List Of Zamindari Estates In Madras Presidency

Zamindaris were established in the Madras Presidency by the government of the British East India Company starting from 1799 onwards. These settlements were established in order to delineate authority to landlords and thereby relieve the ryot from the control of middlemen who often exploited them. Often, these zamindars were Indian Native princes who lost their sovereignty due to British expansion. The zamindari settlement was based on a similar settlement established in Bengal. The Zamindari settlement of Madras was largely unsuccessful and was wrapped up in 1852. However, a few Zamindaris remained till India's independence in 1947.

Land proprietorship in Madras Presidency

The colonial Madras Presidency comprised an area of , of which were under direct British rule, while the rest was distributed amongst the princely states. In the areas administered by the British, three systems of land proprietorship existed: zamindaris, inams and ryotwaris.

In 1911, zamindari estates covered and occupied over one-fourth of the total area of the presidency. In 1945-46, there were of Zamindari estates which yielded a revenue of 97,83,167 Rupees and of ''ryotwari'' lands which yielded a revenue of Rs. 7,26,65,330. Statesman, Pg 154

Zamindaris from 1799 to 1852

The zamindari system was introduced in the Madras Presidency in 1799 in the aftermath of the defeat of the Polygars in the Polygar Wars.

Zamindaris in 1877-1920

In 1877, C. D.Maclean made a survey of the existing zamindaris under the jurisdiction of Madras Presidency. As per this survey, a few of these zamindaris were larger than some of the smaller princely states in the Presidency. The largest of these were Jeypore Estate which was the largest amongst all zamindaris in the Presidency with an area of , Vizianagaram with , Ramnad, Ganapur and Sivaganga, Ramnad and Sivaganga being demoted princely states, were larger in size than the princely states of Cochin or Pudukkottai. Ramnad, the larger of the two, covered an area of , and was second only to Travancore amongst princely states in Madras Presidency. Karvatinuggur, Kalahasti, Nuzvid, Poonganur, Paralekhemidi and Podile and Darsi divisions of Venkatagiri were larger in size than the princely state of Banganapalle while Virasanapettah, Arni estate and Kanguni were larger than Sandur.

Other zamindaris

This is a list of other zamindaris which were either not included in MaClean's list or were non-existent at the time of the enumeration.

File:Venkata Ranga Rao of Bobbili.jpg, Raja Sir Venkata Svetachalapathi Ranga Rao Bahadur of Bobbili (1881-1921)
File:Vikram Deo IV of Jeypore.jpg, His Highness Maharaja Sir Vikram Dev III Bahadur of Jeypore
File:Bheemasena Rao.jpg, HH Raja P. V. Bheemasena Rao of Panyam, Andhra Pradesh
File:Sri Rajah Vogeti Ramakrishnayya.png, Raja Vogeti Ramakrishnayya of Rajahmundry , Andhra Pradesh
File:Rao Venkata Kumara Mahipati Surya Rao.jpg, Portrait of Rao Venkata Kumara Maheepati SuryaRao
File:Raja Rangayya Apparao Zamindar of Kapileswarapuram.jpg, Raja Rangayya Apparao Zamindar of Kapileswarapuram

See also

* List of Zaildars by Zail
* Indian feudalism
* Indian honorifics
* Maratha titles
* Jagirdar
* Mankari
* Lambardar
* Patwari
* Sarpanch
* Zamindar
* Princely state
* Zamindars of Bihar
* Zamindars of Bengal

References

Further reading

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Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
India history-related lists