Administration of the Kingdom of Mysore
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Kingdom of Mysore The Kingdom of Mysore was a realm in South India, southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. From 1799 until 1950, it was a princely state, until 1947 in a subsidiary allia ...
( kn, ಮೈಸೂರು ಸಂಸ್ಥಾನ; 1399 – 1947 CE) was a kingdom in southern India traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the region of the city of
Mysore Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...
in
Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
. For the most part, the
Wodeyar The Wadiyar dynasty (formerly spelt Wodeyer or Odeyer, also referred to as the Wadiyars of Mysore), is a late-medieval/ early-modern South Indian Hindu royal family of former kings of Mysore from the Urs clan originally based in Mysore city. ...
dynasty ruled the southern Karnataka region until the kingdom united with the
Dominion of India The Dominion of India, officially the Union of India,* Quote: “The first collective use (of the word "dominion") occurred at the Colonial Conference (April to May 1907) when the title was conferred upon Canada and Australia. New Zealand and N ...
in 1947. During the kingdom's history, it went through various phases of administration, with increasing foreign influence from the eighteenth century.


Pre-colonial era administration

During the decline of the
Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...
, King Yaduraya Wodeyar (1399–1423) gradually gained independence, eventually ousting the Vijayanagar governor at Srirangapatna. The regional head of the empire moved their new capital at
Chandragiri Chandragiri is a suburb and neighbourhood of Tirupati and located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a part of Tirupati urban agglomeration and a major growing residential area in Tirupati It is the mandal headqua ...
.Kamath (2001), p228 During the rule of Narasaraja Wodeyar, the first gold coins were issued from Mysore. The position of Mysore improved considerably during the rule of King Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar, who increased the value of the Treasury to 90,000,000 ''pagoda'' (a unit of currency). For this achievement, the king took the title ''Navakotinarayana'' (lit. nine-crore
Narayana Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण, IAST: ''Nārāyaṇa'') is one of the forms and names of Vishnu, who is in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, referring to the masculine principle. He is also known as Purushottama, and is co ...
).
Chikka Devaraja Devaraja Wodeyar II (22 September 1645 – 16 November 1704) was the fourteenth maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore from 1673 to 1704. During this time, Mysore saw further significant expansion after his predecessors. During his rule, centralise ...
(1673–1704) founded the ''Attara Kacheri'', a central secretariat consisting of eighteen departments.Kamath (2001), pp-228–229 Under
Hyder Ali Hyder Ali ( حیدر علی, ''Haidarālī''; 1720 – 7 December 1782) was the Sultan and ''de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born as Hyder Ali, he distinguished himself as a soldier, eventually drawing the att ...
(1761–1782), a large booty of gold looted from the Nizam of Golconda funded Mysore's expansionary policy.Kamath (2001), p231 The kingdom was divided into 5 provinces (''Asofis''), comprising 171 ''Paraganas'' (
taluk A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
). The Sira province comprised 5 ''Paraganas'' that contributed 200,000 ''varaha'' (a unit of currency) and the Srirangapatna province contained 102 ''Paraganas'' and contributed 1,700,000 ''varaha''.Kamath (2001), p233 During the reign of
Tipu Sultan Tipu Sultan (born Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu, 1 December 1751 – 4 May 1799), also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore based in South India. He was a pioneer of rocket artillery.Dalrymple, p. 243 He int ...
(1782–1799), the kingdom, which encompassed 62,000 mi2 (160,000 km2), was divided into 37 ''Asofi'' and a total of 124 taluks (''Amil''). Each ''Asofi'' had a governor, or ''Asof'', and one deputy ''Asof''. A taluk was headed by an ''Amildar'' while a ''Patel'' was in charge of a group of villages.Kamath (2001), p234 The central administration comprised six departments headed by ministers, each aided by an advisory council of up to four members;Kamath (2001), p235 the military by Mir Miran, the revenue ministry by Mir Asaf, the navy by Mir Yem, and the treasury, commerce, and ordnance by Muluk-ut-Tufar. The policy of replacing Hindu governors with Muslim ''Asofs'' may have led to a revenue downfall.Kirmani in Kamath (2001), p237 For a brief period, Kannada was replaced by
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
as the administrative language under Tipu's reign.N.K. Sinha in Kamath (2001), p237 The army consisted of infantry, cavalry, artillery, and the navy. The navy had forty ships operating from Mangalore, Kundapura, and Tadadi.


Direct British rule

Following Tipu's death in 1799, the kingdom came under direct British rule in 1831. Lushington, Briggs, and Morrison, the early commissioners, were followed by
Mark Cubbon Mark Cubbon may refer to: * Mark Cubbon (army officer), British army officer with the East India Company * Mark Cubbon (administrator), chief executive of the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust See also * Mark Cuban Mark Cuban (born ...
and
Lewin Bentham Bowring Lewin Bentham Bowring (1824–1910) was a British Indian civil servant in British India who served as the Chief Commissioner of Mysore between 1862 and 1870. He was also an author and man of letters. Family He was the second son of Sir John Bowr ...
.Kamath (2001), p251 Mark Cubbon took charge in 1834. He made
Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
the capital and divided the princely state into 4 divisions, each under a British superintendent. The state was further divided into 120 taluks with 85 taluk courts, with all lower level administration in the Kannada language. The ''Amildar'' was in charge of a taluk to whom a ''Hoblidar'', the caretaker of a ''Hobli'' comprising a few villages, reported. The office of the commissioner had eight departments; revenue, post, police, cavalry, public works, medical, the animal husbandry, judiciary and education. The judiciary was hierarchical with the commissioners' court at the apex, followed by the ''Huzur Adalat'', four superintending courts and eight ''Sadar Munsiff'' courts at the lowest level. Mark Cubbon is credited with the construction of over one thousand miles of roads, hundreds of dams, coffee production and improvements in the tax and revenue systems.Kamath (2001), p252 Lewin Bowring became the chief commissioner in 1862 and held the position until 1870. Under Lewin Bowring, the state was divided into three divisions, each under a British commissioner. There were eight districts in all under these divisions, with each looked after by a deputy commissioner who was aided by the ''Amildars'' and ''Hoblidars''. The property "Registration Act", the "Indian Penal code" and "Code of Criminal Procedure" came into effect and the judiciary was separated from the executive branch of the administration. Lewin Bowring expanded the education system with the formation of the Central Educational Agency, helping the kingdom modernize quickly. However, unlike Mark Cubbon, Lewin Bowring generally preferred to employ British officers.Kamath (2001), p253


Rendition, legislative, and economic developments

In 1881, following a strong lobby favouring rendition, the British handed back the administration of Mysore to King
Chamarajendra Wadiyar X Chamarajendra Wadiyar X (22 February 1863 – 28 December 1894) was the twenty-third Maharaja of Mysore between 1868 and 1894. Adoption and accession Chamarajendra Wadiyar X was born in the old palace in Mysore on 22 February 1863, as the thir ...
(1868–1894). The post of commissioner was abolished and replaced by a Diwan, his two advisers, and a British resident in the Mysore court.
C. V. Rungacharlu Sir Chettipunyam Veeravalli Rungacharlu (c. August 1831 - d. 20 January 1883), also spelt Rangacharlu, was an Indian civil servant and administrator who served as the 14th Diwan of Mysore from 1881 to 1883. Early life Rungacharlu was born in ...
, a native of
Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
, became the Diwan while the Representative Assembly of British India, consisting of 144 members, was formed in 1881. He identified himself with the Kannada language and patronised it by establishing the Palace drama company. He passed favourable economic policies such as public loans and public works and built a railway line from Bangalore to Mysore.Kamath (2001), p254 He was followed by
K. Seshadri Iyer Sir Kumarapuram Seshadri Iyer (also spelled Aiyar) (1 June 1845 – 13 September 1901), was an Indian advocate who served as the 15th Diwan of Mysore from 1883 to 1901. He was the second longest serving diwan of Mysore after Diwan Purnaiah. He ...
in 1883. During his time, gold mining at the
Kolar Gold Fields Kolar Gold Fields (K.G.F.) is a mining region in K.G.F. taluk (township), Kolar district, Karnataka, India. It is headquartered in Robertsonpet, where employees of Bharat Gold Mines Limited (BGML) and BEML Limited (formerly Bharat Earth Move ...
began, extensive coffee plantations were developed, and railway lines were laid. The first assembly elections were held with a three-year tenure. Taluk boards were formed with decentralised authority, the Mysore Civil Service examinations were held for the first time in 1891, and the geology and agriculture departments were established in 1894 and 1898, respectively. Other notable achievements include the construction of the Vanivilas Sagar dam across the
Vedavati Vedavati (Sanskrit: वेदवती, IAST: ''Vedavatī'') is the previous birth of the goddess Sita in Hindu mythology. She is an avatar of the goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi. Legend Birth Vedavati was the daughter of Brahmarishi Kushadhva ...
river, the initiation of the
Shivanasamudra Shivanasamudra Falls is a waterfall on the border of Malavalli taluk, Mandya district and Kollegala taluk, Chamarajanagara district of the state of Karnataka, India. It is situated along the river Kaveri, which forms here the boundary to the Ch ...
hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...
project in 1899 (the first such major attempt in India), electricity and piped drinking water in Bangalore, the first edition of the ''Archaeological Survey of Mysore'' in 1890, and the Oriental Manuscripts Library.Kamath (2001), p254-255
P. N. Krishnamurti Sir Purniah Narasinga Rao Krishnamurti (12 August 1849 – 1911) was an Indian lawyer and administrator who served as the 16th Diwan of Mysore from 1901 to 1906. He was a direct descendant of Diwan Purnaiah, the first Dewan of Mysore. Early ...
, a descendant of Diwan
Purnaiah Purnaiah (Purniya) (1746 – 27 March 1812), aka Krishnacharya Purniya or Mir Miran Purniya was an Indian Administrator and statesman and the 1st Diwan of Mysore. He has the rare distinction of governing under a sultan and a maharaja, Tip ...
, took office in 1901. The founding of ''The Secretariat Manual'' for maintaining records, the introduction of British administrative methods, and the founding of the Co-operative Department in 1905 are credited to him.
V. P. Madhava Rao Sir Vishwanath Patankar Madhava Rao (10 February 1850 – 1934) was an Indian administrator and statesman who served as the 17th Diwan of Mysore from 1906 to 1909 and that of Baroda from 1910 to 1913. Early life Madhava Rao was born in Febr ...
, who became Diwan in 1906, paid attention to conservation of forests. He started the Legislative Council in 1907, the Central Co-operative Bank in Bangalore, aided the Vokkaligara Sangha in 1906 and created the Mysore News Paper Regulation Act of 1908. He was followed by
T. Ananda Rao Sir Tanjore Ananda Rao (alternatively known as Ananda Rao Thanjavarkar) (15 May 1852 – 19 July 1919) was an Indian administrator and statesman who served as the 18th Diwan of Mysore from 1909 to 1912. He was the eldest son of Sir T. Madhava R ...
, who inaugurated the Mysore Economic Conference, finalised the
Krishna Raja Sagara Krishna Raja Sagara, also popularly known as KRS, is a lake and the dam that creates it. They are close to the settlement of Krishna Raja Sagara in the Indian State of Karnataka. The gravity dam made of ''surki'' mortar is below the confluence of ...
dam and completed the
Mysore Palace The Mysore Palace, also known as Amba Vilas Palace, is a historical palace and a royal residence (house). It is located in Mysore, Karnataka. It used to be the official residence of the Wadiyar dynasty and the seat of the Kingdom of Mysore. Th ...
in 1910.Kamath (2001), p257
M. Visvesvaraya Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya (15 September 1861 – 12/14 April 1962), also referred to by his initials, MV, was an Indian civil engineer, administrator, and statesman, who served as the 19th Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918. Visvesvaraya ...
, an engineer, became Diwan in 1909.Kamath (2001), p257 The Mysore Legislative Assembly was increased from 18 to 24 members, with new powers for discussing the state budget. The Mysore Economic Conference was expanded into three committees: industry and commerce, education, and agriculture, with publications in English and Kannada. Village
panchayats The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical menti ...
, local boards, and municipalities were headed by elected members.Kamath (2001), p258 Projects commissioned during his tenure include the construction of the Krishna Raja Sagara dam, the Government Soap Factory, the Mysore Sandal Oil Factory, the founding of the Iron and Steel Works in Bhadravati, and the Mysore Bank. Visvesvaraya founded the
University of Mysore The University of Mysore is a public state university in Mysore, Karnataka, India. The university was founded during the reign of Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore. The university is recognised by the University Grants Commission ...
in 1916, the Mysore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Visvesvaraya College of Engineering in Bangalore, and the Karnataka Sahitya Parishad. He was followed by Sir
M. Kantaraj Urs Sir Maddur Kantharaj Urs (20 September 1870 – 3 October 1923) was an Indian royal, civil servant, and administrator who served as the 20th Diwan of Mysore from 1918 to 1922. Early life and education Kantharaj Urs was born on 20 September ...
in 1919 and Sir
Albion Rajkumar Banerjee Sir Albion Rajkumar Banerjee (10 October 1871 – 25 February 1950) was an Indian civil servant and administrator who served as the Diwan of Cochin from 1907 to 1914, 21st Diwan of Mysore from 1922 to 1926, and as Prime Minister of Kashmir fr ...
in 1922.


Last Diwans

Sir
Mirza Ismail Sir Mirza Muhammad Ismail Amin-ul-Mulq (24 October 1883 – 5 January 1959) was an Indian statesman and police officer who served as the Diwan of Mysore, Jaipur, and Hyderabad.P. 254-258, ''Business Legends'' by Gita Piramal (1998) – Published ...
took office as Diwan in 1926 and continued making progress in modernising the Kingdom of Mysore. Amongst his contributions were the expansion of the Bhadravati iron works and the founding of a cement and paper factory in Bhadravati. A porcelain factory and a glass factory were founded in Bangalore, a sugar factory in Mysore, and the first fertilizer factory in Belgola. Ismail founded the
Brindavan Gardens The Brindavan Gardens is a garden located 12 k.ms from the city of Mysore in the Mandya District of the Indian State of Karnataka. It lies adjoining the Krishnarajasagara Dam which is built across the river Kaveri. The work on laying out t ...
(Krishnaraja Sagar), the
Mysore Medical College Mysore Medical College & Research Institute (previously called Mysore Medical College), also known as Government Medical College, Mysore is one of the oldest medical colleges in India. It is located in the heart of Mysore city adjacent to the r ...
, and the Kaveri high-level canal to irrigate in modern
Mandya district Mandya District is an administrative district of Karnataka, India. The district is bordered on the south by Mysore district, Mysore and Chamarajanagar district, Chamarajangar districts, on the west by Hassan District, on the north by Tumkur Di ...
.Kamath (2001), p260 Ismail was followed by Sir
N. Madhava Rao Sir Nyapathi Madhava Rau (8 June 1887 – 28 August 1972) was an Indian civil servant, administrator, and statesman who served as the 23rd dewan of Mysore from 1941 to 1945 and later as a member of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Asse ...
and Sir
Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar Sir Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar (14 October 1887 – 17 July 1976) was an Indian lawyer, diplomat, and statesman who was the first president of the United Nations Economic and Social Council and the 24th and last Diwan of Mysore. He also served as ...
before the kingdom was incorporated into the newly independent India in 1947.


Notes


References

* Suryanath U. Kamat, A Concise history of Karnataka (from pre-historic times to the present), Jupiter books, MCC, Bangalore, 2001 (Reprinted 2002) OCLC: 7796041 * * Jewels of Administration Princely Mysore State by Dr. Suryanath U. Kamath published by Karnataka Gazetteer Department, Government of Karnataka, Print 2012. {{Princely states of India Kingdom of Mysore