WODIYAR DYNASTY OF MYSORE

 WODIYAR DYNASTY OF MYSORE

(by Ved Pal, IRSE, Former Chief Administrative Officer, Ministry of Rlys (Govt of India)

As Maharajas of Mysore, the Wodiyars (changed to Wadiyars in 1880s) ruled the Kingdom of Mysore from the late 1300s until 1950. The Wadiyar dynasty started when Yaduraya, a garrison leader (poleygar), was made the prefect of Mysore and the surrounding regions by his overlord Harihara II of the Vijayanagara Empire in 1399. Yaduraya assumed the title Raja and the honorary surname Wodiyar. He and his successors ruled the Mysore state as rajas under the Vijayanagara Empire until around 1553. The Vijayanagara Empire disintegrated in 1565. With the fall of the empire, Mysore became an independent kingdom and Wodiyars expanded the state further.  The kingdom reached its peak under Devaraja Wodeyar II (reign from 1673 to 1704) who reformed the administration of the kingdom by dividing it into 18 departments (called chavadis) and also introduced a coherent system of taxation. During his reign, Mysore saw further significant expansion after his predecessors and the centralised military power increased to an unprecedented degree for the region. 

In 1868, upon Krishnaraja Wodeyar III's demise, his five-year-old grandson Chamaraja Wadiyar X became the heir to the throne. When in 1881 he attained the age of majority, through an act of parliament, the British once again transferred power back to the Wodiyars. The maharaja changed the English spelling of their royal name from Wodeyar to Wadiyar. He established the Mysore Representative Assembly; the first of its kind in Princely India. Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV (reign from 1902 until his death in 1940) earned great fame as a saintly king, and his kingdom was hailed as Ramarajya. Unprecedented development of Mysore took place during this perod, one example of his benevolence and selfless service we will learn in this article later.  Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar became the rajapramukh of the renamed Mysore State from 1950 to 1956. After the reorganisation of Indian states on a linguistic basis in 1956, he was appointed Governor of the integrated Mysore State (present Karnataka State), a post which he held until 1964. The Indian Constitution continued to recognise him as the Maharajah of Mysore until 1971, when titles and privy purses of maharajas were abolished by the Government of India under Indira Gandhi. 

Following are glimpses of some achievements of Wodiyars: 

• C. 15th Century: Wodiyars constructed number of small dams for irrigation on R, Tungbhadra (as vassals under Rulers of Vijayanagaram Empire)

* 1833: ‘Maharaja Patashala’ established by Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wadiyar III which was converted into Maharaja's College, Mysore in 1889. 

* 1858: The Central College, Bengaluru was first started as Central High School. In 1886 it was converted into a college to award University Degrees. It was renamed as the Bangalore University from Central College, Bangalore in 1964.

* 1868: Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital Built at Bangalore in Mysore State, but in 1884 it was made over to the Civil and Military Administration.  In 1947, the Civil and Military station were retroceded to the Mysore Durbar. As a consequence of this, the Bowring & Lady Curzon Hospitals along with other medical institutions of the area were placed under the administrative control of the Mysore Medical Department.

* 1884: The Bangalore Woollen, Cotton and Silk Mills Ltd by support of Mysore state Government.

* 1884: The Binny Woollen, Cotton and Silk Mills Ltd Bangalore by support of Mysore state Government.

*  1894: Mysore Spinning and Manufacturing Company Ltd. established at Bangalore.

* 1896: Minto Ophthalmic Hospital established in Bangalore that was moved to Lalbagh lodge in 1897 and later shifted to the present building in 1913 which was constructed during the reign of Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, the King of Mysuru state. It is affiliated to the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, 

* 1897: Central Industrial Workshop established by the State Government of Mysore, in at Bangalore. This was established so as to provide equipment and technical help to entrepreneurs.

* 1900/01: Victoria Hospital at Bangalore founded by Shri Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, Maharaja of Mysore. The foundation stone of the Hospital was laid by the Maharani Regent Kempananjammani Vani Vilasa Sannidhna on 22nd June 1897 and was named after Queen Victoria, who had completed 60 years on the throne that year.

* 1903: Elevator installed in Mysore Palace by Otis.

* 5th August 1905: First electric street lighting provided in Bangalore.

1907: Vani Vilasa Sagar dam on R. Vedavati in Mysore completed.  The project was initiated by the regent Queen Maaharani Kempa Nanjammani Vani Vilasa Sannidhana who was a widow of Maharaja Chamaraaj Wadiyar. For construction of this dam royals of Mysore had to pledge royal jewellery the Maharani due to shortage of money, that is why it was named as "Vani Vilasa Sagara". Further improvements to the dam were initiated by Diwan Sheshadri Iyer in 1897 at the order of his Highness the Maharaja of Mysore Sri Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV. Vani Vilasa Sagara is higher than KRS dam of Mysore.

1908: Mysore Chrome Trading Company established.

* 1909: With inspiration from Swamy Vivekanand (during a chance meeting during a ship voyage in the year 1893) Jamshet ji Tata set up IISc Banglore (locally also called Tata Institute) with patronage of Mysore Kingdom. Maaharaja Krishna Raja Wodeyar IV donated 371 acres of land, Rs. 5 lakh capital and Rs. 50K per annum for expenses. 

* 1911: Foundation stone of IISc laid by Maharaja of Mysore. Research on Cosmic rays started here by Bhabha, who transferred this deptt to Bombay and later became BARC and INSCOPAR(that became ISRO and shifted to Bangalore)

* November 1911:  Work on Krishna Raj Sagar dam began with efforts of Sir MV, the then Chief Engineer of Mysore.  Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV Maharaj of Mysore constructed the dam during the famine despite the critical financial condition of State. It was after him that the dam was named. The first stage of the dam got completed in 1924. In 1931 the King mortgaged his family jewels to king of Benaras (now called Varanasi – the oldest inhabited city in the world) for funding the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) project. The dam was 6 months away from completion and the King ran out of money. The queen gave her favourite necklaces and family heirlooms for the project, but eventually, that too was not enough due to mounting labour and construction costs. The King invited village headmen and elders of Mysore to the palace, mingled with them like a commoner explaining position and appealed for Shramdaan. Next day thousands of people came and started the work. The people of Mysore would not care if they were not paid, but they would complete the dam braving whatever odds that came their way. The entire project commissioned in 1932. KRS project is testimony to resolve of a King to serve his people against all odds, technical brilliance of the greatest Indian Engineer Sir MV and toil of people of Mysore Kingdom, who didn’t care for money or hunger and completed the marvel at call of thei selfless King. But this fact is known to very few people.

1912-1919: By 1911, a vigorous railway programme had been initiated when Sir M.Visvesvaraya was the Chief Engineer and the State Railway Construction Board was organised in 1912 under his supervision as the Secretary of the Railway Department. The services of an expert, Bell, were borrowed from the Supreme Government for the purpose. The Railway Construction Department was engaged in (1) Mysore-Arasikere line, (2) line between Bangalore and Hosur and (3) forest tramway from Tarikere to Yedahalli (Narasimharajapura). Sir M.V. also spoke of other railway plans, one of which was the Hassan-Mangalore line though it was not implemented. A comprehensive geological map was published  and the railway line from Mysore to Arsikere constructed (80 miles with three bridges). The Mysore Government embarked on an active railway policy and planned to extend railway line from Nanjangud in Mysore district to join the South Indian Railways on one side and the Nilgiris on other. The line to Nanjangud was undertaken.

 The Bangalore-Chikkaballapur railway line was entrusted to a private company with Government guarantee. But the company could not undertake the workand it was resumed by the State after an agreement with the Company. The section from Chikkaballapur was completed in 1915, and to help reach Bangalore quicker, a third line between Yelahanka and Yeshwantpur was started (and completed in 1918). The Yelahanka-Devanahalli goods traffic was begun in 1914. There were other lines completed under the Dewanship of Sir MV, viz. passenger traffic between Devanahalli to Chikkaballapur, Yeshwantpur to Yelahanka passenger traffic in 1917 and Yeshwantpur to Bangalore in 1918. In 1911, the total railway length was 411 miles which was increased to 616 miles in 1918.

(Source: Chapter 17, Jewels of Administration: Princely Mysore State by Neela Manjunath published in 2012 by the Karnataka Gazetteer Department)

* 1912: The first cigarette factory of the ITC was set up in Bangalore by full encouragement the State Government.

* 1913: The Mechanical Engineering School started at Bangalore by Sir MV, the then Dewan of Mysore state. Now it is University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE).

* 1913: Mysore Agriculture residential School at Hebbal, Bangalore established with efforts of Sir MV, the then Dewan of Mysore state. In 1964 it was renamed as University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore (UAS Bangalore).

* 1915: Mysore Sandal Oil Factory set up at Mysore under the sate Government.

* 1916: The Mysore University founded due to efforts of Sir MV, the then Dewan. This was the first university by any Princely state in India.

 * 1918: Government Soap Factory at Bangalore under guidance of Sir MV for Mysore Sandal Soap.

* 1917: School of Engineering was established at Bangalore by Sir MV, the Dewan of Mysore in PWD building with Civil and Mechanical Engineering branches that was later renamed as Government College of Engineering. In 1965 name was changed to University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE).

* 1923: VISVESVARAYA IRON & STEEL PLANT- On 18:01:1923 Mysore Iron Works (later renamed as Visvesvaraya Iron & Steel plant) was set up by NK Vodiyar, the King of Mysore under guidance of Sir MV at Bhadravathi having rolling mill and cast-iron pipe plant. A cement plant was also added later.  It was nationalised and merged into SAIL in 1948.

* 1934: Indian Academy of Science established at Bangalore by Sir CV Raman. 

1937: Mysore Lac and Paints Limited founded by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV for manufacturing paints and related products. It became a public sector company when India gained independence in 1947. In 1962, it was selected to manufacture indelible ink, which was first used in the third general election of India. The manufacturing process is a closely guarded secret and is based on a chemical formula devised by the National Physical Laboratory of India. In 1989, the lac and paint company expanded further. It started making varnish and was renamed as Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd. Besides meeting demand of undeliable ink for India, the company is helping the smooth functioning of elections in 30 countries, including Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Mongolia, Fiji Islands, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, and South Africa.

* 23rd December 1940:  HAL (Hindustan Aircrafts Ltd.) incorporated by Seth Walchand Heerachand , a farsighted visionary, in association with Govt. of Mysore (of Wodiyar King), with the aim of manufacturing aircraft in India. Sir MV practically oversaw construction i/c selecting alloys for aircraft.

* 1941: British Govt became one of the shareholders in the Company.

* 2:4:1942- British Govt nationalised HAL throwing out Seth Walchand Hirachand and Mysore Govt. Produced Curtiss Hawk fighters, Vultee Bomber aircrafts and Harlow Trainers in collaboration with Continental Aircraft company of USA. 

* 31st July 1942: Curtiss HawkP36 built at HAL took to skies.

*1943- Bangalore factory handed over to US Army AirForce till end of WW-II in 1945. 

* 1964: Renamed Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

(Seth Walchand Hirachand also set up Scindia Shipyard Visakhapatnamfrom 1940 to 1946. However, first ship, SS Jal Usha (8000 ton Steam Ship) rolled out on 14th March 1948 and Nehru ji was invited to launch it. A few months later this Shipyard was also taken over by Nehru Govt. and later in 1961 renamed HSL (Hindustan Shipyard Ltd.) 

From above we can see that Wodiyar kings ruled Mysore Kingdom for almost 6 centuries and were dedicated to service of public.