A Revised and Enlarged Account of the Bobbili Zemindari/Chapter 11/1906
1906.
Having been invited by the Government of Madras, the Maharajah was present at Madras during the visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. On the afternoon of the 24th January Their Royal Highnesses landed at Madras from Rangoon. The Maharajah was one of those few who were introduced to the Prince and Princess. In the Procession from the Pier to the Gates of Government House the Maharajah took precedence of the Rajahs who have got the hereditary title of Rajah, and of other Zemindars.
As this procession is a historical one it may not be out of place here to give the whole list.
The Procession.
The procession to Government House was formed as follows:—
I.—The Royal Cortege.
Two Staff Officers.
A Detachment of 30th Lancers.
6th Battery, Royal Field Artillery.
The Officer Commanding the Madras Brigade and his Staff.
The Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant-General Commanding the 9th (Secunderabad) Division.
The Staff of the Secunderabad Division.
The Lieutenant-General Commanding the 9th (Secunderabad) Division.
Mounted Infantry, Madras Volunteer Guards.
Detachment of His Excellency's Body Guard, No. 1 State Carriage and Four Horses. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.
Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales.
Sir Walter Lawrence.
Escorted by
On the side of the Carriage on which His Royal Highness was seated—
The Inspector-General of Police.
The Commandant of His Excellency's Body Guard.
The Officer Commanding the Escort.
On the other side of the Carriage—
The Officer Commanding the Escort of Mounted Infantry, Madras Volunteer Guards.
The Adjutant of His Excellency's Body Guard.
Carriage Escort of His Excellency's Body Guard.
No. 2 Carriage and Four Horses. His Excellency the Governor.
Her Excellency Lady Ampthill. Two Aides-de-Camp to His Excellency.
Escorted by the Native Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency.
No. 3 Carriage.
The Countess of Shaftesbury.
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir A. Bigge.
Captain Viscount Crichton.
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles.
No. 4 Carriage.
Lady Eva Dugdale.
The Earl of Shaftesbury.
Major Grimston.
Major Campbell.
No. 5 Carriage.
Major-General Beatson.
Major-General Sir Pratab Singh.
Major Roberts.
Major Watson.
No. 6 Carriage.
Commander Godfrey Faussett.
Commander Sir C. Cust.
Captain Wigram.
No. 7 Carriage.
The Hon'ble D. Keppel.
Mr. F. Dugdale.
Captain Makins.
No. 8 Carriage.
Mr. L. M. Wynch.
Major W. M. Campbell.
Major Molesworth.
Captain Mathews.
No. 9 Carriage.
The Chief Secretary to Government.
The Political Officer on Special Duty.
A Detachment of His Excellency's Body Guard.
II. — The Procession.
No. 1 Carriage.
His Highness the Rajah of Cochin and his suite.
Escorted by a Non-commissioned Officer and three Sowars of the 30th Lancers.
No. 2 Carriage.
His Highness the Rajah of Puducottai and his suite.
Escorted by a Non-commissioned Officer and three Sowars of the 30th Lancers.
No. 3 Carriage.
The Nawab of Banganapalle and his suite.
Escorted by two Sowars of the Detachment of the 30th Lancers, supernumerary to His Excellency's Body Guard.
No. 4 Carriage.
The Rajah of Sandur and his suite.
Escorted by two Sowars of the Detachment of the 30th Lancers, supernumerary to His Excellency's Body Guard.
No. 5 Carriage.
The Chief Justice of Madras.
The Bishop of Madras.
The Domestic Chaplain to the Bishop.
No. 6 Carriage.
The Members of Council.
No. 7 Carriage.
The Prince of Arcot and his suite.
Nos. 8, 9 and 10 Carriages.
The Puisne Judges of the High Court.
No. 11 Carriage.
Maharajah Sri Rao Sir V. Ranga-Rao Bahadur, K.C.I.E., Rajah of Bobbili.
No. 12 Carriage.
Maharajah Sri Vikrama Deo Garu, Rajah of Jeypore.
No. 13 Carriage.
The Rajah of Venkatagiri, K.C.I. E.
No. 14 Carriage.
The Rajah of Vizianagaram.
No. 15 Carriage.
The Rajah of Kalahasti.
No. 16 Carriage.
The Rajah of Pithapuram.
No. 17 Carriage.
The Rajah of Karvetnagar.
No. 18 Carriage.
The Rajah of Ramnad.
Nos. 19 and 20 Carriages.
The Members of the Board of Revenue.
No. 21 Carriage.
The Surgeon-General with the Government of Madras.
Nos. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 Carriages.
The Additional Members of Council for making Laws and Regulations.
No. 30 Carriage.
The President of the Corporation of Madras.
No. 31 Carriage.
The Sheriff of Madras.
No. 32 Carriage.
The Valiya Rajah of Chirakkal.
No. 33 Carriage.
The Eralpad Rajah of Calicut.
No. 34 Carriage.
The Valiya Rajah of Kadattanad.
No. 35 Carriage.
The Valiya Rajah of Walluvanad.
No. 36 Carriage.
Rajah Sri Marda Raja Devu Gam, Zamindar of Kallikota and Attagada.
No. 37 Carriage.
Rajah Vasudeva Rajah of Kollangode.
No. 38 Carriage.
Raja Rangayya Appa Rao Bahadur, Zamindar of Wuyyur.
No. 39 Carriage.
The Zamindar of Ettiyapuram.
No. 40 Carriage.
The Zamindar of Sivagunga.
No. 41 Carriage.
The Zamindar of Parlakimedi.
No. 42 Carriage.
The Zamindar of Mandasa.
No. 43 Carriage.
The Zamindar of Dharakota.
No. 44 Carriage.
The Zamindar of Punganuru.
No. 45 Carriage.
The Zamindar of Kangundi.
No. 46 Carriage.
The Jagirdar of Arni.
No. 47 Carriage.
The Zamindar of Udaiyarpalaiyam.
No. 48 Carriage.
The Zamindar of Devarakota.
No. 49 Carriage.
The Zamindar of South Vallur.
No. 50 Carriage.
The Zamindar of Bhadrachalam.
No. 51 Carriage.
The Zamindar of Kurupam.
No. 52 Carriage.
The Rajah of Anegundi.
A detachment of the 30th Lancers.
In the evening the Maharajah had the high honour of dining at the Royal table at the State Dinner, and afterwards attended the Prince's Levee. On the next day His Royal Highness was pleased to grant an audience to all the Zemindars that were invited by the Government and graciously received an address from the Madras Landholders' Association. A picturesque native entertainment was given to Their Royal Highnesses on the Island and terminated with fireworks.
On the following day H.R.H. The Prince was graciously pleased to give the Maharajah a private interview. H.E. the Governor wrote the following letter to the Maharajah in the above connection:—
Government House, Madras,
25th January, 1906.
"My dear Maharajah,
"I have great pleasure in informing you that His Royal Highness The Prince of 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 afternoon (Friday, the 26th January).
I am,
Yours very truly,
(Signed) AMPTHILL.
The Maharajah of Bobbili."
This honour was accorded to six gentlemen, but the Maharajah was the only one of them who belonged to the class of Rajahs and Zemindars. The Prince received them one after another in a most simple manner. The Maharajah was greatly pleased with and honoured by that interview. At the Reception at the Banqueting Hall the Princess was pleased to speak to the Maharajah for a while and most kindly made mention of his gift of an ivory box at Their Royal Highnesses' wedding (1893).
On the 27th Her Royal Highness held a Purdah Party to which a select body of native ladies was invited. There were three ladies from the District of Vizagapatam, viz., the Maharajah-Kumarika of Vizianagaram, the Maharanee of Bobbili, and the. Maharanee Gajapatirow. It is a curious fact that though these ladies belong to the same district, they had never met one another before. Therefore this Purdah Party is all the more memorable, as it happily brought them into contact. Later on Lord and Lady Ampthill gave a Garden Party, in honour of Their Royal Highnesses, to which a great many people were invited. Though the Royal Party left Madras on Sunday night there were no more official functions on that day.
The Governor was pleased to return his visit to the Maharajah on the following day. The Maharanee also paid her respects to and received a return visit from Lady Ampthill.
The Maharanee endowed a bed in the Victoria Gosha Hospital in commemoration of her paying her respects to the Princess and the Maharajah received the following letter in this connection:—
"Government House," Madras, 28th January, 1906.
"The Equerry in Waiting presents his compliments to His Highness the Maharajah of Bobbili, and is desired by the Princess of Wales to acknowledge the receipt of his letter of to-day's date, addressed to Sir Walter Lawrence, in which His Highness expresses the desire of the Maharanee to endow and name a bed in the Victoria Gosha Hospital after the Princess of Wales. Her Royal Highness not only expresses her warmest 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 Highness to have the opportunity of meeting the Maharanee yesterday."
On the 18th July the Maharajah completed his 25 years' administration of the Bobbili Samasthanam. At a Durbar held on the 5th August in connection with this occasion the Maharajah delivered the following speech:—
"Gentlemen,
"First of all, I think I must explain to you the object of this Durbar, held in connection with my twenty-five years' administration of this ancient Samasthanam. In the West, it is a custom among Kings to celebrate a Jubilee after the completion of fifty years' reign. In this case, however, as fifty years are not completed, the Durbar—though some of you have thought otherwise—is not held in accordance with the above custom. Again, as I have not ruled for a longer period than every one of my predecessors, it is not held in celebration of any such record of administration. My grand-father and great-grandfather ruled for thirty-two and twenty-eight years respectively. But, as regards the latter, his six years' minority has been included in the calculation, and if that is done in my case also, I may be considered to have ruled for thirty-six years. It is not right, however, to include the period of minority.
"Then, with what object is this Meeting held? Firstly, I want to see for myself to what extent the Samasthanam has prospered, in what respect there is room for improvement, and what kind of new good works can be undertaken. Secondly, I wish to observe how long and in what manner my officials and servants have served under me, and to give them presents according to their service and usefulness.
SATISFACTION.
"Now, you have all heard the report of the twenty-five years' administration read by my Manager. And though I believe you consider it a satisfactory one, there is nothing in it worthy of praise. It is the duty of every owner of an estate to administer that estate and also to increase the other sources of his wealth, to the best possible advantage. If any one fails to observe this duty, and thinks that the estate was obtained by his ancestors for his sake alone, he and his children will be ruined and the estate will be gradually sold to others. His subjects also, who have laboured for generations, would therefore be compelled to serve another master. There is no occasion, then, to praise a man when he performs his duty. On the other hand, if he fails to perform it, he deserves to be blamed.
"Again, why did my parents adopt me as their son when they had no children? Firstly, to perform their funeral rites and other subsequent ceremonies, so that they might obtain heaven, as is the Hindu belief; secondly, to perpetuate their family; thirdly, to rule over their estate and people, to the best possible advantage; fourthly, to continue the good and charitable institutions, founded by them and their predecessors; and fifthly, to finish the good works started by them and their predecessors. Consequently it has been the more incumbent upon me to perform those duties than it 1 had been a natural son.
THE RYOTS.
"The Ryots in this Samasthanam are very loyal people. Though there are a very few troublesome men in four or five villages, I can say, on the whole, that the Ryots are quiet and loyal.
THE OFFICERS.
"Amongst the officers, the Brahmins are able and clever, but they are not honest. The greater the care bestowed on them by the master, the better the work they turn out. On the other hand, if the master reposes entire confidence in them, they will certainly ruin him. Now I must tell you about the Velama-varu. Of these people, many are honest, but they lack ability. If they are asked to go and work away from their native place they are afraid. It is unnecessary for me to describe the qualifications of the officers now on duty, as they are well aware of their own characteristics. Among the dead who only looked to the interests of their master, were Vinnakota Sankaram Pantulu Garu and Chelikani Gopaulrow Garu, and I wish all present officers would try to gain as high a reputation as those two men.
THE RELATIVES.
"I must admit, save in two or three instances, that all the relatives who were here when I first came, have been very loyal. But many of them are dead and gone. As regards the present lot, I regret to say that they are not in general so loyal as were their fathers.
VELAMAVARU.
"None of this class was working in any of the offices at the time when I first came to Bobbili. There was then a small number acting as mere Supervisors (without clerical work). Only from the commencement of my administration these people have been gradually taken into the office and induced to read at the High School. Among this class, only one, the late Remilla Ramarow Garu, has acted in full accordance with my wishes. I hope the present set will gradually become prosperous.
MENIAL SERVANTS AND OTHERS.
"In comparison with the loyalty and ability of their forefathers, those qualities in the present generation are gradually deteriorating. If men are at all well off, they do not care for service. Neither do they care when they are dismissed, because they are sure to get billets in the Police, Salt, Local Fund., or Railway Departments. I wonder how one who cannot behave well under a single master, is able to serve satisfactorily in those departments which are governed by many masters. I cannot understand how departmental officers can engage dismissed servants without first enquiring of their former master as to the nature of the offence for which their services were dispensed with. This bad system also prevails among the neighbouring Zemindars.
(Then the Maharajah referred to some events known to all classes of people, to show how the loyalty of the inhabitants of the town in general was decreasing).
CONCLUSION.
"In an estate there must be several people to conduct various branches of work. But among them only a very few are good people. However, the master must make the best possible use of them. When they turn out profitable work, they must be rewarded; and likewise, when they commit faults they must be punished. And so I have rewarded you and punished you. But when I gave you rewards, I gave them with pleasure; and when I punished you, I did it with regret. Many of you, I suppose, have come to this Durbar with the hope of getting presents. Considering the remarks I have made in this speech, those that came with such hopes are now, I expect, disappointed. However, I simply made those remarks for your own and for your successors' future benefit."
Before announcing presents, the Maharajah gave one thousand rupees each to the two Family Temples. He gave presents not only to the officers but also to every deserving person in his employ, according to service and attainments. The remissions to the Ryots were not forgotten, but they could not be announced in the Durbar as the accounts expected from the Taluqs had not then arrived.
The amounts thus given reached the sum of Rs. 15,789. Of the recipients seven officers received Rs. 1,000 each. With the same object, the Maharajah lately gave to certain persons rewards amounting to Rs.7,090.
In connection with the completion of his twenty-five years' administration, the Maharajah gave away in the form of presents (including gifts to the Temples) the sum of Rs.25,000. The balance of the above items, viz., Rs.121, was added to the Samasthanam Charitable Fund.
In the report of the twenty-five years' administration read by the Head Manager at the opening of the Durbar, the following are the chief items:—
The total amount credited to the Samasthanam accounts during these twenty-five years is Rs. 1,35, 52, 2 13-0-8. The total expenditure for the same period is Rs. 1,23,86, 189-12-7. The amount of balance is Rs.l 1,66,023-4-1.
5th August, 1906.
THE EXPENDITURE.
| No. | Heading. | Amount. | ||
| Rs. | a. | p. | ||
| 1. | Peishcush and other dues | 31,63,682 | 9 | 0 |
| 2. | Establishment charges | 27,25,959 | 5 | 4 |
| 3. | Repairs | 4,61,697 | 6 | 6 |
| 4. | Remissions to Ryots and to ordinary debtors, including the amount lent in the Pittapur Suit | 7,82,089 | 13 | 7 |
| 5. | Law Charges | 2,25,797 | 13 | 1 |
| 6. | Travelling expenses of the Samasthanam officers | 93,251 | 13 | 8 |
| 7. | The cost of Elephants, Horses, Cattle and Live stock | 1,36,738 | 3 | 2 |
| 8. | Buildings | 4,77,173 | 2 | 6 |
| 9. | The cost of Estates, Villages, and other smaller lands | 23,48,416 | 13 | 9 |
| 10. | The cost of precious stones, Gold and Silver | 1,35,473 | 5 | 9 |
| 11. | Cost of Clothes, Furniture, etc. | 1,96,360 | 11 | 9 |
| 12. | Presents | 1,20,599 | 8 | 4 |
| 13. | Schools, Charitable Institutions, Subscriptions and Donations | 8,67,928 | 11 | 1 |
| 14. | Marriages and other Ceremonies | 54,327 | 10 | 8 |
| 15. | Entertainments and Festivities | 2,02,826 | 11 | 10 |
| 16. | The Maharajah's personal travelling and tour expenses | 3,93,866 | 0 | 7 |
| Total | 1,23,86,189 | 12 | 7 | |
In memory of this event the people of the Samasthanam held a meeting and resolved to present by subscriptions a life-size oil-painting portrait of the Maharajah to the local Victoria Town Hall.
Mr. R. H. Campbell, Collector and Agent to the Governor, Vizagapatam, wrote the following letter in reply to the Maharajah's letter and its enclosures:—
Waltair. 24th August, 1906.
"My dear Maharajah,
"Many thanks for your letter of the 22nd instant, and its enclosures which I have read with great interest. I congratulate you most sincerely on your record of 25 years' administration, and I only wish there were more Zemindars like yourself who managed their Estates personally with the tact and ability which has always been so conspicuous in your administration. I fully endorse your statement that the Bobbili ryots are quiet and loyal. Your figures of expenditure on Remissions, Repairs and Establishment are very striking, and so also are those under items 9 and 13. I hope to meet you shortly as I intend visiting Bobbili next month, arriving there on September 11th from Parvatipore and staying 3 days.
With kind regards,
Sincerely yours,
(Signed) R. H. CAMPBELL."
This year the Maharajah completed the Gopuram (i.e., the chief or tower-gate) of the Temple of Sree Venugopalaswami at Bobbili, and with this all the requirements essential to the temple have been supplied.