The Kingdom of Ramnad or Ramnad estate was a permanently settled kingdom and later ''
zamindar
A zamindar ( Hindustani: Devanagari: , ; Persian: , ) in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semiautonomous ruler of a province. The term itself came into use during the reign of Mughals and later the British had begun using it as a ...
i'' estate that existed in the Ramnad subdivision of the
Madurai district
Madurai district is one of the Districts of Tamil Nadu, 38 districts of the States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu in southeastern India., National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Ag ...
and later Ramnad district of the erstwhile
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency, or the Presidency of Fort St. George, also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision (presidency) of British India. At its greatest extent, the presidency included most of southern India, including the ...
in
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
from 1601. It was ruled by the rajas also had the title of
Sethupathi
The Sethupathis are a Tamil clan of the Maravar community native to the Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu, India. They were from the 17th century considered independent kings who ruled the Ramnad kingdom, also known as ''Marava ...
. Madurai Nayaks ruled the Ramnad area with the appointed chieftains between 14th to 16th century CE, and in 17th century CE the appointed governors expanded their power to establish "Ramnad Kingdom" which was also called as "Maravar Kingdom" by the British. In 1795 CE, after an heir dispute, they were reduced to the status of zamidari by the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
. After the
independence of India
The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947.
The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...
in 1947 the
estates were merged in the Union of India and in 1949 all rulers lost the ruling rights,
privy purse
The Privy Purse is the British Sovereign's private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £20.1 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2018.
Overview
The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres (200 ...
was also finally abolished in 1971.
The seat of administration was the town of
Ramanathapuram
Ramanathapuram (), also known as Ramnad, is a town and a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Ramanathapuram district and the second largest town (by population) in ...
. The Zamindari had its origins in the administrative area of Ramnad established by Muthu Krishnappa Nayak in the 1605 AD. After the fall of Madurai Nayaks, the governors established Kingdom of Ramnad. In 1803, the kingdom was converted to a ''zamindari'' by the British. The male rulers of Ramnathapuram also bore the title of
Sethupathi
The Sethupathis are a Tamil clan of the Maravar community native to the Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu, India. They were from the 17th century considered independent kings who ruled the Ramnad kingdom, also known as ''Marava ...
or "protector of the bridge", the bridge here referring to the legendary
Rama's Bridge
Adam's Bridge, '; ta, ஆதாம் பாலம் ' also known as Rama's Bridge or ''Rama Setu'', '; ta, ராமர் பாலம் '; sa, रामसेतु ' is a chain of natural limestone shoals, between Pamban Island, a ...
while female rulers bore the title "Nachiyar".
Legend
The estate of Ramnad included the Hindu holy island city of
Rameswaram
Rameswaram (; also transliterated as Ramesvaram, Rameshwaram) is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 kilo ...
, from where, legend has it that the Hindu god
Rama
Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bein ...
launched his invasion of
Ravana
Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' and its adaptations.
In the ''Ramayana'', Ravana is described to be the eldest son of sage Vishrava and rakshasi Kaikesi. He a ...
's
Lanka
Lanka (, ) is the name given in Hindu epics to the island fortress capital of the legendary asura king Ravana in the epics of the ''Ramayana'' and the ''Mahabharata''. The fortress was situated on a plateau between three mountain peaks known ...
. On the conclusion of the war and Rama's success in it, he appointed a ''Sethupathi'' or "lord of the bridge" to guard the way to the island. The "bridge" referred to here is the legendary
Rama's Bridge
Adam's Bridge, '; ta, ஆதாம் பாலம் ' also known as Rama's Bridge or ''Rama Setu'', '; ta, ராமர் பாலம் '; sa, रामसेतु ' is a chain of natural limestone shoals, between Pamban Island, a ...
which was believed to have been constructed by Rama. The chieftains of Ramnad were entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the bridge, hence the appellation.
History
14th-16th century CE: As traditional Maravar chieftains
During Muttu Krishnappa Nayak (1601–1609 A.D.) of
Madurai Nayak dynasty reign, the Ramnadu region, due to lack of efficient leadership, crimes and robbery were found frequently against pilgrims of Rameswaram through the wild jungle. Due to lack of knowledge of the Jungles, Nayak army found it hard to control the robbers. Therefore, Muthu Krishnappa Nayaka (1601-1609 A.D.) laid down the foundation of the rule of the Sethupathi (watchmen of the bridge ) of Ramnad area under the Madurai Nayaks and made an agreement with the locals to stop the robbery. Muthu Krishnappa Nayaka appointed Sadayakka Teva as Sethupathi in 1605 A.D. to stop crimes and protect the pilgrims of Rameswaram through the wild and inhospitable region.
When the power of the Nayak kings of
Madurai
Madurai ( , also , ) is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District. As of the 2011 census, it was the third largest Urban agglomeration in ...
began to decline in the late 17th century, the
Raghunatha Kilavan
Sriman Hiranyagarbha Ravikula Raja Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Raja Raghunatha Deva Kilavan Setupati (r. 1671–1710) was the first king of Ramnad Kingdom which is also known "Maravar Kingdom".Lists of Inscriptions, and Sketch of the Dynasties ...
of Ramnad asserted his independence.
17th-19th century CE: Rise as Ramnad Kingdom or Maravar Kingdom
In the late 17th century, Raghunatha Kilavan crowned himself king of Ramnad and changed his seat from Pogalur to Ramnad close to the east coast on the request of Muslim trade merchants to give protection against Portuguese traders. With the help and fund from Muslim trade merchants, he erected massive fortifications to protect his capital. He ruled from 1673 to 1708 and oversaw the growth of the feudal chieftainship of Ramnad into powerful ''"Kingdom of Ramnad"'' which is known as ''"
Maravar
Maravar (also known as Maravan and Marava) are a Tamil community in the state of Tamil Nadu. These people are one of the three branches of the Mukkulathor confederacy. Members of the Maravar community often use the honorific title ''Thevar''. The ...
Kingdom"''. In 1725, the
king of Tanjore claimed the northern part of the Ramnad kingdom (the
Aranthangi
Aranthangi is a town chola Nadu in Pudukkottai district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. As of 2011, it had a population of 40,814. And this is one of the part in Chettinadu.
Geography
The town lies 10 degrees north in latitude and 70 degre ...
region) up to the river Pambar in return for his services during the civil war in Ramnad. A vassal of Ramnad who was amongst the victors in the civil war took over the westerly located
Sivaganga
Sivaganga () is a city and headquarters of the Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Sivaganga is a rani velunachiyar kingdom of Tamil Nadu. It is an important city in this district for official and commercial purposes. Its ni ...
region, thereby leaving only three-fifths of the kingdom actually in the hands of the king of Ramnad.
19th-20th century CE: reduced to zamidari jagir during British Raj
Ramnad participated in the
Carnatic wars
The Carnatic Wars were a series of military conflicts in the middle of the 18th century in India's coastal Carnatic region, a dependency of Hyderabad State, India. Three Carnatic Wars were fought between 1744 and 1763.
The conflicts involved n ...
between the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
and the
French East India companies. The state came under British influence in the 1790s and the king of Ramnad was deposed in 1795 for misrule. The British, then, made the king's sister the ruler of Ramnad and deprecated the kingdom to a ''zamindari'' by a permanent ''
sanad'' granting them
jagir
A jagir ( fa, , translit=Jāgir), also spelled as jageer, was a type of feudal land grant in the Indian subcontinent at the foundation of its Jagirdar (Zamindar) system. It developed during the Islamic rule era of the Indian subcontinent, start ...
of Ramnad in 1803. Since then, until the India's independence in 1947, Ramnad was ruled by the queen and her descendants.
Raja Bhaskara Sethupathi, who lived in the late 19th century, borrowed large amounts of money from
Nagarathar
The Nagarathar (also known as Nattukottai Chettiar) is a Tamil people, Tamil caste found native in Tamil Nadu, India. They are a mercantile community who are traditionally involved in commerce, banking and Money-Lending, money lending.
They u ...
creditors for construction of irrigation works and massive developments projects and for charitable purposes that he soon ran into heavy debt. In 1895, most of the estate was pledged to the creditors who set up a trust for its administration and maintenance. Bhaskara Sethupathi's successors actively supported the
Justice Party.
Shanmugha Rajeswara Sethupathi
Shanmugha Rajeswara Sethupathi (9 November 1909 – 4 March 1967) or Naganatha Sethupathi was an Indian politician of the Justice Party and later, the Indian National Congress and head of the ''zamindari'' of Ramnad from 1929 to 1967. He was a ...
was an active supporter of the Justice Party and promoted the Self-Respect Movement.
After the
independence of India
The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947.
The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...
in 1947, the
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
marged estates, jagiirs, kingdom with the Union of India. Consequently, in 1949 all rulers lost the ruling rights. In 1971,
privy purse
The Privy Purse is the British Sovereign's private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £20.1 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2018.
Overview
The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres (200 ...
, an allowance given to the former rulers, was also abolished, thus ending all entitlements.
List of Sethupathi rulers
Chieftains With the Madurai Nayaks
* Udaiyan Sethupathi (a) Sadaikkan (1601–1623)
* Koottan Sethupathi (1623–1635)
* Dalavai Raghunatha Sethupathi (1635–1645)
* Thirumalai Raghunatha Sethupathi (1646–1676)
* Raja Suriya Sethupathi (1676)
* Aathana Raghunatha Sethupathi (1677)
Independent kings of Ramnad Kingdom
*
Raghunatha Kilavan Sethupathi (1678–1710)
* Muthu Vairavanatha Sethupathi I (1710–1712)
*
Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1713-1725)
* Sundaresvara Raghunatha Sethupathi (1725)
* Bavani Sangara Sethupathi (1725–1727)
* Kumara Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1728–1735)
* Sivakumara Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1735-1747)
* Rakka Thevar Sethupathi (1748)
* Sella Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1749–1762)
*
Muthuramalinga Vijaya Ragunatha Sethupathi I (1762-1772 1781-1795)
Ruler of princely state under British Raj
; As king
* Mangaleswari Nachiyar (1795–1803)
; As Zamindars
* Mangaleswari Nachiyar (1803–1807)
* Annaswami Sethupathi (1807–1820)
* Ramaswami Sethupathi (1820–1830)
* Muthu Chella Thevar Sethupathi (1830–1846)
* Parvatha Vardhani Ammal Nachchiyar (1846–1862)
*
Muthuramalinga Sethupathi II (1862–1873)
*
Court of Wards
The Court of Wards and Liveries was a court established during the reign of Henry VIII in England. Its purpose was to administer a system of feudal dues; but as well as the revenue collection, the court was also responsible for wardship and liv ...
(1873–1889)
*
Bhaskara Sethupathy (1889–1903)
* Dinakara Sethupathy
*
Raja Rajeswara Sethupathi
Raja Rajeswara Sethupathi ( ta, ராஜ ராஜேஸ்வர சேதுபதி) or Muthuramalinga Sethupathy (3 June 1889 – 1929) was the Raja of Ramnad from 1903 to 1929.
Early life and education
Raja Rajeswara Sethupathi was the ...
(1903–1929)
*
Shanmugha Rajeswara Sethupathi
Shanmugha Rajeswara Sethupathi (9 November 1909 – 4 March 1967) or Naganatha Sethupathi was an Indian politician of the Justice Party and later, the Indian National Congress and head of the ''zamindari'' of Ramnad from 1929 to 1967. He was a ...
(1929–1949)
*
Bharath Vaj (1999 to be continue)
Ramnad estate during British raj
Location
![Bhaskara Sethupathy of Ramnad](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Bhaskara_Sethupathy_of_Ramnad.jpg)
The estate of Ramnad was located between 9 degrees 6' and 10 degrees 6' N latitude and 77 degrees 56' and 79 degrees 19' E longitudes. It comprised the southern and eastern portion of Madura district and included the whole Bay of Bengal coast of the district.
Area and population
The estate covered an area of and had a population of 723,886 in 1901. It was one of the largest and most populous ''zamindari'' estates in the Madras Presidency. The zamindar of Ramnad paid a tribute of 3.75
lakh
A lakh (; abbreviated L; sometimes written lac) is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand (100,000; scientific notation: 105). In the Indian 2,2,3 convention of digit grouping, it is written as 1,00,000. For ex ...
for the year 1903-04 to the British government.
Subdivisions
Then part of the Madurai district, the estate was subdivided into five ''zamindari'' tehsils: Ramnad, Tiruvadanai, Paramakudi, Tiruchuli and Mudukulathur. The administration was based in the town of
Ramanathapuram
Ramanathapuram (), also known as Ramnad, is a town and a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Ramanathapuram district and the second largest town (by population) in ...
in Ramnad tehsil. Ramanathapuram, Kilakkarai, Paramakudi, Rameswaram, Mandapam and Pamban were some of the important towns in the estate.
See also
*
Sethupathi
The Sethupathis are a Tamil clan of the Maravar community native to the Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu, India. They were from the 17th century considered independent kings who ruled the Ramnad kingdom, also known as ''Marava ...
, title of Raghunatha Kilavan and his descendants
*
Maravar
Maravar (also known as Maravan and Marava) are a Tamil community in the state of Tamil Nadu. These people are one of the three branches of the Mukkulathor confederacy. Members of the Maravar community often use the honorific title ''Thevar''. The ...
, community to which Ramnad / Sethypathu kings belonged
*
Thanjavur Nayak kingdom
The Thanjavur Nayak kingdom or Thanjavur Nayak dynasty were the rulers of Thanjavur in the 15th and 17th centuries. The Nayaks of the Balija social group, were originally appointed as provincial governors by the Vijayanagara Emperor in the 15th ...
, once ally and later adversary of Sethupathis
*
Madurai Nayak dynasty, once ally and later adversary of Sethupathis
*
Marava War of Succession
The Marava War of Succession was the war of succession between, Vijayaraghunatha Sethupathi the heir apparent and eldest son of Raghunatha Kilavan and Tanda Thevar for the throne of Ramnad kingdom, also known as the Maravar Kingdom. The war of s ...
, war of succession after
Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi
References
Bibliography
*
{{coord missing, Tamil Nadu
States and territories established in 1601
States and territories disestablished in 1949
Zamindari estates
Madras Presidency
Madurai district