Warning from
Upanishads:
Attachment to the
village and your past glory is the prison of past conditioning. Come out of such
attachment. Read this post, just for
entertainment.
In detachment lies
the wisdom of uncertainty, in the wisdom of uncertainty lies the freedom from
our past, from the known, which is the prison of past conditioning. And in our
willingness to step into the unknown, the field of all possibilities we
surrender ourselves to the creative mind that orchestrates the dance of the
universe. –The Manduka Upanishad
The estate of Ilyarasanendal
is of an ancient origin and the early members thereof had led lives of renown
and glory in various capacities.
Ilyarasanendal is a
little town consisting of about 1600 houses with topes all round it and with a
big tank to the west of it. It is situated on a somewhat elevated ground and
lies 10kms west of Kovilpatti, a railway station. The place is called Ilyarasanendal
as it is said to be founded by Ilaiya (young) Rajah. It must have once been the
seat of some minor Rajahs as there are still some ruined forts, tanks and
temples. There are also some temples of fame and a few of them have been built
by the Pandiyan (Adi Veera Rama Rajah) and Chera Kings.
The palaces of
Zamindars of Ilyarasanendal are built on modern principals, and are very grand
ones. They have established a choultry at Kovilpatti, which is second to none
in the district in point of grandeur and vastness.
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=9.2182381&lon=77.7857888&z=18&l=0&m=b
The zamindars of Ilyarasanendal
are of the kamavar section of Naidu Community. The origin of this class will be
interesting:
Origin of Kamma:
I] During the time of Maharajah Pratapa Rudra,
it would appear that a confidential
letter (Kamma) of his got into the hands
of his rival, when some of his subjects known as kappus with undaunted courage
forcibly entered the place of the rival and managed to get back the kamma; so
they were called kammavaru. Those who took to their heels without executing the
mission were called vellamavaru.
II]It is said in the
book entitled “Piravuda Prabhanda Kavijivitham” that during the time of Krishna
Deva Royalu some of his subjects who carried state letters of a confidential
nature, known as kamma, were called kammavaru. Kamma is an ear instrument worn
by hindu women. In days of yore, almost all correspondence was carried on, on a
palmyra leaf. When rolled, it would take the shape of a kamma or ear
ornament.
III]A
Rishi named Kamadita performed his penance in a forest known as
Danda-Karanya,when many Rakshaas troubled him; he could not stand it, and hence
he repaired to Maha Vishnu and laid before him his grievance. The latter
directed the Rishi to his wife Lakshmi Devi, who gave him her ear ornament
(Kamma) enjoying him to perform a penance for one hundred years. He fulfilled
what had been told him, and the result was that five hundred warriors sprang
from that Kamma. They destroyed the forests, annihilated the Rakshasas, and
made the placefree from the trouble. The Rishi recognised their help, and
blessed them to live happily by cultivation. The descendants of those warriors
are called Kammavaaru as they originated from the Kamma.
IV] In 'Brahmanda Purana Kalidharma Prakarnam', Chapters 3 to 20, we find the
following:- The kammavars were born to the descendants of the Solar King
Dwilipa and as they had alliances with the lunar race they were known as
Upayadis. The original man is said to be one Dharmapala and their Guru,
Dharmasilan. A member of the lunar race tried to carry away a daughter of
Dharmapala, named Kannikamani, when the parents of the girl with a view todisgracing
him had a black dog disguised as a girl, left it in the house, and migrated to
Southern parts. At that stage, a river barred their way. They begged of the
Rishi Jamadagni who was busy in a penance on the bank of the river. They were
with him his wife Rukminidevi, and also Parasurama. Rukminidevi gave them her
ear ornament (Known as Kamma), directed them to attach veneration to it and
further added that if they did so, the river would give way. This came to Pass.
Since then they have been known as Kammavaru. From that time forward, they
attach much veneration to the names of Jamadagni, Renukadevi and Parasurama. On
marriage occasions they first offer prayers to these, and then to their family
guru, Palabhaddira. These Kammavars are divided into two classes known as
Godasatu (gosha) and Gampasatu (not gosha).
It is said that in the reign of Krishna Deva Rayalu there were 1,60,000
volunteer guards, most of them were Kammavars, to protect the fortresses with
in his jurisdiction.
Ravilla Zamindars of Ilyarasanendal:
From
the said Godasatu class, the Zamindars of Ilyarasanendal claim their descent,
and their family name is Ravillavaru, which formed one of the houses, namely,
Aravitivaru, Bellamvaru, Nandiyalavaru, Pemmasanivaru, Velugotivaru, Poottaharivaru,
Durugantivaru, Tuluva Doralu and Ravillavaru, that helped Krishna Deva Rayalu,
in maintaining the dignity and prestige of his State. Velugoti is the family
name of Rajah of Venkatagiri and Pemmasani of that of the Kuruvikulam Zamindar.
The Zamindars of Ilyarasanendal owe their origin to one Ravilla Veera Mallappa
Naidu of the said Godasatu clan, the Commander of the Cavalry under Krishna
Deva Rayalu, The well known King of Vijayanagar, who was distinguished for
great powers of organisation, as well as for keeping his feudatory chiefs under
proper check. During the time of Achuta Deva Rayalu, the brother of Krishna
Deva Rayalu, as the State in his charge was too vast and unwieldy for one man's
power, he sent representatives dividing it into principalities and made each of
them a feudatory chief. Ravilla Veera Mallappa Naidu place in charge of the
countries lying between Travancore and Calicut.
He was also authorised to keep in readiness 6,000 Infantry and 400 Cavalry.
Hefought an important battle on behalf of the King of Vijayanagar, which
resulted in the capturing of an impregnable fort, known as "Audi Venna
Droog." He subsequently took a prominent part on many other battle fields;
all this won the esteem and approbation of the King who conferrred on him the
Samsthanam of Sonangipuram as a Jaghir in addition to what had already been
given him and which Jaghir was in the enjoyment of the family till the fall of
the house of Vijayanagar. The forefathers of the Zamindars of Ilyarasanendal
are said to have migrated from Roya Vellore of the Vijayanagar Kingdom.
About this time, the Kingdom of Vijayanagar witnessed many scenes of horror and
disaster, and the power of the Mohommedan rulers became paramount. Nizam Ali
withdrew the successors to the Royalu King, and Vijayanagar lost it's glory and
declined. The descendants of the said Veera Mallappa Naidu, thinking that they
would not receive due honour and respect at the hands of the paramount power,
found it wise and safe to leave the country of their sires, and accrodingly
betook themselves to Trichinapally which was then under the sway of the Nayak
Kings, originally nominated by the king of Vijayanagar. As they had already won
laurels for their active military service, it was no wonder their request to
the Naick King was granted, and they were admitted as Sardars. They conducted
themselves so nobly and worthily that he deputed them to settle the boundary
dispute that had arisen between him and the rulers of Tanjore. They brought
about the successful termination of the dispute, and their services were
recognised by a grant of the Jaghir of Thirukkottupalli, the Fort of Koviladi
and some adjacent villages in the District of Tanjore. There is still the
evidence of the existence of this fort, and the ruins thereof can be seen to
this day. Another dispute of a similar nature having arisen between the two
parties, the Naidus were deputed again to settle it. This time also, their
mission met with success, though many fell victims to the cause. This act of
velour and zealous loyally touched the sympathetic chord in the then Naick
King, who granted them the Jaghir of Ilyarasanendal and eighteen villages
surrounding it, in the District of Tinnelvelly, and both the Jaghirs were in
their enjoyment for a long time.
The Naidus and the Mahommedan Kings became very intimate, and behaved more like
relations than friends of different communities. While matters stood thus, the
former gave away the Jaghir of Thirukottupalli and the Fort of Koviladi
reffered to above as a dowry to a Begum Sahiba who claimed relationship with
them as a sister.
They were, however, in possession of Ilyarasanendal during the time of Chanda
Sahib. But his successor on hearing of their antecedents and their heroic
deeds, thought of wise, in his own interests, to keep them under subjection,
and the best course he thought he ought to adopt to execute his design was by
laying an imposition on them, and thus converted the Jaghir into a Zamindari
subject to the payment of an annual peshcush. They submitted themselves to the
yoke of the ruling power and after the advent of the British, the Estate was
recognised as a "Kattuguthagai Zamindari."
From the records that are forthcoming, we understand that Lakshmi Ammall, the
widow of the one ninth in descent from Veera Mallappa Naidu, in order to
expiate the sins committed by her husband on a number of battle fields by
shedding the blood of many lives, built an Agraharam (quarters for Brahmins)
and gave them as a gift some two thousand acres of dry land and also some wet
lands. It is known as Lakshmiammall Puram, and is in a flourishing condition.
A little prior to the advent of the British rule, the Estate of Ilyarasanendal
was in the joint enjoyment of two proprietors, and the sannad was therefore in
the names of both of them. But the management was solely in the hands of one of
them as he was more powerful than the other. This state of affairs did not last
long. The latter brought a suit against the former for a partition, and
eventually, the Zamindari was divided and each of the claimants got his
respective share. It was
Periya Ksaturi Ranga Appaswami Naidu who was the in charge of the Estate from
1772 to 1810 that filed the suit for partition. His son Ravilla Venkata Ranga
Appaswami Naidu, predeceased him.
Next in succession was Ravilla Kasturi Ranga Appaswami Naidu, who ruled from
1810 to 1822. It was during
his time that the partition in an appeal against the decision of the lower
court was confirmed by the High Court. He built a palace for the use of the
Zenana, excavated some tanks, and raised a garden. He was succeeded by Ravilla
Appaswami Naidu who was in charge of the estate from 1822 to 1854. His rule witnessed many suits for
partition, and the ultimate decision was that the minor members of the family
were only entitled to maintanance. He made many additions to the palatial
building, the prominent of them being the Lakshmi Vilas, and the front gate of
the palace. He built a choultry at Melapatti on the trunk road side of
Mangammall Salai. He sank many tanks and wells. During his time, the Zamindari
- especially the Pannai (home farm lands) was in a flourishing state.
Ravilla Venkata Ranga Appaswami Naidu who came next managed the affairs of
the Estate from 1854 to 1869. It
was he that built the Kalyana Mahal attached to the palace. The temple
dedicated to Subrahmanyaswami was one of his public benefactions. He made an
addition to the Zamindari by purchasing a Muttah called Nainanagaram yielding
an annual income of then thousand rupees.
Sri Ravilla Kasthuri Ranga Appaswami Naidu garu ruled the Estate from 1869
to 1900. Though arrangements
for the rapid diffusion of English knowledge were not made then on so vast a
scale as they are done now, yet he took pains to learn English. He was highly
cultured in Sanskrit, Telugu and Tamil and Hindustani. He traveled a good deal
in India, and was the friend of many great men in the country. He built some
bungalows and raised a few gardens. He was loved by all, both European and
Indian. With the Collectors and other high officials of the District, he was
very popular. His brother Zamindars held him in great esteem and showed him
much regard. Suffice it to say that he invariably won the hearts of every body
he came in contact with. He received the following certificate of honor on the
occasion of the Imperial Assemblage at Delhi in 1877, in recognition of his
charities to the poor during the great famine of 1876, and in appreciation of
his loyalty to the British Raj:-
"By command of His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor General, this
certificate is presented in the name of Her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria,
Empress of India, to Ravilla Kasthuri Ranga Appaswami Naicker, Kattuguttagadar
of Ilyarasanendal, son of Ravilla Venkata Ranga Appaswami Naicker, in recognition
of his loyalty and fidelity to the British Government and charity to the
poor."
The last Zamindar, Sri Ravilla Venkata Ranga Appaswami Naidu garu was born in
1877. He received the early part of his education in Tinnelvelly in the Hindu
college and the remaining portion he got at home under able tutors. He is a
good scholar in Telugu, Tamil and Sanskrit. His learning in Sanskrit is of a
high order; he can even compose verses. He talks and writes English well. He
had the misfortunate to lose his father in 1900 when he was 23 years old. He
was installed on the guddi of his ancestors four months after the demise of his
father with the usual solemnities attendant on such occasions. He being the
senior member of the family, is in sole charge of the Estate. He has been
managing it in an efficient manner. He was a member of the Taluq and District
Boards. Every charitable institution finds in him a ready patron.
Sri Ravilla Appaswami Naidu garu, the younger brother of the Zamindar, was born
in 1879. He was sent to Tinnelvelly for his education, where he joined the
Hindu college. He subsequently went to Madras, and by dint of energy and
preseverance passed the Matriculation examination from Pachaiappa's collage,
and after finishing FA course discontinued his studies. Both the brothers are
very popular with their ryots, and many in the District of Tinnelvelly and
Madras are their friends.
The Jaghir of Ilyarasanendal was formed as Mannaria (Royal) Palayapat during
the time of the Naick Kings and Mr.Taylor also in his list of ancient estates
puts Ilyarasanendal and Kuruvikulam (Pemmasani Kammavar clan) under the
category of Mannaria (Royal) Palayapats. The ancestors of the Zamindars of Ilyarasanendal
and Kuruvikulam were of one and the same caste, and both of them settled down
in these parts under similar circumstances.
Part I and II of the Zamindari of Ilyarasanendal consists of about 32,000 acres
of land subject to an annual Government peshcush of Rs.15,000. The land is
mostly black cotton soil yielding a good annual crop of cotton.
The ryots of these Estates who are mostly Kammavar Naidus were in a flourishing
condition, and they were very peaceful and law abiding people and litigation
among them is of rare occurance.
