By Gouri Satya, Sr. Journalist
While writing about the streets and Keris of Mysuru, perhaps I should also highlight landmarks Mysuru has in memory of the Dewans who served the then Mysore State. Dewan is an Urdu word meaning the Prime Minister of a kingdom, more precisely an ‘Advisor’ to the monarch.
As we are aware, the Kingdom of Mysore was established in 1399 with Yaduraya becoming the first ruler of the Yadu dynasty. During their regime, we see Dalvoys from 1732 onwards emerging as powerful administrators. Taking advantage of the situation, Hyder Ali Khan became a powerful administrator by 1761. He brought an end to the powerful hold of the Dalvoys as he himself became a de facto ruler. He appointed Purnaiah as the Dewan or the Prime Minister to assist him in administration. Purnaiah became the first Dewan of the Mysore Kingdom.
An able statesman and administrator, Purnaiah had the unique distinction of serving three rulers — Hyder Ali Khan and his son Tipu Sultan from 1782 to 1799, and subsequently Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar III from 1799 to 1811 — in all a period of about three decades.
Between 1782 and1949, spanning over a period of a century and a half, Mysore Kingdom saw as many as 14 prominent Dewans. In 1949, the role of Dewans came to an end. During this period of a century and a half, Mysore Kingdom was headed by five rulers — Chamaraja Wadiyar
IX (1782-1799), Krishnaraja Wadiyar III (1799-1881), Chamaraja Wadiyar X (1881-1894), Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV (1894-1940) and Jayachamaraja Wadiyar (1940-1949). The post of Dewan was abolished in 1949 when Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar accepted the Constitution of India to become a part of the Republic of India.
Mysuru City has about eight landmarks of the Dewans out of 14 of them. These landmarks relate to Dewan Purnaiah, C.V. Rangacharlu, K. Seshadri Iyer, P.N. Krishnamurti, Sir M. Visvesvaraya, Sir M. Kantharaj Urs, Sir M. Mirza Ismail and V.P. Madhava Rao.
The landmarks that relate to the eight Dewans are the Purnaiah Choultry, Rangacharlu Memorial Hall, Seshadri Iyer Road, popularly called the Dewan’s Road, Krishnamurti Bungalow, Visvesvaraya Circle, Kantharaj Urs Road, Mirza Road and N. Madhava Rao Circle.
But deplorably most of these historic and heritage places are neglected and the contributions made by these visionary Dewans, under the able stewardship of the rulers, for the growth and development of the city and the State of Mysore have been ignored. If at all the city claims to be a Heritage City today, we must remember, it is because of these administrators who strove to make Mysore modern and beautiful.
- Purnaiah Choultry
There was an old Choultry bearing his name in Agrahara. One of the prominent choultries, it provided accommodation to those who visited the city and students studying in the Maharaja’s Sanskrit College during its hey days. However, subsequently it remained unused and when the plan to link Vani Vilasa Road with the Race Course Road was drawn up, the heritage structure was pulled down. A portion of the space occupied by the Choultry was handed over to a private institution for construction purposes. The rest was used for the straight road which we see today. A portion of the newly formed straight road is named as Mahatma Gandhi Road or M.G. Road.
A heritage structure, the Purnaiah Choultry had no significant architectural feature. However, it had a small shrine inside, like in many similar structures of those days. A priest performed worship daily. This shrine is still in existence in the middle of the Vani Vilasa Road. A few years after the formation of the new road, justice was done to the memory of the famous Dewan when a new choultry was constructed, though not in line with the earlier structure.
During his Dewanship from 1799 to 1811, Mysore saw rapid strides. Local rebellions were put down and peace was established throughout the length and breadth of the territories, the economy was stabilised, the finances were put on a firm footing and the administrative machinery was re-organised. Purnaiah’s great ability and administrative skill stands recognised with the reconstruction of the Choultry in his honour.
- Poorly cared Memorial Hall
The Town Hall is one among the major heritage structures in Mysuru. It occupies a prominent place, standing in the heart of the city. This famous building is named in honour of Rangacharlu, who was the Dewan during Chamaraja Wadiyar from March 1881 to January 1883. A century-old heritage structure, it was the centre of many significant historical events. But ugly structures have come up around the heritage building during the last few years shadowing its prominence and the beauty of its location. Added to this, it is also being neglected in upkeep.
Popularly called the Town Hall, this building was constructed in 1884 to mark the memory of Rangacharlu, the first Dewan after restoration of monarchy in 1881. The credit for its construction in neoclassical architecture goes to his successor, Dewan K. Seshadri Iyer, who was the Dewan in 1884. The Town Hall was opened by Maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar who also unveiled the portrait of the great Dewan.
This double-storied Victorian style Greeco-Roman building is built on a raised platform. It has a nice facade with Corinthian grand-columns, in four pairs supporting the heavy roof.
An ardent patriot, a great administrator and founder of the first representative institution in the country, the Representative Assembly, Dewan C.V. Rangacharlu occupies an abiding place in the history of the country.
- The longest serving Dewan
Sir K. Seshadri Iyer, who succeeded Rangacharlu, was the longest serving Dewan of the princely State of Mysore. He was Dewan from 1883 to 1900 and served under Chamaraja Wadiyar and Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV. Hailed as the builder of modern Bangalore, the contribution by this forgotten Dewan is immense.
His notable achievement is the construction of a hydro-electric project at Sivasamudram in 1899, hailed as the first hydro-power project in south-east Asia, and supplying power to the Kolar Gold Fields, 147-kms away from the waterfalls. It was the longest power transmission line in the world. The Sivasamudram power project is named after him.
Seshadri Iyer Road, popularly called the Dewan’s Road, is a major historic road in Mysuru city passing through many major roads and linking the Sayyaji Rao Road in Bamboo Bazaar. His historic bungalow in the Dewan’s Road now houses the Commercial Taxes offices.
- A Puram for this Dewan
P.N. Krishnamurti is perhaps the only Dewan who has an extension named in his honour in Mysuru city. Krishnamurthypuram, on the southern area of the city, is named after him.
Purniah Narasinga Rao Krishnamurti, who was a direct descendent of the Dewan Purnaiah, the first Dewan of Mysore, was Dewan from 1901 to 1906, during Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV.
Apart from this extension, a bungalow in the Dewan’s Road stands obscured bearing the name Alamma Choultry. Belonging to the Kunchitigara Sangha, this bungalow has lost its historic significance. The bungalow housed Dewan Krishnamurti. While Krishnamurti was the Dewan, electric lighting was introduced in Bangalore. It was the first city in India to get electric street lighting.
- Legendary Engineer
Mysuru remembers a legendary engineer and statesman in having a Circle named after him. No one will forget the contribution of Sir M. Visvesvaraya as the Chief Engineer and Dewan of Mysore during the period of Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV.
Among his significant contributions is the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Dam across River Cauvery, which stands as a monument to the memory of this Bharat Ratna. Sir MV was the Dewan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918.
The Circle opposite the Government Ayurveda College and Hospital is named as Sir M. Visvesvaraya Circle. This Circle was earlier known as Ayurvedic College Circle and the name of this centenarian-engineer was given a few decades ago by the Mysore City Corporation (MCC). It had also resolved to erect a statue of Sir MV at the Circle, but the resolution has not seen the light of the day so far.
- A ‘new’ road for this Dewan
A first graduate of the Urs’ community, Sirdar M. Kantharaj Urs was the brother of Maharani Kempa Nanjammanni Avaru of Vani Vilasa Sannidhana. He married his niece Maharaja Kumari Jayalakshammanni Avaru, in whose name stands the splendid Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion, in which the Mysore University has set up the Folklore Museum in Manasagangothri. The Jayalakshmi Vilas Palace was their residential Mansion. Sirdar Kantharaj Urs became the Dewan in 1918 and held the post till 1922 February during the regime of Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV.
With the creation of Kuvempunagar, the extended Kantharaj Urs Road was named the New Kantharaj Urs Road, a few years ago.
- A road lost in charm
A stretch of about one kilometre between the Hardinge Circle, where stands the statue of the last Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar and the Police Commissioner’s Office Junction is known as ‘Mirza Road.’ It is named in honour of Dewan Sir Mirza Ismail.
Sir Mirza Ismail was the Dewan of Mysore from 1926 to 1940 during the reign of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and subsequently till 1941 when Jayachamaraja Wadiyar succeeded to the throne. He succeeded Sir M. Visvesvaraya and carried forward further development of the princely State. He saw Mysore State made substantial progress in the field of industries, both in the private and public sectors, over his 14 years of service.
He was responsible for developing many parks and gardens, including the famous Brindavan Gardens, apart from the Nishad Bagh. Rightly the road cutting across Nishad Bagh was named after him. The park on the right side was also called Kuppanna Park. But, of recent this short stretch from Hardinge Circle to the Police Commissioner’s Office has lost its original charm of running between greenery. While the Kuppanna Park is neglected, the entrance to the Nishad Bagh has been moved to Lokranjan Mahal Road, thus taking away the significance of the Mirza Road.
- A Circle without Dewan’s name!
The busy Agrahara Circle, a hub of commercial activity, bore the honoured name of Dewan N. Madhava Rao. A well-designed name-board had been installed to honour the Dewan who served under Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar. Today, the Circle stands without a name, its board having disappeared.
Sir Nyapathi Madhava Rao was the Dewan from 1941 to 1946 when Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar was the ruler. Succeeding Sir Mirza Ismail, Madhava Rao managed the severe food shortage the State faced during the Second World War. During his tenure, the Legislative Council and the Representative Assembly were combined to form a new Legislative Council. The first election to the reorganised Legislative Council was conducted in February 1941. After his retirement, Madhava Rao became a member of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution headed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and of the first Constituent Assembly of India. His son, N. Lakshman Rao, was the Commissioner of Mysore Municipality, and saw to the further development of Mysore city.
Mysuru should be proud of the services of these Dewans, for making the city a beautifully developed modern city, of which we boast. But, woefully, we have ignored their contribution to the city and the State and in the process ignored these heritage and historic places as well.
This post was published on November 2, 2020 6:05 pm