Mysore and Coorg from the Inscriptions c8.s19: 19. Mysore Rājās
Mysore and Coorg from the Inscriptions c8.s19
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19. Mysore Rājās
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It was their acquisition of Seringapatam in 1610, and the retirement from it then of the Vijayanagar viceroy, that brought the Rājas of Mysore into prominence as independent rulers. But the family traces its origin to the beginning of the fifteenth century, and after the catastrophe which befell the Vijayanagar empire at the battle of Talikota in 1565, the Rājas of Mysore, in common with its other feudatories, had been preparing to cast off the Vijayanagar yoke.
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They are of the Lunar race, and their origin is thus related in Ch 92 and other inscriptions. Certain Yādava princes from Dvāraka (the capital of the hero Krishna in Kathiāwār) came to the Karṇāṭa country, either led by fancy, according to some accounts, which seems natural, or, according to others, in order to visit their family god Nārāyaṇa on the peak of Yadugiri (Mēlukōṭe). Seeing the beauty of the land, and being pleased with it, they took up their abode in Mahishapura (Mysore), and became the progenitors of the existing royal family. Tradition alleges that there were two princes, named Vijaya and Krishna. Espousing the cause of a distressed maiden, the daughter of the Woḍeyar or chief of Hadana (now Hadināḍ, to the south-east of Mysore), they saved her from a forced marriage with the chief of Kārugahalli, who was of inferior caste, by secreting themselves at the wedding banquet and slaying him. She then became the willing bride of Vijaya, who assumed the government of Hadana and Kārugahalli, adopting the title of Oḍeyar or Woḍeyar,¹ along with a profession of the Jangama or Lingāyit creed. From them was descended Hire-Beṭṭada-Chāma-Rāja (the third of those named Chāma-Rāja), to whom are assigned the dates 1513 to 1552, previous to which no annals have been preserved. He, during his lifetime, made a partition of his dominions between his three sons. To Timma-Rāja he gave Hemmanhalli, to Krishna-Rāja he gave Kembala, and to Chāma-Rāja, surnamed Bōl (the Bald), he gave Mysore. No male heir surviving to either of the elder brothers, the succession was continued in the junior or Mysore branch. The following is a table of the kings:—
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¹ A title of all the Rājas of Mysore. It was also a title of the early Vijayanagar kings, and of various lines of chiefs in the South. It signifies lord or master (being the honorific plural of Oḍeya), and appears in Tamil as Uḍaiyār. As vaḍēr it is the term applied to Jangama or Lingāyit priests.
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[Figure: Hire-Beṭada-Chāma-Rāja (1513-1552) Timma-Rāja (1552-1571) Krishna-Rāja 1. Boḷ Chāma-Rāja IV, 1571-1576
2. Beṭada-Chāma-Rāja V, 3. Rāja-Woḍeyar, Dēva-Rāja, Channa-Rāja 1576-1578 1578-1617 m. Kempambāmbā
6. Kaṇṭhīrava-Narasa- Narasa 5. Immaḍi¹ Dēva-Rāja, 7. Doḍḍa-Dēva-Rāja,² Rāja I, 1638-1659 Rāja-Woḍeyar, m. Amritāmbā 1659-1672
4. Chāma-Rāja VI, 8. Chikka-Dēva-Rāja, 1672-1704, Kaṇṭhīrava 1617-1637 m. Dēvambāmbā
9. Kaṇṭhīrava-Narasa-Rāja II,
11. Chāma-Rāja VII, 1731-1734 m. Cheluvjāmāmbā
12. Immaḍi-Krishna-Rāja, 10. Doḍḍa-Krishna-Rāja, 1713-1731, 1734-1766 m. Dēvjāmāmbā
13. Nañja-Rāja, 1766-1770 14. Chāma-Rāja VIII, 1770-1776
15. Chāma-Rāja IX, 1776-1796
16. Mummaḍi¹-Krishna-Rāja, 1799-1868 (adopted)
17. Chāma-Rājēndra X, 1868-1894
18. Krishna-Rāja IV, 1894-]
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¹ Immaḍi means second; Mummaḍi, third.
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² His elder brother, as the senior, was originally called Doḍḍa-Dēva-Rāja, but as he did not come to the throne, the designation is applied to the junior who actually ruled.
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Timma-Rāja is said (Sr 14) to have gained the title Antembara-gaṇḍa,³ distinctive of the Mysore Rājas. Chāma-Rāja IV defeated in battle Rēmaṭi-Vēṅkaṭa, the general of Rāma-Rāja. He also, as we know from history, withheld the tribute due to Vijayanagar, and set at defiance the viceroy at Seringapatam, who in vain attempted to arrest him. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Beṭada-Chāma-Rāja, who, though conspicuously brave, had no capacity for government. His younger brother, Rāja-Woḍeyar, was therefore raised to the throne by the elders. He, it is said (Sr 14, 64, TN 63), according to his vow, thrashed the proud lord of Kārugahalli on the field of battle with his riding-whip. But, far more important, he overcame Tirumala-Rāya (the Vijayanagar viceroy) and seated himself on the jewelled throne in Seringapatam. Whatever were the means by which this was accomplished, it is undoubted that the aged viceroy retired to Talakāḍ in 1610, where he shortly after died, and that Rāja-Woḍeyar took possession of Seringapatam and made it his capital in place of Mysore.¹ From this time dates the independence of the Mysore Rājas, though it is curious that some of their inscriptions still acknowledge the Vijayanagar supremacy down to as late a period as 1668 (Gu 65), and Narasa-Rāja of Maisūr is said (Yd 5) to be the right hand of the Vijayanagar sovereign in 1642. But, at the same time, they make numerous grants by their own independent authority, one of the earliest that can be cited being of the date 1612 (Ch 200).
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³ “Champion over those who say they are such and such.” A more intelligible form is Birud-ant-embara-gaṇḍa, “champion over those who say they have such and such titles.”
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¹ This seems to have been countenanced by the Vijayanagar sovereign Venkata-pati-Rāya, who is said (TN 62) to have confirmed Rāja-Woḍeyar in 1612 in the possession of Ummattūr and Seringapatam; and Nj 198 implies that he considered the Mysore kings to have a right to the throne of Karṇāṭa.
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All the sons being dead, Rāja-Woḍeyar was succeeded by a grandson, Chāma-Rāja VI, in whose time (1630) we know that Channapatna and its possessions were added to Mysore. A posthumous son born to Rāja-Woḍeyar was next placed on the throne as Immaḍi-Rāja-Woḍeyar (Yd 17), but he was shortly poisoned, at the instigation, it appears, of the Dalavāyi.²
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² The title of the chief officer of the State, who was at the head of the army but was also a minister. The office was mostly hereditary, the Mysore and Kalale families having entered into an alliance according to which the former provided the Kartar (Curtur in the English records) or ruler of the State, and the latter the Dalavāyi or commander-in-chief.
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Kanthirava-Narasa-Rāja I, son of the gallant Beṭṭada-Chāma-Rāja, then obtained the crown, and had a distinguished reign. He successfully repelled the Bijāpur invasions, and extended the kingdom on all sides, gaining great booty, some of which he applied to strengthening the fortifications of Seringapatam. He was the first to establish a mint, at which were coined the Kaṇṭhīrāya (Canteroy) huns and fanams named after him (Ag 64), which continued to be the current national money until the Muhammadan usurpation. According to Sr 103 he was Krishna himself, born to give peace to the world when it was troubled by the Turushkas and resounded with the noise of horse hoofs. While he ruled, all the land was prosperous. When he went forth to war, the Vangas, Hūnas, and Konkanas were terrified, the Saurāṣṭras lost their kingdom, the Gurjara horse bolted, the Mlēnchhas fell down in a swoon. He established many agrahāras, bestowed numerous gifts, and revived the observance of the ēkādaśi-vrata, or eleventh day vow in honour of Lakshmī-Nṛisimha (Vishnu), like Ambarīsha and other kings of old (Ag 64).
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He died without issue, and Doḍḍa-Dēva-Rāja, a grandson of Chāma-Rāja IV, was selected to succeed him, a rival claimant, afterwards Chikka-Dēva-Rāja, being sent, with his father, into confinement at Hangala (Gundalpet tāluq). This reign was occupied in repulsing invasions from Bednūr by Śivappa-Nāyak, who attempted to restore the authority of the Vijayanagar king, a fugitive at his court. Doḍḍa-Dēva-Rāja extended the Mysore territories to the south and north-west. All those who were persecuted by the Mlēchchas, who had seized upon the land, flocked (says Yd 54) to him for protection. The Pāṇḍyas lost their kingdom, the Chōlas sailed away with all their forces to the islands, the Kēralas took poison, the Haivas were smitten by the gods, the Konkanas lost heart, the Hūnas sought only to save their lives, the Habbusikas were pierced all over with wounds, the Lāṭas were driven to wander in the forests, the Gurjaras were paralysed, the Rānas obtained nirvāna, while the Kurus, Maravas, Mudgalas and Jangālas, the Angas, Vangas, Kalingas, the Magadha king, with the king of Madhura and others, threw themselves at his feet. Several uncouth Mahratti and Hindustāni words are given as specimens of the exclamations heard on all sides from those who fell in his wars. He made all the gifts described in the *Hēmādri* and other sacred books, and established in every village inns (*chatra*) for the distribution of food. Dividing his kingdom into four parts, he gave the first to the Brāhmans, the second to the gods, the third to charity, and reserved the fourth for his own use. Details of his conquests are also thus given (Sr 14). He defeated the army of the lord of Madhura in Īrōḍu (Coimbatore District), slew Damaralaiyappēndra, and put to flight Anantōji. He captured the elephant named Kulaśēkhara, and took by assault Śāmballi (in Bhavāni tāluq, Coimbatore), Ōmalūr (near Salem), and Dhārāpuram (in south of Coimbatore District). He defeated the army of the Keladi kings (Shimoga District), captured the elephant called Gangādhara, and seized Hāsana (Hassan) and Sakkarepaṭṭaṇa. The territories thus acquired extended from Sakkarepaṭṭaṇa (near Chikmugalūr) in the west to Sēleyapura (Salem) in the east, and from Chikkanāyākapura (Chiknāyakanhalli) in the north to Dhārāpuram in the south, between all which places he established an inn for travellers at every *yōjana* (about nine miles) along every road. He died at Chiknāyakanhalli.
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Chikka-Dēva-Rāja, great-grandson of Chāma-Rāja IV, previously passed over and sent into confinement, was now elevated to the throne, and is one of the most celebrated of the Mysore Rājas. Many important administrative changes were made by him, some of which created serious discontent. This was suppressed by a treacherous massacre of Jangama priests, who had fomented it. But at his death in 1704, notwithstanding the troublous times, he had built up a secure and prosperous kingdom, stretching from Palni and Ānemale (Madura District) in the south to Midagēśi (north of Tumkūr District) in the north, and from Carnatic Garh in the Bāramahāl (Salem District) in the east to the borders of Coorg and Balam (Manjarābād) in the west.
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The inscriptions are chiefly concerned with his successes in war. One of the earliest (Ch 92 of 1675) describes him as seated on the throne of the Karṇāṭa dominion like the great Indra. In the east, defeating the Pāṇḍya king Chokka (Nāyak of Madura), he seized Tripura and Anantapuri; in the west, smiting the Keladi kings, with the Yavanas, he took Sakalēśapura and Arakalgūḍu (both in Hassan District); in the north, defeating Ranadulha-Khān (the Bijāpur general), he captured Kētasamudra, with Kandikere, Handalakere, Gūlūr, Tumukūr, and Honnavalli (all in Tumkūr District). Defeating in battle Mushtika, who was aided by the Morasas (people of Kolar District) and Kirātas, he captured Jaḍagana-durga and changed its name to Chikkadēvarāyadurga (now Dēvarāyadurga). The Varāha (or Boar) which was lost in the Yavana invasion, he brought from Śrīmushna (South Arcot) and set it up with devotion in Śrīrangapaṭṭaṇa (Seringapatam—it is now in Mysore, where it was removed in the time of Pūrnayya). He also (Sr 151) conquered Timmappa-Gauḍa and Rāmappa-Gauḍa and took Maddagiri, Midagēśi, Bijjavara and Channarāyadurga. Then he is said (in Sr 14 of 1686) to have defeated the Mahrattas from Panchavaṭī (Nāsik, in the north of the Bombay Presidency), and of their leaders he slew Dādōji and cut off the limbs and noses of Jaitaji and Jasavanta.¹ He also reduced to abject terror Śambhu (Sambhōji, son and successor of the celebrated Sivaji), Kutupu-Shāh (one of the Sultāns of Golkoṇḍa), Ikkēri Basava (Basavappa-Nāyak, adopted son of Channammāji, widow and successor on the throne of Sōmaśēkhara-Nāyak), and Ekōji (or Venkōji, the half-brother of Sivaji, who seized Tanjore and founded the line of Mahratta rulers there). We are also informed (in Sr 64 of 1722) that he conquered the lord of Madhura, and withstood Sivaji at the time when the rulers of the countries around Āgra, Delhi, and Bhāgānagara (Haidarābād) were falling down before him and presenting tribute. He thus acquired the title Apratima-vīra (unrivalled hero), which is one of the distinctive epithets of the Mysore Rājas. He is moreover said to have defeated attacks from every point of the compass, made by Turukas (or Muhammadans), Morasas (Telugu people of the Kolar District and north-east), Āreyas (or Mahrattas), Tigulas (Tamil people), Koḍagas (Coorgs), and Malegas (hill tribes in the west). In addition to Kutupu-Shāh (of Golkoṇḍa), he is said to have driven off Edulu-Shāh (Ādil-Shāh of Bijāpur).
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¹ Dādōji bhidi Jaitaji-Jasavatōs sarvānga-nāsā-chhidi. The latter part of the phrase might possibly be rendered—"cut off the noses of all arms." This was a practice adopted by the Mysoreans in order to instil terror into the enemy. See Manucci, Storia do Mogor (Irvine's translation and additional notes, vol. iv.) But may it not have been the survival of an old Indian custom? For Professor Macdonell, in writing of early Sanskrit medical works (Imp. Gaz. Ind., vol. ii.), says—"Probably the only valuable contribution to surgery to which India can lay claim is the art of forming artificial noses. This operation has been borrowed in modern times from India, where Englishmen became acquainted with it in the 18th century.
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Kaṇṭhīrava-Narasa-Rāja II, the son of Chikka-Dēva-Rāja, was born deaf and dumb, and thence called Mūk-arasu. But through the influence of the eminent minister Tirumalārya he succeeded to the throne. There are no inscriptions of his time.
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His son, Doḍḍa-Krishna-Rāja, followed, during whose reign frequent invasions took place by the Muhammadans and the Mahrattas, who had to be bought off. The king being immersed in his own pleasures, all power began to fall into the hands of the ministers.
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With him the direct descent ended. Ag 62 gives a list of the kings down to 1811, but (to complete the chronicle from history) Chāma-Rāja VII, a member of the Hemmanhalli family, was next elected. He was eventually deposed by the dalavāyi Dēvarāj and the minister Nanjarāj, and died a prisoner at Kabbāldurga in 1734. Immaḍi-Krishna-Rāja of Kenchangōd, a younger and distant branch, was put on the throne in that year, and died in 1766. His eldest son Nanja-Rāja was directed by Haidar-Ali to be installed, but finding him not sufficiently subservient, Haidar turned him out of the palace in 1767. He was strangled in 1770, being nominally succeeded by his brother Chāma-Rāja VIII, who died childless in 1775. An inscription of the previous year (Bl 65) truthfully represents Chāma-Rāja as the king, but the excellent Haidar-Ali as the ruler. Chāma-Rāja IX, a member of the Kārugahalli family, was next selected by Haidar in a dramatic manner. He died in 1796 and Tīpū-Sultān appointed no successor. On the capture of Seringapatam by the British in 1799 and the death at the same time of Tipū-Sultān, the Muhammadan usurpation of Haidar-Ali (1761-1782) and Tipū-Sultān (1782-1799¹) being brought to an end, the British Government restored the Hindu dynasty, and placed on the throne Mummadi-Krishna-Rāja, son of the last-named Chāma-Rāja. His inscriptions run from 1800 (Sr 8) down to near the end of his life in 1868. One in the Lakshmīramana temple at Mysore commemorates his installation there on the throne of his ancestors on the 30th of June 1799. Another, of 1829, in the Krishnasvāmi temple, ascribes to him nine modes of service, called the nine jewels, for the pleasure of the goddess Chāmundēśvari. These were—the jewel of adornment, in presenting crowns for the gods at Mēlukōte and other places; the jewel of love of country, in founding Chāmarājnagar and other towns; the jewel of devotion, in building temples; the jewel of their consecration, in completing their towers; the jewel of public good, in erecting dams and bathing-places; the jewel of charity, in establishing inns for feeding pilgrims at various sacred places; the jewel of fame, in issuing gold and silver coins; and the jewel of language, in publishing commentaries on the sacred books. Ch 86 of 1828 and Nj 8 of 1845 contain a list of the titles and emblems of the Rājas of Mysore. Krishna-Rāja was deposed in 1831 for continued misrule, and during the next fifty years Mysore was administered by British Commissioners. In 1881 it was again restored to the Mysore family in the person of Krishna-Rāja's adopted son Chāma-Rājendra, and he was succeeded in 1894 by the present Mahārāja, Krishna-Rāja IV, at first under the Regency of the Mahārāni his mother. On attaining majority in 1902 he was installed in power.
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¹ Examples of Haidar-Ali's inscriptions are Cp 146, 18, and 114; of Tipū-Sultān's, for the most part characteristically bombastic, Sr 23, 159, Bn 7, and My 54.