Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala – Under French Rule

Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala – Under French Rule

According to the Dairy of Ananda Ranga Pillai in 1746, the French under Dupleix captured Madras from the English. Nawab Anwaruddin asked Dupleix to surrender Madras to him. Dupleix refused and when Anwaruddin marched against him, his forces were easily defeated by a handful of French soldiers, equipped with artillery in the battles of St. Thome and Adyar (1746). French prestige rose high and the Polygars of Venkatagiri, Kalahasti, Karvetinagaram etc., began to treat Dupleix with feelings of regard and caution.

When the Second Carnatic war began the French forces, which went to the help of Chanda Saheb, the enemy of Anwaruddin, defeated and killed in AD 1749. As a result, the French prestige and power rose still higher. The Dairy of Ananda Ranga Pillai the Dubash of Dupleix, has a few interesting entries ranging between I743 and 1749. In AD 1747 Raja Narasinga of Bommarajupalyam (Karvetinagaram) sent some presents to Dupleix including prasadam from Tirupati. It is also known that Srinivasacharulu, who fled, was the manager of Tirupati, appointed by Dumalli Krishnaji Pandit, Dewan of the Nawab of Arcot.

He had visited Tirupati during the Brahmotsavam, which happened soon after Anwaruddin's death, and on that occasion, had made the appointment. The rent was too high and hence the manager fled. The French seem to have acquired the Tirupati region for themselves after their victory at Ambur and the rent they fixed was also very high. It has to be inferred that with the establishment of the Nawab of Arcot near normal conditions prevailed, that pilgrim's traffic was resumed and the revenues of the Temple began to increase and that they were formed out for fixed annual payment.