 to now historical battle of , T which allu 2 0 sion will be made in para . below .

" i l S t r ct 1 7 58 . Strictl y se cond in t h e lin e . T y

1 46 subsequent acquisition of these provinces from

V iziaram araz the Mogul Emperor . Had Pedda

o f Vizianagaram not been killed at Bobbili , it is probable that the Circars would have remained to this day par t of the Territories of

the Nizam . Orme calls the Bobbili Zemindar

‘ Po l ars the first in rank of the yg , who call

’ R a a /zs themselves j . 2 1 . In the disturbances which raged in this 1 832 district in and about the year , the Bobbili

Zemindar was o f great service to Government

w ay s in various , especially in apprehen ding

K u mb era V e n kat aro w and his nephew , the

’ o f murderers the Palkonda Zemindar s Dewan ,

w h o had successfully eluded al l efforts on the

part of Government Officers to catch them and

was R his deservedly eulogised by Mr . ussel in A r . d repo ts Sir Frederic am , the Governor, particularly alludes to these facts, and to his

havin g told the Zemindar that Gov ernment

’ entertained a high sense O f the zeal and loyalty

he had evinced in t he assistanc e he had 1 47

rendered to Mr . Russel as Commissioner , in 2 7 . 2 7 his . 5 para . of tour minute (p , Vol

Purl akem ed Reports on the disturbances in y,

Gu m so o r G Vizagapatam . and ) ; and overn 85 ment in their Minutes of Consultation (p . ) directed the Board o f Revenue to instruct th e

Collect or of Vizagapatam to convey to the

Zemindar o f Bobbili the approbation of

Governmen t of h is conduct in such a manner as may be most gratifyin g to the Zemindar .

2 2 . I n recent times , the House of Bobbili has always been distinguished for the excel lent and prudent management o f their

Estates . They have always money in hand , an d many a Zemindari has been saved from being brought to the hammer by a timely loan

’ — a a l M n u . from the source . (Carmichael s )

2 3 . It has been shown above , that the

’ Bobbili Zemindar s claim to the title of Raj ah has not only been recognised uniformly ‘ ever since our acquisition of the country , but that 1 48

On the w as use authority of Orme , this title in h long before that event . It as not been personal t o has any isolated nobleman in the line , but been hereditarily enjoyed by every successive

Zemindar . I n the same way the title of

’ Raj ah , although never specially bestowed has been enjoyed by the Zemindars of V izian a

o f garam and j eypore , and before the higher

‘ ’ distinction o f Maharaj a was specially con ferred on the present Zemindar of j eypore , and on the late and present Zemindars of

Vizianagaram , as a personal title , that of

Raj ah was in herently attached to them . And

N 493 o f G . O . o . in , Political Department ,

1 8 62 a , Government directed th t the Zemindar o f Vizianagaram should be addressed by the

re iterat title of Raj ah , and this direction was

in 2 5th O . G . ed , Revenue Department , dated 1 8 2 2 Th 00 . 79 . e November , , No cases of Bobbili and Jeypore are analogous to that of

Vizianagaram , and I beg to submit that the

Zemindars of Vizianagaram and J eypore and

1 50

a half from the town , the Raj Mah l in Raj

Mohan Bagh which he laid out . The palace is intended fo r the Raj ah t o stay in o ccasion

ally for a chan ge , and to accommodate distin

u ish ed g guests when they visit Bobbili .

— 2 1 889 1 89 .

o f h is At the express desire brothers , the Raj ah of Venkatagiri and Raj ah M u dd u

K rist n a an d , the Raj ah went to Venkatagiri took a prominent part in efl ectin g a compro mise concer nin g th e family property by the execution of the family settlement deed , dated 8 1 889 th April , . For this sole obj ect he stayed at Venkatagiri and Madras for four months . Before th e close of the year he was

his again called by father , the late Raj ah of

Venkatagiri , to settle about the maintenance

t which had to be paid o him from the Estate .

F o r his so n th e purpose of makin g eldest , the

to present Rajah , agree pay what he demand

h his 5 ed , the late Raj a instigated th son , 1 5 1

M u dd u K r ist n a Raj ah , to file a partition suit

so n against the eldest , the Raj ah , and got some o n e as a friend t o file a similar suit o n

so n V e n u O al behalf of his youn gest , Raj ah g p , w h 6t h so n o . was a minor at that time The ,

K rist n a n o t t o Rajah Venkata , did yield the

’ father s inducement . It took nearly three years for the R aj ah o f Bobbili to brin g them to

to to terms . He used go Madras every year fo r o r n three four mo ths , and at last succeeded

i e in makin g a compromise amon gst them , . . ,

o ld the Raj ah , the present Raj ah , and Raj ah

M K ristn a d udd u . Before it was settle , Rajah

V e n u go p al attained his majority and withdrew

the suit , knowin g it was Simply filed by a next

friend at the insti gation o f his father . Raj ah

Mu dd u K rist n a also withdrew the suit accord

o ld ing to the above compromise . The poor

m ain t e n Rajah did not , however , enjoy the

o n 6th 1 89 2 ance lon g . He died the of j une , .

The Rajah o f Venkatagiri received the

’ followin g reply from the Ri ght H o n b l e Lo rd 1 52

Connemara about this amicable settlement

1 0 6 , MO UNT STREET ,

GROSVEN OR S"UARE ,

J t/z A u u st 1 8 2 o g , 9 .

M Y DEAR RAJAH ,

o u fo r o f 6th I thank y your letter the May , and I am very glad i ndeed to hear that the suit for a partition of your estate instituted by

your father has been withdrawn . Family

disputes are always especially disagreeable .

Your brother , the Raj ah of Bobbili , is a very

sensible man , for whom I have a great regard ,

and has done well to interfere in this matter .

With best good wishes fo r the welfare of

all your family .

I remain ,

Very sincerely yours ,

(Signed) CON N EMARA .

attended the Receptions at

t t e e o H . R . H . h late Pri nc

1 54

1 7 58 y , in , were completel wearing out , the

Raj ah thought fit to mark the sc ene by means

‘i‘ o f a Monumental Pill ar bearin g inscriptions i n Telugu and En glish describin g the martial

o f Spirit his ancestor and his followers .

1 8 93. The year 1 893 is the most important and

o n e the most enj oyable of the present reign .

The Raj ah left Bobbili o n the 1 4t h April on his

so n way to Europe , left his , the Kumara Raj ah , f o . at Madras , under the care his tutor , Mr f . . o E P Oldfield , took leave h is mother and

" T h e following is t h e Insc ription in E ng lish on t h e

P a — P a e e c e ma k t h e o f ill r This ill r is r t d to r Fort Bobbili , whi ch w as a tt a ck e d in j anu ary 1 7 58 b) R aj a h V iz iaram araz

b T h e e z a a a a m a e e . of Vi i n g r , ssist d y Monsi ur Bussy th n

a a a a- R ao a e fi e fi R j h , R ng , ft r g hting ight hours , nding it

m e av e a n d e e e a i possibl to s his fort , pr f rring d th to dishonour ,

fi e a t h e w m e a n d c e t h e and rst put to d th o n hildr n in fort , th e n fi g htin g fe ll li k e a noth e r Le onid as with al l his g a ll ant

a a a S a m a am a . e e a e b nd Thr ni ghts ft rw rds , f ithful ird r fro R j ,

a a Pa a a e f e c e a n e a ce e v a T ndr p yy , f t d ntr n , in spit of ig il nt

’

a V izia ramaraz s e a n d a e h im th e e a . g u rd , into t nt , st bb d to h rt

- i e b a a V . S a a R a o n 1 89 1 E re ct d y R j . R ng . 1 55

brothers at Venkatagiri , and embarking at

Bombay landed at Marseilles . Thence he

fo r went to Paris , stayed th ere a few days,

o n 1 9 and reach ed London the th May . His

w as Excellency the Governor, Lord Wenlock , kind enough t o write letters of introduction to

the Secretary of State for I ndia an d others .

V e n u o al His youn gest brother , Raj ah g p

Bahadur, also accompanied him from Madras . On the 2 9 th Of that month they attended the

’ L v ee e at St . j ames Palace held by His Royal

’ Highness the Prince of Wales o n H er M aj esty s

behalf . They were allowed the privilege of

’ goin g to th e L ev ee by the Ambassador s gate and were presented by the Secretary o f State

t o for India . They also went the customary Reception at the Foreign Offi ce in honour of

’ 3r Her M aj esty s Birthday on the d j u ne .

They went by the Pimlico Entrance t o the two State Balls and one State Concert given in d Buckingham Palace . They pai their respects

to H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught on the 1 56

1 9 th July , when the Duke said he remembered

seein g the Raj ah at Poona . They also went

to the Garden Party at M arlborough House , 5 given on the th July by H . R . H . the Prince f o . of Wales , to h ave the honour meetin g H . M

. o f the Queen Lord Kimberley , the Secretary

fo r State India , kindly introduced the Raj ah

his f and brother to H . R . H . the Duke o York

G . at the arden Party , given by Mr and Lady

Constance Shaw Lefevre , to meet the Duke and

Princess Victoria May before they were married .

o f H . R . H . the Prince Wales , at the interview given on the l oth July to the Raj ah and his

t o sa w as brother , was pleased y that he glad t o make their acquaintance , to which the Raj ah replied that it was a great honour to them to be graciously allowed to pay him their loyal

his respects . The Rajah paid most humble and

- m loyal respects to H . M . the Queen E press on

As the 1 7 th July at Windsor Castle . this is the most important event in his tour in Europe , it

’ seems well to quote here from the Rajah s Diary .

1 58

standin g , and Shook hands with me in a very pleasin g manner .

“ ’ H er Maj esty s conversation , though short ,

He r was very kind and pleasin g . M aj esty was M ’ . s pleased to introduce me to H . dau ghter,

o f Princess Beatrice Battenberg , who was with

H er Maj esty .

y 7 4 Though Her Maj est is years of age , she noticed carefully my oriental costume . Her Maj esty was very kind and pleasin g in her

expressions . I was very much pleased , and felt more honoured in being allowed thus to pay my most humble and loyal respects to 5 our Sovereign w h o has already ruled 6 years .

Since my boyhood I have had an intention to go to En glan d to p ay my loyal respects to

H er M aj esty . Now my wishes are realized .

“ A few minutes after , the Privy Councillors

th e and myself left Castle , drove to the station , an d returned to the Paddin gton station by the

sa special train . N ow I can y I am fully

t o satisfied with my visit this distant country . 1 59

I may also mention here in this connection that I am the first Raj ah that has ever come from the M adras Presidency .

Thank G o d this is the most happy day of

” my life . Shortly afterwards the Rajah was presented

’ M S with a photo bearin g H . . autograph

i O f signature , in acknowledg n g the receipt which the Raj ah wrote as follows

SI R DEAR ,

“ I have n o words to express my most humble and loyal thanks to Her Gracious

e y e I Maj st , the Qu en and Empress of n dia , for M ’ H . . s most kind favour in presentin g me

v er with Her Portrait . I esteem it a y great f o . to and Special favour on the part H . M my ancient family which has been ever loyal to

the British Government , and whose footsteps , it

has been , and will ever be , my desire to follow .

“ I have erected a market at Bobbili t o M ’ e . . S comm morate H Jubilee , and on my 1 60

to return my country , I intend to build a Town M Hall i n memory of my loyal visit to H . . , M ’ I l d . s w o u which , with H . permission , name

‘ ’ the Victoria Town Hall .

o u t o I woul d beg y , Sir, convey to Her

o f Gracious Maj esty , with every expression

loyalty , an d with my humble thanks , my f M ’ o . . s gratitude for, and appreciation , H

Gracious Gift .

t o I have the honour remain ,

Sir,

Your most obedient and humble servant,

- A . S . R O (Signed) V RAN GA ,

B a a li o o bb l i y f B i .

’

H n b l e . In reply to this the Right o H . F Ponsonby wrote

O F OSBORNE , ISLE WIGHT

ENGLAN D ,

t 1 8 A u u s . g , 93 I R S ,

“ t o In reply your letter , which I had much pleasure in submittin g to th e Queen , I am

1 62 to her which the Princess has pleasure in

” acceptin g .

ill u l 1 8 n j y , 93 .

The Rajah presented an Ivory Casket t o the

Queen - Empress and subscribed 1 00 guineas to

' St . Mary s Hospital Fund . H e and his brother

“ attended the At Homes of the Duke o f

o f Westminster , the Marchioness Salisbury ,

n Lady Battersea , Lady He ry Lennox , and

o f e the Marchioness Ripon , the Count ss of

’ J ersey , and also Lady Temple s Garden Party and the Anniversary Fete at the Crystal

Palace .

He visited Lord Kimberley , Secretary of State

for India , Lord Connemara, Sir Mountstuart

D ufl ] Grant , Lord H erschel , Lord Northbrook ,

Lord Reay , and some others .

his During soj ourn in En gland , the Rajah

visited Brighton , Oxford , Liverpool , Edinburgh

and Bedford . On his way back he visited

n e and . Paris, Lucern e , Venice , Flore c Rome 1 63

He received addresses o f welcom e from th e people of Venkatagiri , and of Bobbili where h e

1 3 1 893; safely returned on th e th September, 4 1 89 .

In compliance with th e invitation o f the

Raj ah , His Excellency Lord Wenlock , the

Governor of M adras , came to Bobbili on the

4th e 1 894 Octob r, , and was accommodated at

- M . 3 30 P . ac m the Raj Mahal . At the Raj ah co p an ied by his so n paid a State visit to His

Excellency the Governor , who , after a return

visit to th e Raj ah at the palace , laid the

- foundation stone of the Victoria Town Hall .

e The Governor , aft r layin g the foundation stone , made the followin g reply

“ A O F AN D RAJ H BOBBILI GENTLEMEN , I feel great pleasure in accedin g to the

request made by you , to lay the foundation stone here in commemoration of the visit

which yo u paid to H er Maj esty the Queen

Empress when yo u visited En gland the l ast

a I d t a ye r . o not think h t you could possibly 1 64

commemorate this visit in a more suitable and proper manner than that in which you propose

t o do . It is therefore a m atter of extreme pleasure and satisfaction to myself that I have

been able to come here on this occasion , and

perform the ceremony o f layin g the foundation

l astin reco rd stone of what , I trust, will be the g o o f your loyalty to H er Most Gracious Maj esty

- o f the Queen Empress , and your devotion to

o u her, and the loyal principles with which y

and your family have always been associated .

I believe this particular form which yo u have

chosen is o n e most suitable to the people of

this country . They will find in this building,

o u which y are about to erect , opportunities o f meetin g on occasions when their delibera tions can be properly accompanied by suitable surroun din gs , such as are goin g to be placed at their disposal as a record of not only your o w n loyalty , but of the generosity and interest which yo u feel towards amelioratin g the con

is dition of your own people . It for these and

1 66

A AN D — I RAJAH , L DIES GENTLEMEN , have

y o u n to thank , Sir , very much i deed for the kin d mann er in which yo u have proposed my

w h o health , and those have also received what you have proposed j ust now in an extremely

a f touchin g manner . I can only s y o r myself that it is a matter of extreme pleasure fo me that I have been abl e to respond to the invitation that yo u have been kin d enough to

iz t o v . exten d me some time ago , , that I should come to Bobbili towards the end of this year to lay the ston e which I had the honour o f doin g this afternoon .

Here is a town and an estate administered in th e most excellent and

most practical manner . I gather , from every source which is Open to me to obtain in fo r

o f mation from , that the people this country are happy and enj oying themselves in quiet

o u and prosperity , and that y keep a special w atch and speci al guard over their interests 67

in a most special man ner . On behalf of

Government I c an only express my sincere thanks for the manner in which you look after

o u all those in whom y are interested , and

amon gst whom your work is cast . The cere mony that I had the honour o f bein g present at this afternoon was a specially interestin g

one, as it was one commemoratin g the visit which you yourself paid t o H er Maj esty the

- w Queen Empress , hen you were in England it is one which will hand down to posterity a

record of that visit , and specially of the loyal spirit which was predominating in your own mind at the time when yo u paid your visit

to that country . I think I may safely say

;that, in the Northern Circars , Landlords and

Zemindars o f this country are animated by S the ame Spirit which animated you , and if,

so at any time , their fortune should be great

to that they should be able pay th eir respects , in the same manner as you did , to Her Maj esty

- the Queen Empress , they will be actuated by 1 68 the same feelin gs of loyalty and devotion to

as the British Crown you yourself , Sir, possess .

I d o not know if it is necessary for me to say

o n anythin g more than , behalf of Government, to thank you for the extremely kind hospitality

to u s which you have extended , and which has mad e o u r visit so very comfortab l e and SO

very enj oyable .

On the mornin g of the 5th His Excell en cy

w as visited the Monumental Pillar, which erected on the site of the ruined fort by the present Raj ah in 1 89 1 ; and also laid th e foun dation - stone o f the Samasth an am Gosh a

Hospital , on behalf of H er Excellency Lady

Wenlock .

The Governor, after layin g the stone, replied

’ to the Raj ah s address in the followin g manner

1 7 0

port . I hope this institution , when it is once f started , will be the means of a fordin g relief and comfort t o a very large number of women o f this country and this town and that other

bodies and private individuals , who come to see w the good ork here done , will not hesitate t o follow yo u r excellent example .

I have only to express the pleasure I have

had in bein g here , and to congratulate you o n the extremely good example you have set

w h o ns to others , , like yourself , are respo ible fo r the well - bein g o f such a large number of

” persons .

The Governor left Bobbili for Vizianagaram

the same evenin g .

The Rajah built the Gosha Hospital and the Lady Apothecary ’ s quarters at Bobbili at his o w n h e h m o to D cost , and and d t e ver the istrict 1 7 1

R 2 00 s . 0 0 Board with a donation of , for the

- management and u p keep of the institution .

w as o n 3rd 1 896 It opened the November, , by

m . Mr . Ho e , the Collector and Agent

R 6 000 to s . He contributed , the much needed

' choultry built in Mr . Turner s name at Vizag a atam p , and attended , and took a prominent

’ part at, the Turner s M emorial Meetin g and the Opening Ceremony o f the choultry which

o f was performed by Mr . Horne , the Collector

1 898 . the District , in the year

1 8 5 9 .

’ - In the New Year s Day Honours Gazette ,

Her Majesty the Queen - Empress w as graciously pleased to confer on the Raj ah the Kni ghthood

30th of the Indian Empire . On the May the

Raj ah was invested , at Ootacamund , with the

Insignia o f the Most Exalted Order of the

Indian Empire , by His Excellency the Right

’ Ho n b l e o f Lord Wenlock , Governor Madras 1 7 2

This ceremony was the first of its kind that

was held at that place . H . H . the Gaekwar of

o n Baroda was also present the occasion . On his return to Bobbili he received an address

from his people , who made several requests .

The Raj ah , while thanking them for present

in g him the address , said he could not carry o ut all the requests at once , but promised that he would fulfi l many of them in course of time . 30 000 R s . On this occasion he remitted , ,

to . arrears of revenue , the ryots

The Raj ah paid his respects t o H . E . Lord i El gin , the Viceroy , when he v sited Madras, an d he then endowed a bed to be called

“ ’ ” Lady El gin s Bed in the Victoria Caste

Gosha Hospital at Madras .

1 896 .

I n this year the Raj ah endowed another bed

“ ’ to be called Lady Wenlock s Bed , in the

above Hospital . H . E . the Governor was

1 74

1 8 89 .

His Excellen cy Sir Arthur Havelock at the

o f request the Raj ah , came to Bobbili on the

2 1 st February to open the Victoria Town Hall and was accommodated at the Raj Mahal .

At the entertainment in the evenin g His Excellency proposed the Raj ah ’ s health in return thus

I th a n k you , Raj ah , for the kind and too flatterin g terms in which you have proposed

o f the toast my health . I thank you , Gentle

fo r so men , also havin g cordially responded to

it . It is true , as the Raj ah remarked , that the determinin g cause of my visit to the Circars was his invitation totake part in the ceremony o f openin g the Hall , the ceremony which I

- look forward to performin g to morrow . I had th e intention of comin g to this part o f the country during this season if it had been possible . But for my promise to take part

c in this eremony , I think , I should have 1 7 5

been compelled to postpone it to a future

n occasio . However I have managed to find

sufficient time to carry o u t the proj ected visit

to this part of the country , and I am very glad to find myself to n i ght as the guest o f the

Rajah . I am certain that Lady Havelock

would have been pleased . if she could , with

o n her presence the present occasion , have

to th e given an additional satisfaction Raj ah . But the Raj ah has rightly said that the lon g

journey from Madras , performed in the hurried way that my j ourney on the present occasion

to was arran ged be performed , prevented her

n o t from comin g . She could possibly have undergone the fatigues o f this lon g and hasty

u j o rney . Before I sit down , I must ask you to join with me in d rinking a toast which p ro

n o bably needs little or commendation , that is ,

o f the toast of the health of the Rajah Bobbili .

The Raj ah of Bobbili is , as we all know , a descendant and a representative o f the race which has distin guished itself in the wars in 1 76

this part of the country , and has left its mark

n o the history of the Circars . The Raj ah himself is a man o f literary ability ; he has also been an observant traveller ; he is a large landowner w h o knows how to work his property

to the best possible advantage , and he is , I can

testify , a most valuable member of my Legisla

tive Council , representin g there the interests of the large lan ded proprietary o f the Madras

Presidency . I can only say that I wish that we had many more men in the Madras Presidency an d in In dia like the Raj ah of

” Bobbili .

In the mornin g the Raj ah paid a State visit

to the Governor, who shortly afterwards paid

a return visit to the Rajah in the Palace , and

was received i n the new Durbar Mahal , which had recently been completed and was then for

t h e first time used .

On leavin g the Durbar Mahal , His Excel

l e n cy proceeded to t he V ictoria To wn Hall

1 7 8

Excellency , and received the following reply from him

“ REPRESENTATIVES OF T H E PEOPLE O F

W O F — I n o u fo r TH E TO N BO BBI LI , tha k y your kind address of welcome . It is with the greatest satisfaction I have heard the tribute o f praise which you have bestowed upon the

w h o s a h as Raj ah of Bobbili , , as you y, endowed

you with many useful Public Institutions ,

and they are valuable works to that extent .

Yo u t o u admi that y are supplied with Schools ,

Hospitals , and other charitable institutions , and water- supply has been more than supplied

- and safe guarded . This is a very high tribute

of gratitude and praise t o your enlightened

hi m n ifi n e Raj ah . In consequence of s u ce c

o u sa towards y , you y that there is very little

left for you to ask at my hands .

>i<

I am glad to be able t o join with you in

con gratulatin g ourselv es on the success of the 1 7 9 efforts of the Government to withstand the horrors o f famine and distress durin g last

year . I take this Opportunity of expressin g e the gratitude of the Gov rnment , for the efforts that were made by the Raj ah himself to assist the people in his own immediate neigh b o u rh o o d t o , and I wish also not lose this

Opportunity o f expressin g the hi gh app recia

O f tion of my Government the skill , zeal , and devotion o f the District Officers under extreme l f n y di ficult and tryin g circumsta ces . I thank you once more for the welcome you have

accorded to me here .

His Excellency then visited the Monumental

Pillar and the Sam asth an am Gosha Hospital before going back to the Raj M ahal and left

fo r the same afternoon Vizianagaram .

With reference t o this meetin g of the

Governor and the Raj ah , the followin g remarks

app eared in the M a d r as M a il I t will be seen from the reports we publish

’ to - day that th e Governor s visit to Bobbil i w as - m marked by some very cordial speech aking .

Referrin g to His Excellency the Raj ah re marked

‘ I t is a rare fortun e for a Province to be presided over by such a statesman , a states

h as man who , by a life which been devoted to

’ his country s service , has added to the high gifts o f nature a vast store of practical know

r w h o ledge and expe ience , and , while he is ready t o listen to the popular voice and official advice , is at the same time capable of main

’ taining his own independence of judgment .

A Of the Raj ah , Sir rthur Havelock remarked in j ust appreciation

‘ The Raj ah is a man o f literary ability ; he h as also been an observant traveller ; he is a large lan downer who knows how to work his property to the best possible advantage ; and

is he , I can testify , a most valuable Member of my Legislative Council , representin g there the interests o f the large landed Proprietary o f the

1 82

as w very much respected by the Raj ah , ell as

by the people who kn ew her, the Raj ah per formed h er funeral ceremony with great respect and attention and endowed a bed in the Victoria Caste and Gosha Hospital at Madras in the name of the deceased venerable old lady . At the request of the people of Vizagapatam

o w n the Raj ah promised to erect , at his cost, a Town Hall in memory of Her Maj esty ’ s

Diamond J ubilee . It is called the Victoria

Diamond Jubilee Town Hall .

1 900 .

v re - H . E . the Go ernor nominated the Rajah in April for the third time as a M ember of the

Legislative Council . I n the beginnin g of May some disturbances

of the hill tribes occurred near Pachipenta, in connection with which the Raj ah offered his

services to the Government in a letter o f which the followin g is a copy 1 83

BO BBILI ,

tli M a 1 0 0 . 5 y , 9 “ FROM TH E RAJAH OF BOBBILI

A . AG E N T CO L L E CT O R N D .

T o T H E O F GOVERNOR MADRAS .

SI R — I , have the honour to i nform you that

I hear yo u have come to Salur in connection

with the gatherin g o f the hill - tribes who killed

tw o o f the Police Constables the other day . It

is also said that the Reserve Police at Vizaga

patam is shortly expected there . As I am

to ff quite close the place , I beg to o er my ser

d o n o t vices t o the Government . I mean that

my sepoys and V e l am a people are of much use

o u o u to y , but I beg y will kindly give me a chance to show my loyalty to the Government

as was done t o my forefathers on former occa

sions . If you also want some sowars to convey

messages quickly from the scene o f the disturb

u a ces to the telegraphic place , Salur, or some 1 84

o n l am elephants to carry loads the hill tracts , quite ready to send them to you .

I have the honour to be ,

Sir ,

Your most obedient servan t , A (Signed) V . S . RAN G ROW ,

R a a /z o o b l j f B bi i.

’ Reply given by the Collector to the Raj ah s letter

N . 1 2 33 o .

Z VI AGAPATAM , ’ DISTRICT MAGISTRATE S O FFICE ,

t/z M a 1 0 0 . 9 y , 9

s t /zed I l l /Z a D e p a c M y . FROM E S W . O . HOR N E , ", DISTRICT MAGISTRATE

V ie a a a ta m g p ,

T H E HONOURABLE TH E RAJAH OF BOBBILI , “ RAJAH , I have the honour to acknowledge with cordial thanks the receipt of your letter of the

1 86

D I 1 50 1 Z S . . D . VI AGAPATAM , ’ COLLECTOR S OFFICE ,

ili u n e 1 0 0 FROM n j , 9 . E S W . O . H OR N E , ",

COLLECTOR AN D DISTRICT MAGISTRATE ,

V ie a a a t a m g p ,

MAHA - RAJAH SAH EB M E H AR B AN - I - DOSTAN

’ - R AO HO N B L E MAHA RAJAH , SRI TH E SI R VEN KATA SW ETHAC HALAPATI

- RAN GA RAO BAHAD U R GARU ,

o bb B il i.

- MAHA RAJAH , D i . s . In continuation of my letter N o D .

1 2 33 9th 1 900 , dated May , , I have th e honour

to inform yo u that I am directed to convey to yo u the thanks o f Government for your loyal ff o er of assistance , which I have much pleasure

in doin g .

I have th e honour to be,

— Maha Rajah ,

o Y ur most obedient servant,

(Signed) R . SU RYA RAO ,

f r Co l l cto r a n d M a istr a te o e g . 1 87

In this year the Maha- Raj ah contribut ed R 5 000 s . t o , the Indian Famine Charitable

Relief Fund .

He built a pakka quadrangular buildin g

Sam ast h an am for the Poor House , which was fo r the first time used by the poor on Her

’ Maj esty s Birthday .

’ I n H er M aj est y s Birthday Honours Gazette

y u w as His Excellency the Vicero , Lord C rzon , pleased t o confer on the Maha—Raj ah the title

a - of M ha Raj ah as a personal distinction .

In co n nection with this event , the residents of the Capital and the S am asth an am presented a con gratulatory address to the M aha—Raj ah at the

w Victoria To n Hall , and by public subscriptions have also laid a p ark called Maha- Rajah Park i n comm emoration o f the m emorable occasion .

to - a a I n re plyin g their address , the Maha R j h said as follows 1 88

AN D O F LADIES , GENTLEM EN , R ESIDENTS

W SAM AST H AN AM —I BOBBILI TO N AN D , thank yo u most sincerely for the address you have so kindly just now presented to me . The design

t he of casket is excellent, and it is really a

souvenir of th e occasion . I am also very glad to observe that you quoted in th e address the very words kindly expressed by the last and present Governors of our Presidency , though you have flattered me to some extent . You

said you purposely abstained from maki n g any

o n request this occasion , fully believin g, I

d o suppose , that I would somethin g i n memory

f w as o this event . When I thinkin g over what

t o it woul d be a proper thin g undertake , my

- t o wife , the M aha Rani , requested m e associate

her name with a n y institution I w ould propose

to give you . To meet the double purpose I

cannot undertake any other o n e than to

’ provide yo u with the Maha - Rani Caste Girls

o u School . Gentlemen , y are all aware there

’ irl S are Caste G Schools , even m aintained by

1 90

1 3 y set ears of age , I before myself five ideals ,

or rather ambitious wishes , which I hoped in

o f t I the course my life o realise . ( ) To pay my most loyal and humble respects to Her

- 2 Gracious M aj esty the Q ueen Empress . ( ) To 3 become a Knight . ( ) To become a M ember

f 4 To o the Legislative Council . ( ) becom e a

- 5 n . o e Maha Raj ah ( ) The fifth , quite a Pro v id e n tial o n e one , and that , when it will be fully realized , will be known to you . As

t o u regards the ti les , I must tell y my ideals were simply based o n the last words of my worthy grandfather on his death - bed to my adoptive father who did not live lon g enough

I o u to realise them . dare say y are all aware that it is the duty of every person t o carry o u t

o f h is the good wishes forefathers , especially i n a family like mine .

Allow me once more t o thank you most heartily for the address you have so kindly presented to me . 9 1

In the month o f D ecember the Maharaj ah

c to paid his respe ts Lord Curzon , the Viceroy ,

w at Madras , and endo ed a bed in the Caste

s I n o f and Go ha Hospital , Madras , the name

Lady Havelock . He was present at the assumption of the Governorship by Lord

to A Ampthill , and bid farewell to Sir rthur

Havelock when he left Madras .

1 90 1 .

On the mornin g o f the 2 3r d J anuary a telegram was received conveyin g the very sad

o f news of the demise Her Maj esty , the Queen

Empress Victoria , the Great and Good . All the Offices and the High School were closed

all the usual items of music , even those of the

o f 3] Temple , were stopped , and a salute guns

w as fired . From that day t o the day of H er

’ Maj esty s funeral , the flag was half masted , all the daily items of music i n the palace were

n o o n e d stopped , and was allowe to come to

the palace wearin g any sort o f head dress as a 1 92

mark of full mournin g . Th e Maharaj ah and all the officers wore crape till the end o f public mournin g . The M aharaj ah sent two mess f o . . ages sympathy and regret, one to H E the

Governor and the other t o the Private Secre

t o tary the Prince of Wales (the present Kin g) . The followin g are the replies to the above mentioned messages

FROM

P . s . . , MADRAS

E N A TH HO . M HARAJAH

OF BOBBILI .

Excellency thanks you for kindly message of sympathy and will forward duly .

1 94 sincere thanks of the Gov ernm ent o f I ndia for the expressions o f sympathy and condolence which you have been good enough to convey upon the occasion of the lamented death of Her late Most Gracious Maj esty Queen

Victoria, Empress of I ndia . The message has been graciously received by His Maj esty .

to I have the honour be,

ir S ,

Your most obedient servant ,

e . (Sign d) A WILLIAMS ,

D epu ty S ecr eta iy to t/ze

Go ver n men t o I n dia f .

’ e e On the day of Her late Maj sty s fun ral ,

R o f poor were fed , and the oyal Salute 1 1 0 guns was fired , the last gun bein g fired at sunset .

The Maharaj ah also instructe d his London

’ Agent to place a wreath b eside the Queen s 1 95

coffi n as a last token of his loyalty to the late

Sovereign .

At Her late Maj esty ’ s M emorial meeting at

Bobbili , the M aharaj ah delivered th e followin g speech

GENTLEMEN , Though it is a melancholy obj ect for which

n o w is we have met here , yet it a loyal duty

for us all to come here and to express our deepest sympathy and profoun d grief at the e death of our good , beloved , and venerabl

Queen Victoria , th e Empress . She was born

2 4th 1 8 1 9 on the May , , succeeded to the

2 oth 1 837 63 throne on the June , , rei gned for

7 d a s w as years , months , an d two y , an d called

6- 30 P by the Almi ghty to the H eaven at M . on

the 2 2 n d J anuary of this year at Osborne . Her loss has been felt by all classes of people with

deepest regret . Even i n a small town like

so this , where many people know little

of her virtues, the lamented news was 1 96

Her h eard by everyone with profound grief . virtues as a Sovereign , as a wife , and as a mother are known to us t o be so rare that few could beat her . I n the Hindu Sastras it is said that if a person lives over months , he or sh e is considered to be a holy one to whom the

o others should g and make their worship . I n the explanation it is clearly said that months A means Lunar months . ccordin g to this cal

culation Her Maj esty l ived for months . When it is said that any person who lived over

to months is be revered , how much more

to w h o respect Should we show her, not only

is lived for months , but also the best Sovereign that India has ever possessed in this

Tret a . u a in car Kaliyuga I n the y g Rama , an

o i nation Vishnu , distin guished himself in his

as as so n duties and virtues a kin g , a , and as

h b an a u s d . I n my opinion , in which many

u l ate of you , I am sure , wo ld j oin , our

a Empress , must have been an I nc rnation of

Lakshmi , born in this world to become a

1 98

M you . I t will be the Victoria emorial Library, and it will be kept in one of the " rooms of the

” Victoria Town Hall here .

As the Maharaj ah had reigned nearly

’ twenty years durin g Her late M aj esty s time, he contributed twenty thousand rupees to the

f - dif erent Memorials to the late Queen Empress, and distributed the amount in the followin g manner — - R 0 5 00 . I . s . All India M emorial Fund , ,

- R 5 00 I l S . 0 . . The Madras Provincial Fund , ,

— ’ I I I Lady C u rzo n s M idwife Scholarship

R 1 000 . s . Fund , , I V . The Queen Victoria Memorial Beds to be endowed in the Caste and Gosha R 2 000 s . . Hospital , Madras , , V — . The Victoria M emorial Library at R 2 0 s . 00 . Bobbili , ,

VI . The Victoria Diamond Jubilee Town

Hall at Vizagapatam ,

a n a a a m a e a This is ddition l ount g r nt d to this Town H ll ,

c h e at za a a a whi h built Vi g p t m . 1 99

I n con nection with the above co ntrib utio ns th e Maharaj ah received the followin g lette r i from th e Pr vate Secretary to H . E . the Governor of Madras

V GO ERN MENT HOUSE ,

t/z 1 1 A r il l o 0 . p , 9

MY DEAR MAHARAJAH ,

His Excellency the Governor desires me to thank you for your letter o f the 4th April and to say that he highly appreciates your gener R 2 0 0 00 to S . to ous i ntention subscribe , the different Memorials to the late Queen - Empress

Victoria .

Believe me ,

e Yours Sincer ly ,

WYN S e . . CH ( ign d) L M .

The Kumara Raj ah w as blessed with a son 2 o h on the t February . Of course he is th e

first grandson of th e Maharaj ah . His name is

i a- Raja Sw etach al apat Ramakrishna Ran g Rao . 200

Wh e the M h h his m an d his il a araj a , fa ily peopl e were rejoicin g over the birth of a son

’ e to th e h and h ir th e Kumara Rajah , Maharaja s most belov e d grand - daughter died after a short illness at the end of March ; and the

w as e whole family thrown into d ep mournin g .

Consequ e ntly the Maharajah could not be present at the ceremony of layin g th e fo u n d a tion - stone o f th e Victoria Diamond Jubil ee

o n 3rd Town Hall at Vizagapatam the April , nor could h e attend th e Budget M eetin g o f the

Legislative Council held in that week .

I n sendin g the Sannad conferrin g upon him

e the titl Maharaj ah , the Collector and Agent of th e District wrote the followin g letter

R WALTAI ,

A r il 2 n d 1 0 1 . p , 9

MY DEAR MAHARAJAH ,

- e e As you request, I have to day hand d ov r to your Manager the San nad conferrin g on

2 02

Amen dment Bill was first introduced into the

l his Counci and he gave support to the Bill .

. . y I n October Mr W . B A lin g unveiled the life - size o il - paintin g picture of Her late

Maj esty at the Victoria Town Hall , Bobbili . It was painted in London and was presented by the Maharaj ah in ' memory of Her late

’ n Maj esty s Diamo d J ubilee . The Hall was

o f 31 crowded , and a salute guns was fired

when the curtain was withdrawn . H e also

presented a Silver- plated G aj av ah an am to

V e n u g o p al asw ami of the local temple in

memory o f the occasion of his bein g honoured

with the title Maharaj ah by the Government .

o f e At the request the p ople , the Maharaj ah

opened the Tandra Papaya Hall , which was

built by public subscriptions in memory o f

Tandra Papaya , the famous hero of the Bobbili 1 58 Battle of 7 . 1 902 .

The Maharaj ah paid an official visit to H . E .

a M The o o f Lord Ampthill t adras . C urt 2 03

Wards Amendment Bill passed into law after

’ e two days l n gthy deliberations .

The M aharaj ah took his mother and wife to

Tirupati and Sree ran g am on pil grim age . He

purchased o n e - half o f K irl am pu di and o n e

third of Arempu di Estates in the G o d av eri

District fo r an d the Tiruvur

Estate in Ch en galp u t District for

He w as re - nominated fo r the fourth time t o

be an additional M emb er o f the Provincial

Legislative Council .

’ TH E KI NG S CORONATION I N LON DON .

On the very kin d recomm e n dation o f Lord

Ampthill , H . E . the Viceroy selected the M aha raj ah as the representative of the Presidency

o f Madras at the Coronation o f His M aj esty

- th e Kin g Emperor in London .

The M aharaj ah left Bobbili o n the 2 4th

o n . . A r a bia April , and embarked S S at Bombay ,

landed at M arseilles , stayed a few days in Paris , 2 04 and reached London on the 2 7 th of the follow in g month . At Victoria Station he was met by f Captain Smith from the I ndia O fice , whence

c fo r two arriages were sent , one the Maharaj ah and the other fo r Sir Savali Ramaswami

M o d aliar , the representative of the City of

Madras . Captain Smith drove with the

’

t o . M aharaj ah St . Ermine s Hotel

The Maharaj ah went t o the Lev é e at St . James ’ s Palace an d was presented by the

Secretary of State fo r I ndia . He also went to th e Court at Bucki ngham Palace and was allowed t o u s e the Pimlico Entrance . H e was present at the Troopin g the Colours by

o f His Maj esty , the reviews the Colonial and

H . R . H f Indian troops by . The Prince o Wales A an d the ldershot Coronation review .

o f By the command the Kin g , the Earl

Marshal sent a formal i nvitation t o all the

guests of the Nation . h Th e Maharaja , the other In dian represent atives and several Ruli n g Chiefs were guests

2 06

Being invited by the Corporation of London

~ to the Guild Hall he w as present at the presentation of addresses t o Earl Roberts and

Lord Kitchener . The Maharaj ah and the oth er represent atives we n t to the Abbey on the Coronation

9th Day , the August , and occupied seats in the

o n front row the north side of the Nave . Though the plans of the guests were very much altered , yet they were very much

to pleased see the Kin g crowned . Th e Maharaj ah with the permission of the

I ndia O ffice went t o Windsor and drove to Frogmore M ausoleum i n a carriage sent from

s aw the Castle . He the tomb where the late Sovereign Empress Victoria with Her Consort was lyin g in Peace and laid a wreath at Her feet with his most humble and loyal senti

ments . H e afterwards went round the Castle

an d returned to London . When His Maj esty the Kin g reviewed the Indian Troops in the gardens of Buckingham 2 0 7

n Palace , all the Indian Represe tatives were

t o w h o individually presented th e Kin g ,

handed to each a Silver Coronation M edal .

H R H o f Subsequently . . . the Prin ce Wales

w h o handed Medals to the troops , afterwards

marched past the Soverei g n .

Amon gst other entertainments t o which th e Maharaj ah was invited were those given by th e

o f Dukes M arlborough , Westminster, N orthum

o f berland , Somerset , Marquis Lansdowne , the l ate Marquis of Salisbury , Earl Roberts , Lord

Wenlock (late Governor o f M adras) and th e

Bishop of London .

Lord George H amilton , the Secretary of

State for I ndia . gave a farewell i nterview to all the representatives separately an d presented

each o f them with his photograph bearin g his

autograph . The Maharaj ah left London on th e 1 5th

t w o d August , and after stayin g for ays i n Paris and four days at Gen eva embarked at

M n h 2 l He at arseilles o t e st . lan ded Bombay 2 08 on the 5th September an d reached Bobbili o n the 8th evenin g .

In con nection with the presentation to His Most Gracious M aj esty the Kin g Emperor of

o f o n India , an Address and a Silver Casket

’ the auspicious occasion o f His Maj esty s

Coronation , the M aharaj ah received the followin g reply 2 1 3 6 . No . FROM A E S R . N THAN , ",

D e u t ec O . S flg p y y .

to t/ze o vt o I n dia G . f .

SRI R AO TH E HONOURABLE SI R V E N K ATASWE TACHALAPATI

- RAN GA RAO BAHAD UR ,

/za r a a /z o B o bbil i M a d r a s R a a /z M a . j j f , HOM E D EPARTM ENT

PU BLIC .

/z 1 t/ze 2 r d M a r c 0 . CALCUTTA , 3 , 9 3

“ SI R

I am directed to say that the Secretary of

State has i n timated that His Maj esty th e

2 1 0

1 903.

H E T DELH I CORONATION D U R BAR . Bein g invited by the M adras Government

a so n the M haraj ah accompanied by his , the

b 1 7 e Kumar Raj ah , left Bo bili on the th Dec mber, spent a few days at Calcutta as the guests of

M o tee n d ran ath the aharaj ah J Tagore ,

2 5th w and re ached Delhi on the . H is camp as pitched between the J eypore and Venkatagiri

o n camps, the grounds of the Madras Provincial

e camp . H e attend d the Coronation Durbar an d was seated in the secon d row in the

n fi block allotted to the Gover or, of cials, non

o ffi cial s , rulin g chiefs , guests and spectators

from the Madras Presidency .

O n the next day at the Reception giv e n to

the minor chiefs and oth er native gentlemen the Maharaj ah was introduced by Lord

Ampthill to H . E . the Viceroy and H . R . H .

the Duke of Con naught . The latter was kind

enough to speak to th e Maharaj ah as he had

already known him before . 2 1 1

The Maharaj ah could not attend the I nvesti

ture ceremony on account of indisposition . But he went one day to the Durbar Pavilion to see the Assault- at - arms and also attended the

Review of Retainers of Native Chiefs .

8 He left D elhi on th e th J anuary , spent a day at Puri and return ed to Bobbili on the 1 1 h t of that month .

I n connectio n with th e letter of con gratula tion on the occasion of the Coronation o f His Maj esty the Kin g Emperor which was Signed by all the Representatives w h o were present at the Coronation , the Maharaj ah received the followin g reply

N 560 . O .

HOME D EPART M ENT .

PU BLIC .

t/ze 2 t/i F eb r u a r 1 0 CALCUTTA , 5 y , 9 3 .

“ SI R ,

I am directed to say that the Government of I ndia have received intimation from the 2 1 2

Secretary of State that a letter of con gratula tion has been received from the gentlemen who represented the Provinces and the Presi d e n cy Cities o f I ndia on the occasion of th e

o f n Coronation His Maj esty the Ki g , Emperor o f e I ndia , an d that instructions have be n received under the authority o f His Maj esty to acknowledge th e letter , which has been graciously received by His Maj esty .

2 e . I am accordin gly to express the sinc re thanks of the Government of I ndia for the expression of loyalty and con gratulation con v eyed in the letter on behalf of yourself and the people o f I ndia whom you represented at

o f the Coronation His M aj esty in England .

to I have the honour be ,

Sir,

t Your most obedien servant,

(Sign ed) R . NATHAN

O D e u S ec flg . p ty y .

to t/ze Go vt o I n dia . f .

2 1 4

Lord Ampthill w h o took so much interest in protectin g these estates from partition .

His Excellency the President in h is c o n cl u d in g debate said

It may be said that the present legislation only affects a small fractional number of th e

Zemindari Estates in the Presidency . That is ff quite true , but it a ects the Estates which are most important and the families which are most

e ancient and respected , the estat s and families which ought to be an example to the rest . We look to those land - holders who will be secured in their rights and freed from the anxieti es and i' i a t an ta es o f . d s d g which they have complained , to set an example to the rest o f their class and lead the way alon g the path of progress and reform . “ The enlighten ed noblemen who form the

’ - e Land holders Association are , I know , d eply interested in the question of the education of 2 1 5

youn g Zemindars , and there is non e amon g them w h o h as given more thought to the

’ matter than the H o n b l e the Maharaj ah who

sits in the Council . Some little time ago the

Maharaj ah o f Bobbili urged the Government to appoint an Advisory Council t o the Newin gton

C o f School of the ourt Wards , and he was supported by other Non - Offi c ial M embers of this Council as well as by the Press . We have accepte d his advice and appointed an Advisory

C h O e a V ouncil , from which we p that m ny alu

n o t able suggestions will emanate , only with

to respect Newington , but also with respect to

o f general education youn g Zemindars , a question which is fraught with many and f peculiar di ficulties .

H n r ese n tin th e o . . . The . Mr G S Forbes in p g report o f the Select Committee on the above

Bill and in movin g the Bill be taken into c o n sideration paid a tribute t o the n o n - o ffi c ial members of the Select Committee in the followin g manner 2 1 6

I can not pass on to the motion standin g in my name without acknowledgin g the great assistance which the Select Committee received

’ H o n b l e from the Mr . Sankaran N ayar, and the

’ H n l R h a o b e . a v a Mr Govinda g Aiyar, while

’ the experience of the H o n b l e the Maharaj ah o f

Bobbili in the Administration o f his Great

Estates was o f much value on several points

” which came under discussion .

In this year t h e Maharaj ah resigned his seat

on the Legislative Council .

In con nection wit h the Madras Impartible

Estates Act the Maharaj ah contributed 5 000 ’ h R s . , to the Zemindars Lord Ampt ill

Memorial Fund .

Rs 1 000 The Maharanee contributed . , to

’ Am thill s Lady p Nursin g I nstitute . The Victoria D iamond Jubilee Town Hall at Vizagapatam which w as erected by the Maharaj ah in memory of that auspicious

2 1 8

costs . However, the eldest brother, the Rajah o f Venkatagiri , moved by pure brotherly feel

in g , acted up to his words of compromise ,

even though th e suit was dismissed .

At the express desire o f Maharaj ah - Kuma rika of Vizianagaram the Maharajah went to

Vizianagaram as her guest , exchan ged visits with the Rajah o f Vizianagaram and attended

o f the I nstallation Durbar . Though the heads the two Houses were in the habit o f visitin g one another I n Madras during the time o f the

late Maharaj ah of Vizianagaram , yet this was the first occasion o n which the heads o f the t w o Houses had exchan ged visits at Vizia nagaram .

The M aharaj ah became a patron of the newly- organised Vizagapatam District Agricu l R 1 s . 000 tural Society and contributed , thereto . The Maharajah went to Calcutta and was present at Government House on the arriv al 2 1 9

A of the Viceroys , Lords mpthill and Curzon .

He was accorded a private E n tree during his

stay there ; was present at the assumption of Viceroyalty by Lord Curzon in Council E ’ L s ev ee . Chamber and attended H . . first

H e also visited Sir Andrew Fraser, the Lieut .

o f o f Governor Ben gal , the M embers th e

e n the/ o f Supr me Cou cil , and Secretaries the

various departments an d returned to Bobbili

o n 2 l the st December .

1 905 .

There are only two important events to be

mentioned in this year, and they are more or

o f less a personal character between H . E .

Lord Ampthill and the Maharaj ah . When

His Excellency went to receive a Municipal Address at the Victoria Diamond Jubilee Town

to Hall , Vizagapatam (a free gift the Town by

h so n the Maharaj ah) , the Maharaj a and his the Kumar Raj ah received and conducted him

upstairs . 2 2 0

His Excellency in the course o f his reply to

the Municipal address , said

One of the reasons w hy I am particularly glad t o be here is that it has afforded me an opportunity of seeing this handsome Town

Hall which you o w e to the generosity of my

o f o n e friend the Maharaj ah Bobbili , and o f my chief regrets at havin g been unable to p ayyou my i ntended visit last year was that I lost the opportun ity of presidin g at the open in g ceremony which the Maharaj ah had most

t o . . ki ndly invited me perform Mr Campbell ,

your Collector, however, took my place and

spoke on my behalf , and I now cordially endorse all that he said on that occasion about the generosity and th e admirable qualities of the distin guished donor , and the advantage the people of Vizagapatam have gained in th e possession o f this fine buildin g . Althou gh I

to have hardly had time look round , yet , as I

tw o came upstairs, I noticed Spacious and

most useful apartments on either Side , in

2 2 2

his o w n experience with much sound practical advice to the risin g generation o f our aristo c

’ racyf The Maharaj ah wrote 2 4 essays on various subj ects likely to be useful to the risin g gener

ation of the Indian Aristocracy , and at the beginnin g of October published them in book

“ form under the title Advice t o th e Indian

A o f ristocracy . Before the publication the

to book , the Maharaj ah sent the essays H . E . Lord Ampthill askin g for his permission to

dedicate the work to him . After goin g through the essays Lord Ampthill wrote to the Maharaj ah the followin g letter givin g him the permission asked for

V GO ERN MENT HOUSE , MADRAS ,

t/z F eb u a r 1 r 0 . 4 y , 9 5

MY D EAR MAHARAJAH ,

I have read your Le c tures with great interest and in returni n g them (under separate cover) with many thanks I venture to con gratulate 2 2 3 you no t only o n your work but also on the

motives which i nduced you to undertake it .

It has often seemed to me that the ris i n g gen eration of the aristocracy o f Southern

India, to whom we are givin g an English

so education , need nothin g much when they assume the man agement of their estates as sound practical advice from men of their o w n

class . Livin g as they do on their estates , in great isolation and with fe w opportunities of meetin g their equals they lack those in

fl u e n ces which are exercised o n the y outhful aristocracy o f En gland by the constant society

Yo u o f persons o f similar social standin g . have sought to remedy this want and I cannot but thi nk that the sound , practical advice which yo u have given in such a simple an d out - spoken manner will be useful to the risin g

generation o f Zemindars and will impress them as comin g from one who is not only of

their o w n race and class but has also set a notable exampl e as a landlord and a public 2 2 4

man . It has been interestin g t o me to see how in many respects your point o f V iew is

ff r t o di e ent that of an Englishman , and I consider it a special compliment to have my name associated with a book written by an

An d n Indian for Indians . yet you have o t

to u adhered a p rely I ndian point of view,

‘ ’ for your Lectures , which are clearly the fruits of your o w n experien ce and original

h o w fo r thought, show it is possible the

I ndian nobleman to adapt himself to En glish ideas without losing his o w n national customs and characteristics . I have very great pleasure i n acceptin g the dedication of the work which yo u have been

so good as to offer me . to Believe me be ,

Your sincere friend ,

(Signed) AM PTH ILL .

TH E MAHARAJAH O F BOBBI LI ,

The Maharajah has distributed C opies o f his b ook amon g his friends both in I ndia and

2 2 6 precedence of the Raj ahs who have g o t the

o f hereditary title Raj ah , and of other

Zemindars .

As this procession is a historical one it may

o u t o f t o t not be place here give the whole lis .

The Procession.

The procession to Governme nt House was formed as foll o w s

l — TH E . . ROYAL CORTEGE

Tw ff o Sta Officers .

A o f 3o h Detachment t Lancers .

6th A Battery , Royal Field rtillery . The Officer Commanding the Madras ff Brigade an d his Sta .

The Aide - de - Camp to the Lieutenant- General 9 h Commandin g the t (Secunderabad) Division .

The Staff o f the Secunderabad Division .

The Lieutenant- General Commandin g the

9th (Secun derabad ) Division .

e a . Mounted I nfantry , Madras Volunte r Gu rds

’ c D eta c hment of His Excellen y s Body Guard . 22 7

1 S. No . STATE CARRIAGE AN D FOU R HORSE

n f H is Royal High ness the Pri ce o Wales .

Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales .

Sir Walter Lawrence .

E scorted by

On the side of the Carriage o n which His Royal High ness was seated

- The I nspector General of Police . The Comman d ant of His Excellency ’ s Body

Guard . f The O ficer Commandin g the Escort .

On th e other Side o f th e Carriage

The O fficer Commandin g th e Escort o f

Mounted I nfantry , M adras Volunteer Guards .

’ The Adjutant o f His Exc e llency s Body

Guard .

’ Carriage Es c ort o f H is E x c e l l e n cv s Body

Guard .

AN D 2 G . N o . CARRIA E FO U R HORSES

H is Excell e ncy the Governor .

Her E x c e l l e n c v Lady Ampthill . — T w o A - ides de Camp to His Excellency .

Escorted by the N ative Aide - de - Camp to His

Excellency . N 3 O . CARRIAGE .

The Countess o f Shaftesbury .

- Lieutenant C o lonel Sir A . Bigge .

Captain Viscount Crichton .

n - a Lieutena t Colonel Ch rles .

N 4 . O . CARRIAGE

Lady Eva Dugdale .

y The Earl of Shaftesbur .

r Major G imston .

Major Campbell .

N 5 . o . CARRIAGE

M - aj or General Beatson .

- a M aj or General Sir Prat b Si n gh .

Major Robert s .

I V at s n Maj or o .

N o . 6 CAR RIAGE

a Comm nder Godfrey F au ssett .

Commander Sir C . Cust .

Captain Wigram .

2 30

2 o . N CARRIAGE .

His Highness the Raj ah of Pu d ucOttai and his suite .

Escorted by a Non - commissioned Officer

o f 30th and three Sowars the Lancers .

N 3 . o . CARRIAGE hi The N awab of Ban ganapalle and s suite . Escorted by two Sowars of the Detachment o f 30 th u the Lancers , s pernumerary to His

’ Excellency s Body Guard .

4 N . O . CARRIAGE

The Raj ah of Sandur and his suite .

Escorted by two Sowars of the Detac hment

30 th to His of the Lancers , supernumerary

’ Excellency s Body Guard .

N 5 o . CARRIAGE .

The Chief J usti c e of M adras . f The Bishop o Madras .

t o The Domestic Chaplain the Bishop .

6 . N O . CARRIAGE

The M embe rs of Council . 2 31

N o 7 . . CARRIAGE

f The Prince o Arcot and his suit e .

8 9 1 0 N OS . , AN D CARRIAGES . f The Puisne J udges o the H i gh Court .

1 1 N O . . CARRIAGE

R a - R ao Maharaj ah Sri o Sir V . Ran ga Baha f o . dur , Rajah Bobbili

2 1 . N o . CARRIAGE

MaharajahSri V ikrama Deo Garu R ajah o f

J eypore .

1 3 . N o . CARRIAGE

o f The Raj ah Venkatagiri ,

N o 1 4 G . . CARRIA E

The Raj ah of Vizianagaram .

N o 1 5 . . CARRIAGE

i The Raj ah of K al ah ast .

1 6 . N O . CARRIAGE

The Raj ah of Pithapuram .

G 1 7 . N o . CARRIA E

Th e a e Raj ah of Karv tnag r , 2 32

1 8 N R . O . CA RIAGE

f T he Raj ah o Ramn a d .

1 9 2 0 N s . o . AN D CARRIAGES f The M embers of the Board o Revenue .

2 N 1 R . o . CA RIAGE

The Surgeon - General with the Government o f Madras .

2 2 2 3 2 4 2 5 2 6 2 7 2 8 2 9 N O S . , , , , , , AN D

CARRIAGES .

The Additional Members o f Council fo r

makin g Laws and Regulations .

30 N O . CARRIAGE .

o f o f The President th e Corporation Madras .

N 31 o . CARRIAGE .

ff The Sheri of M adras .

32 N O . CARRIAGE .

V l i a o f h irakk l The a y Raj ah C a .

N O 33 . CARRIAGE .

E ral ad The p Raj ah of Cali cut .

2 34

N ‘ 44 O . R CA RIAGE . Z The amindar of Pun ganuru .

N o 45 . CARRIAGE .

The Zamindar of Kan gundi .

N O 46 RR . CA IAGE .

The J agirdar of Arni . N 4 o . 7 R CA RIAGE .

The Zamindar of Udaiyarpalaiyam . N 48 o C . . ARRIAGE

D varak The Zamindar of e o ta. N 49 o . CARRIAGE .

V al l ur The Zamindar of South . N 50 o . CARRIAGE .

The Zamindar of Bhadrachalam . 5 1 N o . CARRIAGE .

Th e Zamindar of Kurupam . 52 N . o CARRIAGE .

n n di The Raj ah o f A e gu .

3oth A detachment of the Lancers . I n the evenin g the Maharaj ah had the high ho nour of dinin g at the Royal tabl e at the 2 35

the State Dinner, and afterwards attended ’ é Prince s Lev e . On the next day His Royal

High ness was pleased to grant an audience t o all the Zemindars that were invited by the Government and graciously received an address from the Madras Landholders ’ Asso

i i n c at o . A picturesque native entertainment was given t o Their Royal High nesses o n the

Island and terminated with fireworks .

i H R H On the follow n g day . . . The Prince was graciously pleased to give the M aharaj ah H E . e a private interview . . the Gov rnor wrote the followin g letter t o the Maharaj ah in the above conn ection

V GO ERN MENT HOUSE , MADRAS,

t/z a n u a e r 1 0 6. 5 j y , 9

MY DEAR MAHARAJAH , I have great pleasure in informin g you that

His Royal Hi gh ness The Prince o f Wales desires to accord you the honour of a Private

interview . Will you please be at Government House at a quarter past three to - morrow

2 6th a . afternoon (Frid y , the January)

I am ,

Yours very truly ,

(Signed) AM PTH ILL .

TH E MAHARAJAH OF BOBBI LI .

w as t o s ix This honour accorded gentlemen , but the Maharaj ah w as the only one of them who belon ged to the class of Raj ahs and

Zemindars . The Prince received them one after anoth er in a most simple mann er . The Maharaj ah was greatly pleased wit h and honoured by that interview . At th e Reception a t the Banquetin g Hall the Princess was pleased to speak to the M aharaj ah for a while

and most kindly made mention of his gift of an ivory box at Their Royal Highnesses ’ wedding ( 1 893)

O n the 2 7 th Her Royal Highn ess held a

Purdah Party to which a select body o f native

2 38 an d the Maharaj ah received the followin g letter in this connection

“ GOVERN M ENT HOUSE , MADRAS ,

2 8 t/z a n u a r 1 0 6 j y , 9 . The Equerry in Waitin g presents his compliments to His High ness the M aharaj ah o f is o f Bobbili , and desired by the Princess

Wales to ack rio w l edg e the rec eipt of his letter

’ - t o of to day s date , addressed Sir Walter

Lawrence , in which His Highness expresses the desire of the M aharanee to endow and name a bed in the Victoria Gosha Hospital after the Princess of Wales . Her Royal High ness n o t only expresses her w armest approval

’ of the Maharanee s proposal , but also desires the Equerry to say how much touched She is by her kind and generous thought and what a pleasure it was to Her Royal High ness to have the opportunity of meetin g the Maharanee yesterday . On the 1 8th July the Maharaj ah completed his 2 5 years ’ administration of the Bobbili 2 39

h n am e the 5 Samast a . At a Durbar h ld on th August in connection with this occasion the Maharaj ah delivered the followin g speech

G ENTLEM EN ,

t o o u First of all , I think I must explain y the obj ect of this Durbar, held in con nection

’ with my twenty- fi v e years administration o f

S amasth an am this ancient . I n the West, it is

a custom amon g Kin gs to celebrate a Jubilee

’ o f after the completion fifty years reign . In

co m this case , however, as fifty years are not

— l eted o u p , the D urbar though some of y have thought otherwise — is not held in accordance

with the above custom . Again; as I have n o t

ruled for a lon ger period than every o n e o f my

e pr decessors , it is not held in celebration of

o f any such record administration . My grand

fath er and great- grandfather ruled fo r thirty

- two and twenty eight years respectively . But ,

’ as regards the latter, his six years minority

has ee i u ed t he a u a n b n ncl d i n c lc lation , d if 2 40

that is done in my case also , I may be con sidered e fo r - six to have rul d thirty years . It is not right , however, to include the period of minority .

Then , with what obj ect is this Meetin g

" t o see held Firstly , I want for myself to what

e Sam asth an am d ext nt the has prospere , in

fo r what respect there is room improvement, and what kind of new good works can be undertaken . Secondly , I wish to observe how lon g and in what manner my officials and

an d servants have served under me , to give them presents accordin g to their service and

usefulness .

SATISFACTIO N .

N o w al l , you have heard the report of the

’ twenty- fi v e years administration read by my r Manager . And though I believe you conside it a satisfactory one , there is nothin g in it

is o f worthy of praise . It the duty every owner of an estate to administer that estate an d also

2 42 good works started by them and their pre

r d ecesso s . Consequently it has been the more incumbent upon me to perform those duties

than if I had been a natural son .

TH E RYO TS .

The Ryots in this S am asth an am are very

v loyal people . Though there are a ery few

troublesome men in four or five villages , I can say , on the whole , that th e Ryots are quiet

and loyal .

TH E OFFICERS .

f Amon gst the o ficers , the Brahmi ns are

n o t . able and clever, but they are honest The greater the care bestowed on them by the

o ut . master , the better the work they turn On

the other hand , if the master reposes entire c onfidence in them , they will certainly ruin

V el am a him . Now I must tell you about the

varu . Of these people , many are honest, but

t o o they lack ability. If they are asked g and 243 work away from their native place they are

m e afraid . It is unnecessary for to describe the

a o f f n o w qualific tions the o ficers on duty , as

w they are well aware o f their o n characteristics .

Amo n g t he dead who only looked t o the interests

V in n ak o ta S an kar am of their master , were

Pan tu l u Ch el ik an i G o au l ro w Garu and p Garu , and I wish all present officers would try to

a gain as high a reputation s those two men .

TH E R ELATIVES .

tw o c I must admit , save in or three instan es that all the relatives who were here when I first

. o f came , have been very loyal But many them are dead and gone . As regards the

l o t to sa present , I regret y that they are not in

so as general loyal were their fathers .

V E L AMAV AR U .

Non e o f this class w as workin g in any o f the offices at the time when I first came to

Bobbili . There was then a small number actin g as mere Supervisors (without clerical m work) . Only fro the commencement of my administration these people have been gradually taken into the office an d induced t o read at the

c High School . Amon g this lass , only one , the

R emil l a R am aro w late Garu , has acted in full

accordance with my wishes . I hope the present

e t s will gradually become prosperous .

M EN IAL SERVANTS AN D OTH ERS .

I n comparison with the loyalty and ability of their forefathers , those qualities in the present generation are gradually d eterioratin g .

o fl d o n o t If men are at all well , they care for service . N either do they care when they are

are dismissed , because they sure to get billets in the Police , Salt , Local Fund , or Railway

Departments . I wonder how one who cannot behave well under a sin gle master, is able to serve satisfactoril y in those departments

whi c h are governed by many masters . I cannot understan d how departmental offi c ers

246

o u to y , I suppose , have com e this Durbar with

the hope of gettin g presents . Considering

r the rema ks I have made in this speech , those

n o w that came with such hopes are , I expect ,

. s disappointed However , I imply made those

’ remarks for your o w n and for your successors

” future benefit .

Before an nouncin g presents , the Maharaj ah gave one thousand rupees each to the two

n o t Family Temples . H e gave presents only to the officers but also to every deservin g

t o person in his employ , accordin g service and

to attainments . The remissions the Ryots were not forgotten , but they could not be ann ounced in the Durbar as th e accounts expected from the Tal u q s had not then arrived .

The amounts thus given reached the su m of

R 1 7 89 . s . 5 ffi , Of the recipients seven o cers R 1 000 s . . received , each With the same obj ect, 2 47 the M aharaj ah lately gave t o certain persons

R 7 090 to s . rewards amountin g , .

I n conne c tion with the completion of his

’ - h y e twenty years administration , the M aha raj ah gave away in the form of presents

(includin g gifts to the Temples) the su m Of

o f s The balance the above item ,

2 viz . R s 1 1 . to Samasth an am , , was added the

Charitable Fund .

’ In the report o f the twenty - fi v e years admin ist ratio n read by the H ead Manager at the

o f w Openin g the Durbar , the follo in g are the chief items

Th e total amount credited to the Sama sth an am accounts durin g these twenty - fi ve

- 0 - 8 x years is . The total e pe n di

- 1 2 - 7 ture for the same period is .

R 1 1 6 02 3- 4- 1 6 . m u s . The a o nt of balance is , , 2 48

A u ust 1 0 6 g , 9

T H E X P D I R E E N TU E .

H E A D I N G . AM O N U T .

R s .

Pe ish c ush a n d o th e r d u e s 9 Estab lish m e nt c h a rg e s 5 R epa irs 6 R e missions to R yots an d to ord in

a r d eb c u d t h e y tors , in l ing a mo u nt l e nt in t h e Pitta p u r S ui t 1 3 7 L aw Ch a rg e s 1 3 1 Trave lling e x p e nse s o f t h e Sa ma sth an a m offi cers 1 3 8 T h e c o f e a H o e ost El ph nts , rs s , Cattl e a n d L i v e stock 3 2

B u d 47 7 l 73 2 6 il ings , , T h e c o f a e V a e ost Est t s , ill g s , a nd oth er small e r l a nds 1 3 9

T h e c o f e c u e G d ost pr io s ston s , ol a n d S i l ve r 5 9

f C e F u u e et c 9 C o . ost loth s , rnit r ,

P e e 1 2 o 599 3 4 r s nts , , S c C a ab e I u hools , h rit l nstit tions , S ub scriptions a n d 1 M a rri a g es a n d oth e r Ce re moni es 1 0 8

a me a n d F e v 1 1 1 0 Entert in nts sti iti es . ’ T h e M a h a raj a h s p e rson a l trave l ling a nd to u r e x p e ns e s 0 7

1 2 7 Total .

2 50

re that th e Bobbili ryots a quiet and loyal .

o f o n Your figures expenditure Remissions ,

Repairs and Establishment are very striking,

so 9 1 3 and also are those under items and . I hope to meet you shortly as I intend visitin g

Bobbili next month , arrivin g there on Septem 1 1 ber th from Parv atipo re and stayi n g 3 days .

With kind regards ,

Sincerely yours,

(Signed) R . H . CAM PB ELL .

This year the Maharaj ah completed the

Gopuram the chief o r tower- gate) of the

V e n u o al asw ami Temple of Sree g p at Bobbili , and with this all the requirements essential to

the temple have been supplied .

1 907 .

Th e third An nual Cattle Show of the V izaga patam District was held this year at Bobbili in

w as the grounds of the Maharajah Park , and pronounced a complete success . 2 5 1

The Maharaj ah erected a new buildin g for the use o f the S am asth an am High School 1 882 Bobbili , which institution he founded in

1 6 . . and on the th February Mr R H . Campbell , the Collector and Agent to the Governor , V izagapatam District, performed the Openin g

’ Ceremony . I n the course of Mr . Campbell s speech , he referred to the numerous an d useful

works of the Maharaj ah in this District .

Lately the Maharaj ah bought a house at

G O al Madras next to p Bagh , his residence , with the intention o f presentin g it t o the Madras Landholders ’ Association for the use of its offi ce an d to accommodate the members

of the Association when they visit Madras .

“ ’ It is proposed to call it the Zemindars

” Bobbili Club .

B INDI NG S ECT. SEP 2 5 1974

PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE CARDS O R SLIPS FROM THIS PO CKET

UNIVERSITY O F TO RONTO LIBRARY

D8 Ran a Ra o g , ( Si r ) Ve nka t a 6 48 Swe t a c ha l a pa t i B5SEBO A r evi s e d a nd e nl a r ged a c c o un t 1 0 o f 9 7 t h e Bo b b i l i z emi nd a r i