The Setlurs The origin of the Setlur family is deep in the mists of time. The earliest reference to the Setlur name occurs around the 8th Century CE in the name of a disciple of Sri Nathamuni, who was the savant through whom the Naalayira Divya Prabandhams (4000 verses) of all the 12 Azhwaars was revealed to the world. The next reference to the Setlur name is available in the 11-12 Centuries from amongst the 74 Simhasanadhipatis (Chief Disciples) of Sri Ramunajacharya, who were enjoined by the Acharya to spread the Vedantic philosophy of Vishishtaadvaita. The family ancients seem to have migrated to the Kannada speaking areas along with Sri Ramanujacharya, first settling at Srirangapatna and subsequently in Mysore and Bangalore. The middle & latter latter part of the 18th Century CE were a turbulent period in the history of the Mysore Kingdom, with, first, Haider Ali usurping all powers from King Krishnaraja Wodeyar II, making him a titular ruler and subsequently Tipu Sultan usurping the throne itself. One of the people who were fighting to restore the throne to the erstwhile Royals of Mysore, led by the Dowager Queen, Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni, was Setlur Venkatachalaiengar. Setlur Venkatachalaiengar went, several times, as an ambassador to the East India Company on behalf of the Dowager Maharani, seeking help in overthrowing Tippu. On the defeat and death of Tipu in 1799, the Kingdom of Mysore was restored to the child King Krishnaraja Wodeyar III. Setlur Venkatachalaiengar had two sons named Tirumalachar ( Kotwal Timmappaiengar) and Shingrachar (Bakshi Shingaiengar). These names are available in a copper plate inscription on the door frame of the Sannidhi of Sri Cheluvaraya Swamy at Melkote (Tirunarayanapuram). This Inscription gives the names of two generations before Bakshi Shingaiengar. The younger of the brothers, Bakshi Shingaiengar started his career as Tehsildar of the Chittoor province in the then Madras Presidency. During his tenure there, the administration of the Tirumala/Titupati temples were his responsibility, which he discharged with pious and sincere diligence. There is a family lore that, on the day he passed away in Bangalore, he was seen entering the Tirumala Temple and never came out. His devotion to Srinivasa Perumal was such. Even today, the two 3 tiered hanging lamps made of silver which are continuously lit and maintained in the sanctum sanctorum(also known as Mysore lamps), were Bakshi Shingaiengar’s offering to his Kula as well as Ishta Devatha Swaroopa. He, subsequently, moved to the Mysore Services, first, as Anche Bakshi (Head of the Postal Department) and then as Aramane Marammat Bakshi (Engineer in Chief of the Palace Maintenance Department). While returning to Mysore from Chittoor, Bakshi Shingaiengar got pratishtha done of a small Murthy of Lord Srinivasa with Sri and Bhoo Devis, at the Garbhagrha at Tirumala. Worship was offered to this Murthy for 6 months and then brought in a palanquin to Mysore and subsequently to Bangalore. This Murthy is worshipped to this day at the Ramanuja Koottam at Gandhinagar, Bangalore. Bakshi Shingaiengar had three sons. The eldest son was S. Venkatarangaiengar. He was an Amildar(synonymous with the Collector/District Commisioner of today) retired from the Mysore Service. The other two sons were Shadagopa Ramanuja Iengar(Police Inspector) and Srinivas. S. Setlur (S.S.Setlur), Advocate in the High Courts of Bombay & Madras. S.S.Setlur was also, for a short while, a Judge on the Bench of the Chief Court of the Kingdom of Mysore. The practice of calling oneself with the surname of Setlur started with S.S.Setlur who was a leading advocate and jurist and whose learned commentary on the Mitakshara School of Hindu Law is even today considered a definitive one on that old Law Treatise of Vignaaneshwara. Bakshi Shingaiengar started many charitable acts in temples of the Mysore Kingdom and Madras Presidency. His eldest son, S. Venkatarangaiengar established a Trust on 20th November, 1893 (under the Trust Act of 1882) and named it as S. Venkatarangaiengar Charity Society, to carry forward these charitable acts. This Trust continues, to this day, to carry out some the Charitable acts started by Bakshi Shingaiengar and institutionalised by S. Venkatarangaiengar. Over the 127 years of its existence, the Trust, since its establishment in 1893, underwent huge upheavals due to the political and administrative shifts that happened in the country. The Trust had been endowed with enormous tracts of Land, both, in the then Mysore kingdom as well as in the Madras Presidency. In course of time, post-Independence, with the the Inam Abolition Act and other Land Reforms, all the land in the Mysore region was taken away by the Govt. and redistributed to the farmers under the new laws. The lands in the Andhra Region around Tirupati (erstwhile Madras Presidency) were sold in the 1970s & 80s, by the then trustees out of fear of losing them completely under the Land Reforms, if implemented there. This put the conducting of the Trust activities under extreme stress as also the fact that, due to the several generational changes of the Trustees, the Institution went through challenging times, to put it very mildly. It is to be acknowledged that the previous generation of trustees did a very heroic job of persevering and continuing at least some of the very important Kainkaryams and Ubhayams. The present Trustees bow in gratitude to all the previous Trustees who battled all odds and kept the Institution alive. A special debt of gratitude is due to the elders in the family of the Founder (especially, the Centenarian, Smt. Ranganayakamma Setlur) for remembering all information of the Trust activities and passing it down to the present generation of Trustees. Whereas, the Trust Deed itself lists a whole lot of Kanikaryams and Ubhayams in different temples of both, the then Mysore Kingdom, as well as the erstwhile Madras Presidency, all of them could not be continued due to severe lack of resources. This site is an effort to provide all the family members and well- wishers of this Trust a platform to communicate and provide information about the Institution and its activities. We hope that this site serves its purpose to the fullest. A summary of the list of Kainkaryams and ubhayams as mentioned in the Trust Deed as well as those being conducted at the present time is given below: Kainkaryams/Ubhayams to be performed as per Schedule B of the Trust Deed Mysore Kingdom Region The Charities to be performed at different places in the erstwhile Mysore Kingdom (presently, the State of Karnataka): (I)Bangalore Ramanuja Kootam at the Charity House. (II)Biligiri Rangan Hill Srinivasan Sannidhi- One seer of Dadhyodanam every day. (III)Malavalli taluk Marehalli Narasimhaswamy’s Temple: Tadiyaradhanam foe a day during Brahma Ootsavam (IV) a) Malur Apprameyaswami’s temple: Tirutulai Sahsranama archana every day and Lacsha Archana and Tdiyaradhanam during the months of Sraavanam and Kartheekam on the anniversaries of the founder’s father and the founder’s first wife. b) Contribution towards Manavala Maha Muni Tirunakshatram (V) Sreerangapatnam Ranganathan’s Temple: Service at Mantappadi in the Mantapam of the founder’s ancestors built at the Cauvery teeram. (VI) Melukote Tirunarayana’s Temple: (a) Tadiyaradhanam at Vanamamale Matham for ten days during the Veyramudi ; (b) Mantappadi Oothsavam ; (c) Contribution towards Bhashyakars Oothsavam ; (d) Pushpa Kainkaryam and the maintenance of the Founder’s flower garden and its establishment ; (e) Contribution towards Bhikshay in the morning and evening of one Virakta Sanyasi or ascetic or only in the morning of two Virakta Sanyasees or ascetics if he or they are starngers and halt at Melkote for the purpose of performing Kalakshepam in Ubhaya Vedantas ; (f) Contribution towards Nammalvar Sathamaray expenses. (VII) Madras, Bombay and Bangalore Scholarships to undergraduates and graduates of the founder’s community under the name of Bakshi Singiengar’s Scholarships. (VIII) The Sreerangapatnam House to be used for the purposes of celebrating marriages of Brahmins and of temporary residence of Srivaishnava Brahmin pilgrims to the place. Madras Presidency Region (I) 2 seers of oil, every day, for the akhandam (II) 1 day kainkaryam at Madhuramangalam Embar Temple on Embar Tirunakshatram (III) Contribution towards expenses of Manavaala Mahamuni Utsavam at Triplicane Parthasarathy Temple (IV) Ranganathan temple at Srirangam (a)Contribution/Allowance (Mensem) towards the maintenance of the Embar Tirumaligai (Founder’s Acharya) at Srirangam. (b) Dadhyodana Kainkaryam during Sri Ramanavami Utsavam at Srirangam. (V) Tirupati Hills Srinivasan’s Temple (a) 1 seer ghee per day for the Akhandam (b) 5 seers of saffron per year for the use of Vakshasthala Lakshmi (c) Betel Leaf and Nuts at Mancham Seva every day. (d) Navaneetha Harathi every morning with Butter, Sugar, Betel leaf and Nuts (e) Pushpa Samarpanam from the Choultry Garden(Nandana Vanam) by a Srivaishnava Brahman. (f) At Navaratree Utsavam Asthanam during years with Adhika Maasam, performance of Garuda Utsavam and daily Deeparadhanam with ghee and oil. (VI) Tiruchanur Alamelamangammal Temple (a) Sayanotsavam every night service with milk, sugar, dried coconut, betel leaf and nuts (b) 1 seer of oil daily for the Akhandam and 1 maund of oil for the Kartheeka Utsavam lighting. (c) 51 cakes every Friday night. (d) 1 seer of saffron every Friday (e) Offering of Dosey and Sundal, betel leaf and nuts at Gangundra Mantapam during Kartheeka Brahmotsavam. (f) A day’s service during floating festival. (VII) Ithepalli Choultry (a) Distribution of Sadvarthy to travellers (b) Maintenance of Tirunandanavanam or choultry garden, its establishment and the cattle etc. (VIII) Tirupati-distribution of Sadvarthy (IX) Madras, Bombay and Bangalore Scholarships to undergraduates and graduates of the founder’s community under the name of Bakshi Singiengar’s Scholarships. Kainkaryams/Ubhayams being carried out by the Trust in the present time - Bangalore Ramanuja Kootam at the Charity House.