Thursday, January 3, 2019

Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala – Under British Rule

Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala – Under British Rule
After the death of Aurangzeb in AD 1707, the Mughal Empire collapsed in India and it was a period of unrest as far as South India was concerned. The kingdom of Golkonda and Bijapur also disappeared and the Marathas were waxing strong during this period. The British and the French were also poised against one another, each trying to establish supremacy in the country over the other. The role of the English under Robert Clive, the struggle of the French under Dupleix and Bussy to establish a foothold in South India, the Carnatic wars in which the Nawab of Carnatic was a helpless pawn. During the early years of this period, the mother of Bajirao and Bajirao's wife were said to have worshiped the Lord of Tirumalai at Tirupati.
With Clive's victories at Arcot in 1751, the French began to lose the war. With the recall of resourceful Dupleix in 1754, the French failure in the Carnatic was complete. Muhammad All, the protege of the British, became the Nawab of Arcot, and he made over to the English government of Madras certain revenues of the Carnatic, which included of Tirupati. Political conditions, however, were still settled and the English had to reckon with the Marathas. The forces of Mysore and the enemies of Muhammad Ali, the lawful ruler of Carnatic, Tirupati with its rich revenues, was coveted by resourceful generals and ambitious rulers. In 1753 it was surprised by Muhamad Kamal one of the generals of disbanded army of Raja sahib, son of Chanda Sahib.
The main English forces were engaged around Trichy and further south and hence only a small band of three companies of sepoys and forty European troops with three pieces of cannon alone could be sent from Madras to the relief of Tirupati. This was defeated by Muhammad Kamal, who however, ultimately lost the battle as his elephant was shot and killed and his standard bought down7*. His soldiers fled in panic, the English army was helped by Nazibulla, the brother of Muhammad All. In 1757, Nazibulla rebelled against Muhamad Ali and advanced against Tirupati after capturing Nellore. This time a large English force came to Tirupati and established its camp there. Nazibulla gave up his plan of attacking Tirumala.
In 1758 Tirupati was threatened by Abdul Wahab, another brother of Muhamad Ali. He entrenched himself at chitoor and Chandragiri and advanced against Tirupati. In 1759 Tirupati was attacked by Gopal Rao, a Maratha general who had camped at Damala Cheruvu. The Marathas had originally come to the help of Tanjore and later Muhamad Ali but were staying on to fish in troubled waters. Gopal Rao's eyes was on the revenues of Tirupati, when he had to go at the call of the Peshwa of Poona, he left a small force under Narayana Sastri.
Abdul Wahab overpowered him and wrote to the English that he be permitted to farm the revenues of Tirupati, but this was promptly refused. Narayana Sastri moved his headquarters to Karkambadi few kilometers to the north of Tirupati, levied troops from the Polygars, collected a large force and advanced against Tirupati. A small English force was easily driven back. His army went up the hill and over-powered the sepoys and Guards some of whom were killed even in the premises of the Temple. He had to withdraw, however, when French, English forces attacked Karkambadi. A company of troops was also sent to the help of Tirumala but it was not permitted to go up as a Majority of Soldiers were non- Hindus.
Robert Clive himself was not above utilizing the revenue of the temple during this period to further the interests of the East India Company. Through lease arrangement, the Nawab of Arcot had collected the revenue out of the income of the Temple. The revenue of the temple were assigned to the English and it is said that the English obtained about 3 lakh rupees in the year 1753-58 from the whole revenue of the Temple from whatever sources derived was under the management of and appropriated by the Government A regular establishment was entertained and paid salaries and a horde of Brahmins are maintained by lands appropriated for that purpose, over the force of surrounding country called manniyains or estates enjoyed on very favourable terms under government's subject only to a slight tax.
The head general officer, called Tahsildar, whose business is the general superintendence over the others to see that the pilgrims are well treated and lodged in proper place; supplies are kept fairly in the Bazaars, ceremonies performed as paid for, and that no bribery, tyranny or oppression of any sort takes place. During the Brahmotsavam or nine-day festival an additional Sibbandi is allowed with twenty-five persons; twenty putwars and five scouts to bring intelligence of the arrival of any Pilgrim of rank and to keep the peace among the enormous crowd that annually fills this part of the country.
According to Mackenzie manuscripts, the East India Company acquired a portion of Carnatic from the Nawab of Arcot in 1748 together with the arrangement of revenues from the Lord Venkateswara Temple. Muhammad Ali, the Nawab of Arcot, was only a nominal ruler. He was himself deeply in debt to the English Company at Madras and to various private persons, who charged him to intact as high as 30 to 36%. The Nawab of Arcot's debts became a scandal and the creditors were often granted assignments on the revenues of the district, the creditors thus becoming petty Nawabs in their own areas.
The real power was in English company, which was not prepared to assume administrative responsibility thus from 1749 i.e., middle of the 18th century, the East India Company cane into possession of the income of the Tirumala Temple and later it took over direct management of the temple. In the beginning of the 19th century when they arrived at an agreement with Muhammad Ali's son. In 1801 Wellesley, the Governor General, took the decision to assume responsibility. The evil of the double government was put an end to and Umadat-ulumra's successor Azimud-Doulla became a pensioner of the English.
The company covered all the districts and appointed district collectors to examine the sources of revenue and collect the revenues themselves. Chittoor was the first headquarters of the North Arcot district. The district officials came to Tirumala temple and made detailed enquires not only about the revenues but the day to day Kainkaryas or services, the rights connected with them etc. On the basis of these enquires a set of rules, called Bruce's code, was drawn up in 1821. Whatever lands the temple had acquired after the establishment of peaceful government after the close of Carnatic wars, were resumed by the company and in their place a fixed annual grant was made. This was called a Tasdic allowance. Such an allowance was fixed for all the major and minor temples of Tirupati.
When peace was established in the sub-continent, the East India Company investigated all matters relating to the temple, such as its management, its income and its sources, the worship of the Deity, daily food offerings and special offerings on certain days of the week, fortnight, month and other occasions and other relevant items and got up five records. i.e,
1. The Dittam: containing the rations for food-offerings for all Deities and icons of the Vaishnava Alvars, Acharyas and others.
2. The Kainkarya-Patti: laying down the duties and emoluments of the different classes of functionaries and servants prepared twice, once in 1801 and again in 1820.
3. The Bruce's Code: for an objective administration of the temple and all its affairs, and prepared by the Collector on 25-7-1 821
4. The Sawal-Jawab-patti: giving a list of questions and answers relating to the duties of functionaries and their income, religious services, endowments and other similar items, prepared in 18 19
5. The Paimayishi Account: containing measurements of Temples and other buildings, and an account of the Deities and images enshrined and preserved in them, produced in I819.
The Administration of the Tirumala temple during the Company time was according to a set of rules called the Bruce's code. According to Dairy and consultations in Fort St. George, Chennai from 1751 onwards there are records to show what amounts were collected every year, the agency employed for doing it. The Code embodied 42 provisions, according to which the administration of the temple was carried on by the Company till 1843, when the temple was entrusted for management to Sri Mahant Sevadas, the head of the Sri Hathiramji Matha of Tirupati. The revenues were vigorously collected every rupee received in the temple. They were received in three principal instalments known as the September, December and June corresponding to (Brahmotsavam, Mukkoti Ekadasi and Anivari Astanam).
Thomas Munro visit to Tirumala:
Thomas Munro was the Governor of Madras during 1820-27. He was very sympathetic towards the Indian people. During his governorship that he entertained a desire to visit Sri Venkateswara temple and arrived at Tirupati one day on the night of which God appeared to him in human form and dissuaded him from ascending the hill, he is being a non - Hindu. He returned to Madras, but his strong attachment to the God reflected itself in his provision for a food offering to God each day permanently from the produce of a piece of land assigned, as it appears, to the Sarkar Archaka who was enjoined to carry on the service. This food offering was made to the Deity each day during the time of the first bell (i.e., first Naivedya at which time bells are rung). He died of Cholera in 1827.

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