Mysore

MYSORE, a native state of southern India, almost surrounded by the Madras presidency, but in political relations with the governor-general. It is naturally divided into two regions of dis tinct character—the hill country called the Malnad, on the west, and the more open country known as the Maidan, comprising the greater part of the state, where the wide-spreading valleys and plains are covered with villages and populous towns. The drainage of the country, with a slight exception, finds its way into the Bay of Bengal, and is divisible into three great river systems—that of the Kistna on the north, the Cauvery on the south, and the Northern and Southern Penner and Palar on the east. Owing to either rocky or shallow beds none of the Mysore rivers is navi gable. The main streams, especially the Cauvery and its tribu taries, support an extensive system of irrigation by means of channels drawn from immense dams (anicuts), which retain the water at a high level and permit only the overflow to pass down stream. The streams are embanked to form reservoirs or tanks.

Mysore is a very prosperous state. Situated on a healthy plateau, it receives the benefit of both the south-west and north east monsoons, which, in conjunction with its irrigation system, has brought it a large degree of immunity from famine. The silk industry and gold mining are very profitable, and two sandalwood oil factories have recently been opened. Manganese, mica and steatite are worked. The famous Kolar gold-fields are worked by electric power, which is conveyed for a distance of 92 m. from the Cauvery falls. A long period of administration by British officers led to the introduction of a system based on British models, and the state has developed rapidly in recent years. Departments of industry and commerce and of agriculture have been organized, welfare work for the agricultural population undertaken, a Public Health institution started, and a university opened at Mysore. There is an agricultural college, and several experimental farms.

The total area of the state, including the civil and military station of Bangalore, is 29,326 sq.m., subdivided into 8 districts, namely : Bangalore, Kolar, Tumkur, Mysore, Hassan, Kadur, Shimoga and Chitaldrug. Pop. (1931), 6,557,302. The influenza epidemic of 1918 was very serious in the state. Kanada is spoken by the majority of the people, a of whom are engaged in agricul ture. The proportion of Hindus, who are 16 times as numerous as the Mohammedans, shows how ineffectual was the persecution of Hyder and Tippoo. Of 87,538 Christians, over 55,000 are Roman Catholics. The finances of the state have been successfully managed under native rule, assisted by large profits from railways and gold-mines. The revenue amounts to about £2,278,000, largely derived from land, and a subsidy and peshkash of .£233,333 is paid to the British government. The state maintains a military force, which numbered 2,780 in 1925. A representative assembly has been in existence since 1881. In 1923 it was placed on a statutory basis, its powers extended, and the franchise widened. There is also a legislative council of so members, 3o non-official and 20 official.

History.

In the earliest historical times the north of My sore was held by the Kadamba dynasty, whose capital, Bana wasi, is mentioned by Ptolemy; they reigned during fourteen centuries, though later they became feudatories of the Chalukyas (q.v.). The Cheras were contemporary with the Kadambas, and

governed the southern part of Mysore till they were subverted by the Cholas in the 8th century. Another ancient race, the Pallavas, held a small portion of the eastern side of Mysore, but were overcome by the Chalukyas in the 7th century. These were overthrown in the 12th century by the Ballalas (Hoysalas), an enterprising and warlike race professing the Jain faith. They ruled over the greater part of Mysore, and portions of the modern districts of Coimbatore, Salem and Dharwar, with their capital at Dwarasamudra (the modern Halebid) ; but in 1310 the Ballala king was captured by Malik Kafur, the general of Ala-ud-diri; and seventeen years later the town was entirely destroyed by another force sent by Mohammed Tughlak. After the subversion of the Ballala dynasty, a new and powerful Hindu sovereignty arose at Vijayanagar. In 1565 a confederation of the Mohammedan king doms defeated the Vijayanagar sovereign at the battle of Tali kota. The most important of the petty local chiefs was the wodeyar of Mysore, who in 1610 seized the fort of Seringapatam, and so laid the foundation of the present state. His fourth suc cessor, Chikka Deva Raja, during a reign of 34 years, made his kingdom one of the most powerful in southern India. In the mid dle of the 18th century the famous Mohammedan adventurer Hyder Ali (q.v.),usurped the throne. His dynasty, however, was as brief as it was brilliant, and ended with the defeat and death of his son Tippoo at Seringapatam in 1799. Krishnarajah Wodeyar, only five years old, was placed on the throne, and until he came of age in 1811 the state was under the administration of Purnaiya, the Brahman minister of Hyder and Tippoo. When Krishnarajah took over the management of his state he received an orderly and contented principality with a surplus of two crores of rupees. Within twenty years he had driven his subjects into rebellion and involved himself and his state in heavy debt. The British govern ment therefore assumed the administration in 1831, and placed it in the hands of commissioners. In 1867 it was determined to se cure the continuance of native rule in Mysore and on March 25, 1881, Chamarajendra, Krishnarajah's successor, having attained the age of 18 years, was publicly entrusted with the administration of the state.

He made over to the British a small tract at Bangalore, forming the "civil and military station," and received in return the island of Seringapatam. By the signing of the "instrument of transfer," the young maharajah, for himself and his successors, undertook to perform the conditions imposed upon him. The maharajah died at Calcutta on Dec. 28, 1894. His eldest son, the present ruler, Krishnarajah Wadiyar, born in 1884, succeeded him, and his widow, Maharani Vanivilas, was appointed regent, until in 1902 the maharajah was formally invested with full powers by the viceroy in person. In 1913 the "instrument of transfer" was replaced by a treaty, and in 1927 the government of India remitted in perpetuity rol lakhs of the annual subsidy. See B. L. Rice, Mysore (2nd ed., Bangalore, 1897) ; Mysore and Coorg Gazetteer (Calcutta, 1908) ; the annual Administration Report (Bangalore).