Ramachandra Tondaiman
Encyclopedia
Raja Sri Brahdamba Dasa Raja Ramachandra Tondaiman Bahadur (20 October 1829 - 15 April 1886) was the ruler of princely state of Pudukkottai
from July 13, 1839 to April 15, 1886.
on 20n October 1829 to Raghunatha Tondaiman
, the Raja
of Pudukkottai and his second wife, Rani Kamalambal Ayi Sahib. He was educated in private and succeeded to throne at the age of nine on the death of his father with the British political agent at Pudukkottai acting as the regent
.
Ramachandra's administration was allegedly marked by extravagance and financial mismanagement.He was punished by the British government who twice revoked the permission to use the style "His Excellency" in 1859 and 1873. In 1878, at the advice of Sir T. Madhava Rao, the Madras government appointed A. Seshayya Sastri, former Diwan
of Travancore
as the Diwan of Pudukkottai. Sastri reformed the administration and rebuilt the city of Pudukkottai
as per modern principles of town planning. The Pudukulam and Pallavankulam tanks in the city were renovated and a Post and Telegraph Office was inaugurated in 1884. At Sastri's suggestion, Ramachandra renovated many Hindu temples in the state. In 1881, Ramachandra officially adopted the hereditary title "Brihadambadas" with the consent of Sastri.
Ramachandra was awarded the style "His Highness" on 16 May 1884 along with a 11-gun salute. He was awarded the Prince of Wales
medal in 1875 and the Kaiser-i-Hind
gold medal in 1877.
Ramachandra married for a second time, to Janaki Subbammal, the eldest daughter of the zamindar
of Neduvasal
on 31 August 1848. The couple had a son and a daughter
Since Sivarama Raghunatha Tondaiman, Ramachandra Tondaiman's only son predeceased him, Ramachandra adopted Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman
, son of his daughter Brihadambal, and designated him heir-apparent to the throne.
and organised Carnatic music concerts in his palace. Ramachandra Tondaiman, himself, was a prolific composer and set his drama Kuruvaji Nataka to music and had it enacted at the Viralimalai Murugan temple
.
Pudukkottai state
Pudukkottai was a princely state in the Madras Presidency which existed from 1680 to 1948. It was one of the five princely states that were under political control of the Government of Madras.- Location :...
from July 13, 1839 to April 15, 1886.
Early life
Ramachandra Tondaiman was born in PudukkottaiPudukkottai
Pudukkottai is a town and a municipality in Pudukkottai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Pudukkottai District was carved out of Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur districts in January 1974.It is the administrative headquarters of Pudukkottai District....
on 20n October 1829 to Raghunatha Tondaiman
Raghunatha Tondaiman
His Excellency Raja Sri Raghunatha Tondaiman Bahadur was the ruler of the princely state of Pudukkottai from 4 June 1825 to 13 July 1839.- Early life :...
, the Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
of Pudukkottai and his second wife, Rani Kamalambal Ayi Sahib. He was educated in private and succeeded to throne at the age of nine on the death of his father with the British political agent at Pudukkottai acting as the regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
.
Reign
Pudukkottai was administered by a regent in the early years of Ramachandra's reign. Soon after his accession, Ramachandra was awarded the style of "His Excellency" by the British government. In 1844, Ramachandra, formally, assumed control of the government.Ramachandra's administration was allegedly marked by extravagance and financial mismanagement.He was punished by the British government who twice revoked the permission to use the style "His Excellency" in 1859 and 1873. In 1878, at the advice of Sir T. Madhava Rao, the Madras government appointed A. Seshayya Sastri, former Diwan
Diwan
Dewan, Diwan or Divan may refer to:*The Arabic/Persian word Dewan or Divan , with a range of meanings:**"book"*** The Diwan or Girgam, a record of the Kanem Empire...
of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
as the Diwan of Pudukkottai. Sastri reformed the administration and rebuilt the city of Pudukkottai
Pudukkottai
Pudukkottai is a town and a municipality in Pudukkottai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Pudukkottai District was carved out of Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur districts in January 1974.It is the administrative headquarters of Pudukkottai District....
as per modern principles of town planning. The Pudukulam and Pallavankulam tanks in the city were renovated and a Post and Telegraph Office was inaugurated in 1884. At Sastri's suggestion, Ramachandra renovated many Hindu temples in the state. In 1881, Ramachandra officially adopted the hereditary title "Brihadambadas" with the consent of Sastri.
Ramachandra was awarded the style "His Highness" on 16 May 1884 along with a 11-gun salute. He was awarded the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
medal in 1875 and the Kaiser-i-Hind
Kaiser-i-Hind
The Kaisar-i-Hind was a medal awarded by the British monarch between 1900 and 1947, to civilians of any nationality who rendered distinguished service in the advancement of the interests of the British Raj....
gold medal in 1877.
Family
Ramachandra Tondaiman married Rani Brihadambal Rajammani Bayi Sahib on 13 June 1845. The couple had two daughters.- Kamalambal Rajammani Bayi Sahib (d. 24 January 1903)
- Mangalambal Rajammani Bayi Sahib (d. 1873)
Ramachandra married for a second time, to Janaki Subbammal, the eldest daughter of the zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
of Neduvasal
Neduvasal
NILAIYUR is a village in Pudukkottai district, Tamil Nadu, India.- Demographics :As per the 2006 census, Neduvasal had a total population of 5030 with 2650 males and 2380 females...
on 31 August 1848. The couple had a son and a daughter
- Sivarama Raghunatha Tondaiman (died 1867)
- Brihadambal Rajammani Bayi Sahib (1852-1903)
Since Sivarama Raghunatha Tondaiman, Ramachandra Tondaiman's only son predeceased him, Ramachandra adopted Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman
Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman
His Highness Raja Sri Brahdamba Dasa Raja Sir Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman GCIE was the ruler of the princely state of Pudukkottai from 15 April 1886 to 28 May 1928.- Early life :...
, son of his daughter Brihadambal, and designated him heir-apparent to the throne.
Patronage of music
Ramachandra Tondaiman patronised musicMusic
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and organised Carnatic music concerts in his palace. Ramachandra Tondaiman, himself, was a prolific composer and set his drama Kuruvaji Nataka to music and had it enacted at the Viralimalai Murugan temple
Viralimalai Murugan temple
Viralimalai Murugan Temple is one of the famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Muruga, located in the town of Viralimalai about 30 km from Trichy, 40 km from Pudukottai and 15 km from Manapparai in Tamil Nadu, India....
.