Tanjore District (Madras Presidency)
Encyclopedia
Tanjore district was one of the districts in the erstwhile Madras Presidency
of British India. It covered the area of the present-day districts of Thanjavur
, Tiruvarur
and Nagapattinam and the Aranthangi taluk
of Pudukkottai district
in Tamil Nadu. Apart from being a bedrock of Brahminism, Tanjore was a centre of Chola
cultural heritage and one of the richest and most prosperous districts in Madras Presidency.
Tanjore district was constituted in 1799 when the Thanjavur Maratha ruler Serfoji II
ceded most of his kingdom to the British East India Company
in return for his restitution on the throne. Tanjore district, which is situated on the Cauvery Delta, is one of the richest rice-growing regions in South India. It was scarcely affected by famines such as the Great Famine of 1876–78
.
Tanjore district was inhabited at least since the first millennium B. C. and was the traditional homeland of the Chola Dynasty
. The Early Cholas
ruled Tanjore from the 3rd century B. C. to the 3rd century A. D. The town of Poompuhar or Kaveripoompattinam served as an important port trading with Rome
. Following the Kalabhra interregnum, Tanjore recovered its past glory under the Pallavas and reached the zenith of its prosperity under the Medieval Cholas
and Later Cholas. In the 13th century, Tanjore was annexed by the Pandyas who were later defeated by Malik Kafur
. Tanjore was ruled for brief periods by the Delhi Sultanate
and the Madurai Sultanate
, till the 15th century, when it was conquered by the Vijayanagar kings under whom it recovered much of its glory. Tanjore was a part of the Vijayanagar Empire and its successors, the Madurai Nayaks and the Thanjavur Nayaks
, until 1674, when its was conquered by Venkoji a brother of Chattrapathi Shivaji, who founded the Thanjavur Maratha kingdom. The British East India Company
began to play a major part in the affairs of the region from 1749 onwards. In the 1760s and 1770s, the Thanjavur Maratha ruler, the Nawab of Carnatic and other major powers of the region were brought under the British sphere of influence. In 1799, the British East India Company assisted the deposed Thanjavur Maratha king Serfoji II
in regaining his throne. In return for British assistance, Serfoji II retained his hold over Tanjore city and ceded the rest of his kingdom to the British East India Company. Tanjore city was eventually annexed by the British as per the Doctrine of Lapse
in 1855 on the death of his son Shivaji without a surviving male heir. The district of Tanjore was created in about 1800, its limits almost the same as that of the preceding Thanjavur Maratha kingdom.
Kallars were the dominant community in Tanjore district. There were also significant populations of Vellalars, Thondaimandala Mudaliars
, Paraiyars, Vanniyars, Reddis, Udaiyars and Tamil
, Telugu
and Maratha Brahmins. During the 19th century, the Thanjavur Maratha aristocracy provided most of the Diwans of the princely state of Travancore
. The Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908 lists Thanjavur, along with the South Canara
and Ganjam
districts, as the three districts of the Madras Presidency
where Brahmins are most numerous. Throughout the British rule, Tamil Brahmins from Tanjore district dominated the provincial politics and civil services. Until the 1960s, the economy was primarily feudal with most of the land in the hands of upper-caste Kallar, Brahmin, Vellalar
and Moopanar
mirasidars and zamindars who cultivated their land by employing Paraiyar agricultural labourers.
In 1901, Tanjore had a literacy rate of 10.1, the second highest in the Madras Presidency, with a male literacy rate of 20.3 percent and a female literacy rate of 0.9 percent.
As of 1901, Tanjore district was made up of nine taluks.
. The district was sub-divided into six divisions, some of them administered by British civil servants and the rest by Indian Deputy-Collectors. The following were the sub-divisions of the district
As of 1901, there were five municipalities in the district: Kumbakonam, Tanjore, Mannargudi, Mayavaram and Negapatam. From 1800 to 1840, the District Collector of Tanjore was also the agent of Pudukkottai state
. However, Pudukkottai was later transferred to the jurisdiction of Madura and then Trichinopoly.
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
of British India. It covered the area of the present-day districts of Thanjavur
Thanjavur District
Thanjavur District is one of the 32 districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India. Its headquarters is Thanjavur.-Geography:...
, Tiruvarur
Tiruvarur District
Tiruvarur district is one of the 30 districts in the Tamil Nadu state of India. The district occupies an area of 2161 km². It is lies between Nagapattinam district on the east and Thanjavur district on the west, and is bounded by the Palk Strait on the south...
and Nagapattinam and the Aranthangi taluk
Aranthangi taluk
Aranthangi taluk is a taluk of Pudukkottai district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Aranthangi- Population :...
of Pudukkottai district
Pudukkottai District
Pudukkottai District is a district of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The city of Pudukkottai is the district headquarters...
in Tamil Nadu. Apart from being a bedrock of Brahminism, Tanjore was a centre of Chola
Chola Dynasty
The Chola dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which was one of the longest-ruling in some parts of southern India. The earliest datable references to this Tamil dynasty are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BC left by Asoka, of Maurya Empire; the dynasty continued to govern over varying territory until...
cultural heritage and one of the richest and most prosperous districts in Madras Presidency.
Tanjore district was constituted in 1799 when the Thanjavur Maratha ruler Serfoji II
Serfoji II
Serfoji II was the last ruler of the Maratha principality of Tanjore to exercise absolute sovereignty over his dominions. His descendants, however, have managed to thrive as titular Maharajahs of Thanjavur to the present day...
ceded most of his kingdom to the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
in return for his restitution on the throne. Tanjore district, which is situated on the Cauvery Delta, is one of the richest rice-growing regions in South India. It was scarcely affected by famines such as the Great Famine of 1876–78
Great Famine of 1876–78
The Great Famine of 1876–1878 was a famine in India that began in 1876 and affected south and southwestern India for a period of two years...
.
History
Chola Dynasty
The Chola dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which was one of the longest-ruling in some parts of southern India. The earliest datable references to this Tamil dynasty are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BC left by Asoka, of Maurya Empire; the dynasty continued to govern over varying territory until...
. The Early Cholas
Early Cholas
The Early Cholas of the pre and post Sangam period were one of the three main kingdoms of the ancient Tamil country. Their early capitals were Urayur and Kaveripattinam...
ruled Tanjore from the 3rd century B. C. to the 3rd century A. D. The town of Poompuhar or Kaveripoompattinam served as an important port trading with Rome
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. Following the Kalabhra interregnum, Tanjore recovered its past glory under the Pallavas and reached the zenith of its prosperity under the Medieval Cholas
Medieval Cholas
Medieval Cholas rose to prominence during the middle of the 9th century C.E. and established the greatest empire South India had seen. They successfully united the South India under their rule and through their naval strength extended their influence in the Southeast Asian countries such as Srivijaya...
and Later Cholas. In the 13th century, Tanjore was annexed by the Pandyas who were later defeated by Malik Kafur
Malik Kafur
Malik Kafur, General , or Chand Ram as his name was originally, was a slave who became a head general in the army of Alauddin Khilji, ruler of the Delhi sultanate from 1296 to 1316 AD. He was originally seized by Alauddin's army after the army conquered the city of Khambhat...
. Tanjore was ruled for brief periods by the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
and the Madurai Sultanate
Madurai Sultanate
The Madurai Sultanate or the Ma'bar Sultanate was a short lived independent Muslim kingdom based in the city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India during the 14th century CE. It lasted from 1335 until 1378...
, till the 15th century, when it was conquered by the Vijayanagar kings under whom it recovered much of its glory. Tanjore was a part of the Vijayanagar Empire and its successors, the Madurai Nayaks and the Thanjavur Nayaks
Thanjavur Nayaks
Thanjavur Nayaks were the rulers of Thanjavur principality of Tamil Nadu between the 16th to the 17th century C.E. The Nayaks were subordinates of the imperial Vijayanagara emperors, and were appointed as provincial governors by the Vijayanagar Emperor who divided the Tamil country into three...
, until 1674, when its was conquered by Venkoji a brother of Chattrapathi Shivaji, who founded the Thanjavur Maratha kingdom. The British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
began to play a major part in the affairs of the region from 1749 onwards. In the 1760s and 1770s, the Thanjavur Maratha ruler, the Nawab of Carnatic and other major powers of the region were brought under the British sphere of influence. In 1799, the British East India Company assisted the deposed Thanjavur Maratha king Serfoji II
Serfoji II
Serfoji II was the last ruler of the Maratha principality of Tanjore to exercise absolute sovereignty over his dominions. His descendants, however, have managed to thrive as titular Maharajahs of Thanjavur to the present day...
in regaining his throne. In return for British assistance, Serfoji II retained his hold over Tanjore city and ceded the rest of his kingdom to the British East India Company. Tanjore city was eventually annexed by the British as per the Doctrine of Lapse
Doctrine of lapse
The Doctrine of Lapse was an annexation policy purportedly devised by Lord Dalhousie, who was the Governor General for the British in India between 1848 and 1856...
in 1855 on the death of his son Shivaji without a surviving male heir. The district of Tanjore was created in about 1800, its limits almost the same as that of the preceding Thanjavur Maratha kingdom.
Demographics
Tanjore district covered a total area of 3710 square miles (9,608.9 km²). It had a population of 2,245,029 in 1901. 91 percent of the population were Hindus, 5 percent were Muslims and 4 percent Christian. The population density was 605 people per square mile. As of 1901, Tanjore was the most densely populated district in the Madras Presidency with Kumbakonam, Negapatam and Mayavaram being some of the most densely populated taluks.Kallars were the dominant community in Tanjore district. There were also significant populations of Vellalars, Thondaimandala Mudaliars
Thondaimandala Mudaliars
Thondaimandala Mudaliar is a Tamil caste in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They trace their lineage to the ancient Chola Velirs...
, Paraiyars, Vanniyars, Reddis, Udaiyars and Tamil
Tamil Brahmin
Tamil Brahmins are Tamil-speaking Brahmins from Tamil Nadu who have settled in other South Indian states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka...
, Telugu
Telugu people
The Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
and Maratha Brahmins. During the 19th century, the Thanjavur Maratha aristocracy provided most of the Diwans of the princely state 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...
. The Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908 lists Thanjavur, along with the South Canara
South Canara
South Canara was a district under the British empire, located at . It was bifurcated in 1859 from Canara district. It was the undivided Dakshina Kannada district...
and Ganjam
Ganjam District
Ganjam district is a district in the Indian state of Orissa located on the border of Andhra Pradesh. Ganjam's total area is 8,070 km² . Its population is approximately 2,704,056.Ganjam is known for its beaches bordering the Bay of Bengal, the most famous ones being Gopalpur and Dhavaleshwar...
districts, as the three districts of the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
where Brahmins are most numerous. Throughout the British rule, Tamil Brahmins from Tanjore district dominated the provincial politics and civil services. Until the 1960s, the economy was primarily feudal with most of the land in the hands of upper-caste Kallar, Brahmin, Vellalar
Vellalar
Vellalars were, originally, an elite caste of Tamil agricultural landlords in Tamil Nadu, Kerala states in India and in neighbouring Sri Lanka; they were the nobility, aristocracy of the ancient Tamil order and had close relations with the different royal dynasties...
and Moopanar
Parkavakulam
-Parkavakulam:Parkavakulam ,பார்க்கவகுலம் a Tamil-speaking community from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The main sub-divisions of the community are Nathaman, Nainar, Malaiyaman, Suruthiman, Moopanar...
mirasidars and zamindars who cultivated their land by employing Paraiyar agricultural labourers.
In 1901, Tanjore had a literacy rate of 10.1, the second highest in the Madras Presidency, with a male literacy rate of 20.3 percent and a female literacy rate of 0.9 percent.
Taluks
- KumbakonamKumbakonam talukKumbakonam taluk is a taluk of Thanjavur district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Kumbakonam.- Population :...
(Area: 342 square miles (885.8 km²); Headquarters: Kumbakonam) - MannargudiMannargudi talukMannargudi taluk is a taluk in the Mannargudi taluk is a [[taluk]] in the Mannargudi taluk is a [[taluk]] in the [[Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of [[Mannargudi]]....
(Area: 301 square miles (779.6 km²); Headquarters: Mannargudi) - MayavaramMayiladuthurai talukMayiladuthurai taluk is a taluk of Nagapattinam district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Mayiladuthurai.- Population :...
(Area: 283 square miles (733 km²); Headquarters: Mayavaram) - NannilamNannilam talukNannilam taluk is a taluk in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Nannilam.- External links :*...
(Area: 293 square miles (758.9 km²); Headquarters: Nannilam) - NegapatamNagapattinam talukNagapattinam taluk is a taluk of Nagapattinam district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Nagapattinam- Population :...
(Area: 240 square miles (621.6 km²); Headquarters: Negapatam) - PattukkottaiPattukkottai talukPattukkottai taluk is a taluk of Thanjavur district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Pattukkottai. It is the biggest taluk in the district.- Population :...
(Area: 906 square miles (2,346.5 km²); Headquarters: Pattukkottai) - ShiyaliSirkazhi talukSirkazhi taluk is a taluk of Nagapattinam district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Sirkazhi- Population :...
(Area: 171 square miles (442.9 km²); Headquarters: Shiyali) - TanjoreThanjavur talukThanjavur taluk is a taluk of Thanjavur district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Thanjavur which is also the seat of the district administration....
(Area: 689 square miles (1,784.5 km²); Headquarters: Tanjore) - TirutturaipundiThiruthiraipoondi talukThiruthiraipoondi taluk is a taluk in the Thiruthiraipoondi taluk is a [[taluk]] in the Thiruthiraipoondi taluk is a [[taluk]] in the [[Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of [[Thiruthiraipoondi]]....
(Area: 485 square miles (1,256.1 km²); Headquarters: Tirutturaipundi)
Administration
The administration of the district was under a District Collector who was from the Indian Civil Service. The District Collector of Tanjore resided at VallamVallam
Vallam is a panchayat town in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Vallam is located at . It has an average elevation of 75 metres .-Demographics:...
. The district was sub-divided into six divisions, some of them administered by British civil servants and the rest by Indian Deputy-Collectors. The following were the sub-divisions of the district
- Kumbakonam sub-division: Kumbakonam taluk
- Mannargudi sub-division: Mannargudi and Thiruthiraipundi taluks
- Mayavaram sub-division: Mayavaram and Shiyali taluks
- Negapatam sub-division: Negapatam and Nannilam taluks
- Pattukkottai sub-division: Pattukkottai taluk
- Tanjore sub-division: Tanjore taluk.
As of 1901, there were five municipalities in the district: Kumbakonam, Tanjore, Mannargudi, Mayavaram and Negapatam. From 1800 to 1840, the District Collector of Tanjore was also the agent of Pudukkottai state
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 :...
. However, Pudukkottai was later transferred to the jurisdiction of Madura and then Trichinopoly.
Economy
During British times, Tanjore district was famous for its metal work. Brass, copper and silver utensils were manufactured in large quantities. The South Indian Railway Workshops were established at Negapatam in the 1860s. The chief centres of land trade were Tanjore, Kumbakonam, Mayavaram and Mannargudi while the chief centres of sea trade were Tranquebar, Muttupet, Negapatam, Adiramapattinam and Ammapatam. The town of Kumbakonam was known for its silk sarees and rice and flour mills. It was also one of the leading producers of betel leaves and nuts. Tanjore city was known for silk-weaving, lace, embroidery, jewellery, pithwork and manufacture of metal work and musical instruments.List of Collectors
The list of district collectors of Tanjore from its formation in December 1799 till the abolition of Madras Province and its conversion to a state on January 26, 1950 is given below:- Charles Harris (December 1799 - May 1804)
- John Cotton (May 1804-October 1804)
- J. Wallace (Oct 1804-April 1811)
- J. Cotton (May 1811-February 1814)
- James Hapbrew (February 1814-December 1816)
- J. Thackeray (December 1816-September 1817)
- James Hapbrew (September 1817-September 1819)
- G. M. Ogilive (September 1819-February 1820)
- J. Cotton (February 1820-October 1826)
- A. S. Chair (October 1826-February 1827)
- A. D. Campbell (February 1827-January 1828)
- R. Nelson (January - February 1828)
- N. W. Kindersley (February 1828 - July 1839)
- S. Scott (July - August 1839)
- H. C. Montgomery (August 1839-August 1841)
- S. Scott (August 1841)
- J. F. Bishop (January 1842-January 1843)
- S. Scott (January 1843)
- J. F. Bishop (February 1843-May 1844)
- J. J. Cotton (May 1844- September 1844)
- H. C. Montgomery (September 1844-October 1846)
- J. J. Cotton (October 1846-February 1847)
- G. Ellis (July–August 1847)
- J. Bird(November 1847-January 1850)
- I. W. Goodwyr (July 1851-May 1852)
- P. G. Rant (November–December 1852)
- W. M. Cadell (March–April 1853)
- Henry Forbes (April 1853-May 1856)
- W. M. Cadell (May–June 1856)
- J. W. Cherry (June 1856-January 1857)
- H. D. PhillipsH. D. PhillipsHenry Dominic Phillips was a British civil servant of the Indian civil service who served as an official member of the Madras Legislative Council from 1863 to 1868....
(January 1857-January 1859) - G. A. Ballard (February 1859-April 1862)
- G. L. Morris (April 1862-May 1863)
- G. Barbery (May 1863-September 1866)
- W. L. Hathway (February 1870-May 1870)
- H. D. Arbuthnot (April 1873-October 1874)
- H. S. Thomas (October 1874-March 1877)
- F. R. H. Sharp (March 1877-June 1877)
- E. F. WebsterE. F. WebsterEdmund Foster Webster CIE was a British civil servant of the Indian Civil Service who served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council in 1883.- Early life :...
(April 1878-June 1881) - C. S. Crob (June–October 1881)
- F. E. Gibson (October 1881-November 1881)
- D. Brick (November 1881-March 1882)
- F. E. Gibson (April–June 1882)
- W. S. Whiteside (June–August 1882)
- H. E. Stokes (August 1882-June 1883)
- J. B. Penning (June 1883-August 1886)
- E. Gibson (September 1886-September 1889)
- V. A. Happel (September 1889-January 1890)
- E. Gibson (January–May 1890)
- D. Murdack (May 1890)
- J. Thomson (May 1890-July 1891)
- R. N. Campbell (July 1891)
- L. M. Winter (July 1891-August 1893)
- R. B. Clegg (August 1893)
- J. Strooch (August–October 1893)
- L. M. Winter (October 1893-September 1894)
- J. Thomson (September 1894-January 1895)
- R. B. Clegg (January–July 1895)
- E. C. Rovson (July–November 1895)
- Gabriel StokesGabriel StokesSir Gabriel Stokes KCSI was an Indian civil servant and British colonial administrator from Northern Ireland. He acted as the Governor of Madras in February-March 1906.- Personal life :...
(November 1895-May 1896) - H. Moberly (May–July 1896)
- Gabriel Stokes (July–October 1896)
- J. Andrew (October 1896-June 1897)
- W. B. Agling (June–July 1897)
- J. Andrew (July 1897-March 1898)
- W. B. Agling (April–June 1898)
- J. Twigg (June 1898-April 1900)
- J. Andrew (April 1900-June 1902)
- F. D. P. Oldfield (June–December 1902)
- J. Andrew (December 1902-February 1903)
- H. D. Taylor (February 1903-February 1904)
- R. F. Grimby (March 1904-February 1905)
- E. B. Ellwin (February -December 1905)
- Lionel Davidson (December 1905-November 1906)
- T. P. Bedford (November 1906-June 1910)
- R. F. Austin (June 1910-June 1911)
- N. R. Brodie (November 1911-March 1912)
- J. N. Roy (March–June 1912)
- R. B. Wood (June 1912-August 1916)
- J. R. Huggins (September 1916-April 1920)
- P. C. Dutt (April 1920-July 1921)
- C. E. Jones (July 1921-April 1923)
- H. S. Shield (April 1923-March 1924)
- H. M. Hood (March 1924-December 1925)
- H. S. Shield (December 1925-September 1927)
- S. V. Ramamurthy (September 1927-January 1928)
- Charles Hilton Brown (January–March 1928)
- J. Gray (March 1928-January 1929)
- D. H. Boulton (January–July 1929)
- J. A. Throne (July 1929-June 1931)
- W. Scott Brown (June 1931-March 1932)
- Charles Hilton Brown (April 1932-June 1933)
- A. G. Leach (June–July 1933)
- M. V. Vellodi (July 1933)
- E. R. Wood (July 1933-April 1935)
- M. V. Vellodi (April 4, 1935-June 1, 1936)
- Zinda Sahib Mohazir (June 2, 1936-August 8, 1936)
- Subbiah Naidu (August 9, 1936-April 1, 1937)
- D. D. Warren (April 1, 1937-February 25, 1938)
- H. R. Uzielli (February 26-April 1, 1938)
- Zinda Sahib Mohazir (April 2-August 29, 1938)
- Diwan Bahadur V. N. Viswanatha Rao (August 30, 1938-February 25, 1939)
- R. M. Sundaram (February 25-October 7, 1939)
- C. K. Vijayaraghavan (October 9, 1939-April 22, 1942)
- S. Venkateswaran (April 23, 1942-August 10, 1942)
- M. S. Sivaraman (August 11, 1942-February 15, 1943)
- J. W. Pritchard (February 16, 1943-April 22, 1944)
- Rao Sahib R. D. Paul (April 24, 1944-July 31, 1944)
- Khan Bahadur Mohammad Ismail Saheb Bahadur (August 1, 1944-January 20, 1947)
- J. R. Bett (January 27, 1947-March 2, 1947)
- H. C. McLanghlin (March 3, 1947-April 9, 1949)
- T. K. Sankaravadivelu (April 10, 1949-January 26, 1950)