Page:The Aristocracy of Southern India.djvu/245

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SRI RAJAH RAO RAMAYAMMA RAO BAHADUR GARU,

ZEMINDARNI OF THE GOLLAPROLU MUTTAH

(GODAVARI DISTRICT).



In the Madras Presidency there are some rich landed estates managed most carefully by Zemindarnis, free from all encumbrances. This in itself is sufficient to prove that Southern India, more especially the Madras Presidency, is not devoid of women who can manage large estates, and to show to the outside world that their intelligence and statesmanlike qualities are not inferior to those of women in other parts of India. The Zemindarni of the Gollaprolu Muttah has been managing the estate since the demise of her husband with much benefit to the muttah and credit to herself.

Sri Rajah Rao Ramayamma Rao Bahadur Garu is the widow of the late Sri Rajah Venkata Rao Bahadur Garu, the third brother of the late Rajah of Pittapur, Sri Rajah Venkata Mahipathi Gangadhara Rama Bao Bahadur Garu, and the daughter of Sri Venkayya Garu of the well-known Chelikani family. She married Sri Rajah Venkata Rao Bahadur Garu in 1865.

Since the establishment of the Pittapur estate, it has been a custom to make the senior member its ruler. By virtue of this custom, the then senior member, Sri Rajah Venkata Mahipathi Gangadhar Rama Rao Bahadur assumed charge of the estate, and was pleased to give away the Gollaprolu muttah to his brother, Sri Rajah Venkata Rao Bahadur Garu, instead of the usual allowance. As the latter had no issues by his wife, he married