View source for Pudukkottai State

{{Short description|Monarchy in India (1680–1948)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox country
|image_flag        = File:Pudukkottai flag.svg
|image_coat        = Coat of arms Pudukkottai.gif
|conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Pudukkottai<br>Princely State of Pudukkottai
|common_name       = Pudukkottai
|status            = Empire
|status_text       = <small>[[Thondaman dynasty|Kingdom of Pudukkottai]] (Subordinate to [[Ramnad estate|Ramnad]] until 1680). <br> [[Princely state]] under the [[paramountcy]] of the [[British Raj]] (1800–1948)</small> 
|government_type   = [[Principality]]
|event_start       = 
|year_start        = 1680
|date_start        = 
|event_end         = 
|year_end          = 1948
|date_end          = 1 March
|event1            = Earliest records
|date_event1       = 1680
|p1                = Madurai Nayak dynasty
|flag_p1           = 
|p2                = Ramnad estate
|flag_p2           = 
|s1                = Pudukkottai district
|flag_s1           = Flag of India.svg
|s2                = 
|flag_s2           = 
|image_map         = Pudukkottai.jpg
|image_map_caption = Map of Pudukkottai
|capital           = [[Pudukkottai]]
|stat_area1        = 3050
|stat_year1        = 1941
|stat_pop1         = 438,648
|national_anthem   = 
|common_languages  = [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[English language|English]]
|religion          = [[Hinduism|Hindu]]
|leader1           = Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman
|leader2           = Rajagopala Tondaiman
|year_leader1      = (first)1680–1730
|year_leader2      = (last)1928–1948
|title_leader      = [[Monarch|Ruler]]
|today             = [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]] 
}}
[[File:Madras map 1913.jpg|thumb|1913 map of the [[Madras Presidency]] showing location of Pudukkottai State]]
'''Pudukkottai''' was a kingdom and later a [[princely state]] in [[British India]], which existed from 1680 until 1948.

The [[Thondaman dynasty|Kingdom of Pudukkottai]] was founded in about 1680 as a [[feudatory]] of [[Ramnad estate|Ramnad]] and grew with subsequent additions from [[Thanjavur Maratha kingdom|Tanjore]], [[Sivaganga estate|Sivaganga]] and Ramnad. One of the staunch allies of the [[British East India Company]] in the [[Carnatic Wars|Carnatic]], [[Anglo-Mysore Wars|Anglo-Mysore]] and [[Polygar War|Polygar]] wars, the kingdom was brought under the Company's protection in 1800 as per the system of [[Subsidiary Alliance]]. The state was placed under the control of the Madras Presidency from 1800 until 1 October 1923, when the [[Madras States Agency]] was created, and until 1948 it was under the political control of the Government of India.

Pudukkottai State covered a total area of {{convert|1178|mi2|km2}} and had a population of 438,648 in 1941. It extended over the whole of the present-day [[Pudukkottai district]] of [[Tamil Nadu]] (with the exception of [[Aranthangi taluk]] which was then a part of Tanjore district). The town of [[Pudukkottai]] was its capital. The ruler of Pudukkottai was entitled to a [[Salute state|17-gun salute]].

== Geography ==
{{Main|Pudukkottai district}}
The state of Pudukkottai  extended from 10 degrees 7' to 10 degrees 44'N latitudes and 78 degrees 25' and 79 degrees 12' E longitudes.<ref name="imperialp230">[[#Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908|Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908]], p. 230</ref> and covered a total area of {{convert|1178|mi2|km2}}. It extended for {{convert|52|mi|km}} from east to west and {{convert|41|mi|km}} from north to south.<ref name="trichinopoly350">[[#Trichinopoly District Gazetteer 1907|Trichinopoly District Gazetteer 1907]], p. 350</ref><ref name="Nicholas B. Dirks">[[#The Hollow Crown|The Hollow Crown]], pp. 111-116</ref> The state was bounded by [[Trichinopoly District (Madras Presidency)|Trichinopoly district]] to the west, [[Tanjore District (Madras Presidency)|Tanjore district]] to the east and south-east and [[Sivaganga estate]] of [[Madura District (Madras Presidency)|Madura district]] to the south.<ref name="imperialp231">[[#Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908|Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908]], p. 231</ref>

The kingdom did not have fixed boundaries originally and was called "Tondaiman country" or "Tondaiman's woods" until the end of 18th century. The kingdom started to have fixed boundaries since early 19th century. The easternmost point of Pudukkottai state was located {{convert|12|mi|km}} from the sea. When the Pudukkottai district was formed in 1974 long after its incorporation into the Republic of India, the coastal Aranthangi taluk was detached from Tanjore district and merged with the new district.

For administrative purposes, the state was divided into three taluks: [[Alangudi taluk|Alangudi]], [[Kulathur taluk|Kulathur]] and [[Thirumayam taluk|Thirumayam]], each under the authority of a ''Tahsildar'' who was responsible for land revenue.<ref name="imperialp233" /> There were also a few semi-autonomous ''zamindari''s : Karambakadu, Nagaram, Palayavanam, Senthankudi and Seriyalur.

== Demography ==
{{Historical populations
|1871|316695
|1881|302127
|1891|373097
|1901|380440
|1911|411694
|1921|426813
|1931|400694
|1941|438648
}}

As of 1931, the princely state of Pudukkottai had a total population of 400,694 with a population density of 340 people per square mile.<ref name="manualp56">[[#State Manual|State Manual]], p 56</ref><ref name="manualp57">[[#State Manual|State Manual]], p 57</ref> Ponnamaravathi firka was the most densely populated with 498 people per square mile while Nirpalani was the most sparsely populated with 213 people per square mile.<ref name="manualp57" /> There were 435 towns and villages - 426 of them with a population less than 5,000 and nine - Pudukkottai, [[Ponnamaravathi]], [https://www.etamilnadu.org/varpet-village-8322.html Varpet], Ramachandrapuram, [[Arimalam]], [[Thirumayam]], [[Alangudi, Pudukkottai|Alangudi]], [[Keeranur, Pudukkottai|Keeranur]] and Pillamangalam-Alagapuri with population greater than 5,000.<ref name="manualp58">[[#State Manual|State Manual]], p 58</ref> The male literacy rate was 21.62 percent and the female literacy rate, 1.87 percent.<ref name="manualp64">[[#State Manual|State Manual]], p 64</ref> Between 1925 and 1929, the population of the state dropped by over 65 percent as more than 53,000 people left Pudukkottai for neighbouring districts due to widespread plague and famine.

=== Religion ===

The kingdom was predominantly Hindu. However, there were significant Muslim and Christian populations.
The affairs of Hindu temples were administered by a Devasthanams Department established in 1897.

According to the 1901 census, there were 353,723 Hindus who formed 93% of the state's population. Muslims who numbered 12,268 formed 3.2% of the population while the Christians numbering 14,449 formed 3.8% of the population.<ref name="imperialp233">[[#Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908|Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908]], p. 233</ref> In 1931, there were 367,348 Hindus (91.7 percent), 15,194 Muslims (3.8 percent) and 17,960 Christians (4.5 percent).<ref name="manualp63">[[#State Manual|State Manual]], p 63</ref>

=== Languages ===

The majority of the population spoke [[Tamil language|Tamil]] as their mother tongue. According to the 1931 census, Tamil was spoken by 378,741 people or 94.52 percent of the population as their mother tongue.<ref name="manualp62">[[#State Manual|State Manual]], p 62</ref> Other languages spoken as mother-tongue included [[Telugu language|Telugu]] (12,250 speakers, 3.05%), [[Kannada language|Kanarese]] (5,118, 1.27%), [[Hindustani language|Hindustani]] or Urdu (1,993, 0.49%), [[Saurashtra language|Saurashtri]] (1,172, 0.29%), [[Marathi language|Marathi]] (660, 0.16%), [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]] (522, 0.13%), [[Hindi]] (187, 0.04%), [[Arabic language|Arabic]] (23, 0.005%), [[English language|English]] (22, 0.005%), [[Danish language|Danish]] (2, 0.0005%), [[Malay language|Malay]] (1, 0.0003%), [[Sinhalese language|Sinhalese]] (1, 0.0003%), [[Konkani language|Konkani]] (1, 0.0003%) and [[Spanish language|Spanish]] (1, 0.0003%).<ref name="manualp62" /> The natives of Pudukkottai spoke Tamil which was also an official language of the state alongside English. Telugu-speakers were descendants of military chieftains who had migrated during the rule of the [[Vijayanagar Empire]] and the [[Madurai Nayak dynasty|Madurai Nayak kingdom]]. Kanarese or Kannada was spoken largely by the [[Kuruba]] shepherds who had migrated from the [[Mysore kingdom]].<ref name="manualp128">[[#State Manual|State Manual]], p 128</ref> However, the Kurubars spoke a Kanarese dialect of their own with a heavy admixture of Tamil words.<ref name="manualp128" /> Hindusthani or Urdu was used by Pathani Muslims while Saurasthri and Marathi were spoken by the [[Saurashtra people|Saurashtra]] and [[Thanjavur Marathi people|Thanjavur Marathi]] migrants.

== Administration ==
{{See also|Pudukkottai Legislative Council}}
[[File:Raja Ravi Varma, Puddukotta Durbar.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Puddukotai Durbar painted by Raja Ravi Varma]]

The Raja of Pudukkottai was the paramount head of the state and no bill became law without his assent.<ref name="manualp402">[[#State Manual|State Manual]], p 402</ref> He was assisted by a Prime Minister designated as Sirkel till 1 July 1885 and Diwan from 1 July 1885 till 17 November 1931 and Administrator from 17 November 1931 till 1948. The Diwan was assisted by a Councillor and the Diwan acting with the assistance of the Councillor was known as the Diwan-in-Council.

A representative assembly of 30 nominated members was inaugurated in 1902 by [[Dewan Bahadur|Diwan Bahadur]] [[S. Venkataramadas Nayudu|Siram Venkataramadas Nayudu]].<ref name="manualp402" /> Elections were introduced in 1907 and from then on, 18 out of the 30 representatives were elected.<ref name="manualp402" /> The number of elected members was reduced to 13 in 1913 but was raised to 25 in 1916.<ref name="manualp402" /> The representative assembly was replaced by the Pudukkottai Legislative Council in 1924 and its first session was inaugurated by [[C. W. E. Cotton]], the Governor's agent for the Madras states on 29 September 1924.<ref name="manualp403">[[#State Manual|State Manual]], p 403</ref> At the time of the dissolution of the state in 1948, the assembly had a total of 50 members of whom 35 were elected and the rest, nominated by the government.<ref name="manualp403" /> However, as per the Pudukkottai Legislative Council Resolution of 1924, the creation of the council did not affect the right of the Raja to enact laws and issue proclamations on his own; nor did it allow its members to debate on the activities of the royal household.<ref name="manualp403" />

The [[Madras Presidency|Government of Madras]] was represented by a political agent. From 1800, when the first Political agent was appointed, till 1840, the Political Agent was usually the District Collector of [[Tanjore]], from 1840 to 1865, the Agent was the Collector of Madurai and from 1865 to 1947 the agent was the Collector of [[Tiruchirapalli|Trichinopoly]]. All the decisions made by the Diwan are passed to the Madras Government for approval before they become the law.

== Economy ==
[[File:1 Amman Cash.png|thumb|1 amman kasu coin (1889-1906) from Pudukkottai with Vijaya written in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] in the obverse]]

As of 1 April 1936, there were 27 companies registered in Pudukkottai state.<ref name="manualp220">[[#State Manual|State Manual]], p 220</ref> Limited companies which were operating in Pudukkottai state included [[Bank of Chettinad|The Chettinad Corporation and Bank Ltd]], M. C. T. M. Banking Corporation Ltd, The Pudukkottai Trading and Banking Corporation, the [[Karur Vysya Bank|Hindu Karur Bank]] which had a branch in Pudukkottai town, Diwan Bahadur Subbiah Chettiar's Trading and Banking Company, Mena Chena Mena Mena Bank, Janopkara Motor Service Company which had a branch in Ponnamaravathi, The Sun Bank Ltd, The Modern Bank Ltd (Pillamangalam-Alagapuri), Pudukkottai branch of the [[Punjab National Bank|Indo-Commercial Bank Ltd]] and the Pudukkottai branch of the [[Palai Central Bank|Travancore National Bank Ltd]].<ref name="manualp220" /> Registered companies which carried on industrial or trading businesses in Pudukkottai included The Pudukkottai Brick and Tile Manufactory, Sri Murugan Company, The Pudukkottai Trading and Banking Company, Sambandam & Co., Diwan Bahadur Subbiah Chettiar's Trading and Banking Company, [[TVS Group|T. V. Sundaram Aiyangar & Co.]] and South Indian Corporation Ltd.<ref name="manualp221">[[#State Manual|State Manual]], p 221</ref>

== List of kings of Pudukkottai ==

[[File:Todiman Raja in his Durbar, Pudukkottai, 1858.jpg|thumb|200px|Ramachandra Tondaiman, king of Pudukkottai, at his durbar, ca. 1858]]

* [[Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman]] (1686–1730)
* [[Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman I]] (1730–1769)
* [[Raya Raghunatha Tondaiman]] (1769– December 1789)
* [[Vijaya Raghunatha Tondaiman]] (December 1789 – 1 February 1807)
* [[Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman II]] (1 February 1807 – June 1825)
* [[Raghunatha Tondaiman]] (June 1825 – 13 July 1839)
* [[Ramachandra Tondaiman]] (13 July 1839 – 15 April 1886)
* [[Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman]] (15 April 1886 – 28 May 1928)
* [[Rajagopala Tondaiman]] (28 October 1928 – 1 March 1948)

== List of Diwans of Pudukkottai ==

* [[A. Seshayya Sastri]] (1878–1894)
* [[R. Vedantacharlu]] (1894–1899)
* [[S. Venkataramadas Nayudu]] (1899–1909)
* [[Raghunatha Pallavarayar]] (1909–1924)
* [[K. Kunjunni Menon]] (1924–1929)
* [[G. Ganapati Sastriar]] (1929–1931)
* [[G. Krishnaswamy Iyer]] (1931-1934)
* [[Alexander Tottenham]] (1934-1941)
*[[P. Khalifulla Sahib|P. Kalifullah Rowther Sahib]] (1941-1947)

== President of the Council of Administration ==

* [[T. Raghavaiah]] (1929–1931)

== Administrators ==

* [[B. G. Holdsworth]] (1931–1934)
* [[Alexander Tottenham]] (1934–1946)
* [[P. Khalifulla Sahib|P. Khalifulla Rowther Sahib]] (1946–1948)

== Family tree ==

{{Chart top|width=100%|collapsed=no|Family tree of the Rajas of Pudukkottai}}

{{Tree chart/start|align=center|style=font-size:90%}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | |A01  | | | | |
A01='''[[Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman|Raghunatha<br>Raya<br>Tondaiman I]]'''<br><sup>(1)</sup><br><small>r. 1686-1730</small>|boxstyle_A01=border-color:#008000}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | |!| | | | | |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | |A01  | | | | |
A01=Thirumalai<br>Raya<br>Tondaiman}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| |,|-|^|-|.| | | |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1|A01  | |A02  | | |
A01='''[[Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman I|Vijaya<br>Raghunatha<br>Raya<br>Tondaiman I]]'''<br><sup>(2)</sup><br><small>r. 1730-1769</small>|boxstyle_A01=border-color:#008000|
A02=Thirumalai<br>Raya<br>Tondaiman}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| |!| | | |!| | | |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1|A01  | |A02  | | |
A01='''[[Raya Raghunatha Tondaiman|Raya<br>Raghunatha<br>Tondaiman]]'''<br><sup>(3)</sup><br><small>r. 1769-1789</small>|boxstyle_A01=border-color:#008000|
A02='''[[Vijaya Raghunatha Tondaiman|Vijaya<br>Raghunatha<br>Tondaiman]]'''<br><sup>(4)</sup><br><small>r. 1789-1807</small>|boxstyle_A02=border-color:#008000}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | |,|-|^|-|.| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | |A01  | |A02  |
A01='''[[Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman II|Vijaya<br>Raghunatha<br>Raya<br>Tondaiman II]]'''<br><sup>(5)</sup><br><small>r. 1807-1825</small>|boxstyle_A01=border-color:#008000|
A02='''[[Raghunatha Tondaiman II|Raghunatha<br>Tondaiman II]]'''<br><sup>(6)</sup><br><small>r. 1825-1839</small>|boxstyle_A02=border-color:#008000}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | |!| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | |A01  |
A01='''[[Ramachandra Tondaiman|Ramachandra<br>Tondaiman]]'''<br><sup>(7)</sup><br><small>r. 1839-1886</small>|boxstyle_A01=border-color:#008000}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | |!| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | |A01  |y|A02  |
A01=Kolandaswami<br>Pallavarayar|
A02=Brihadambal<br>Rajammani}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | |,|-|^|-|.| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | |A01  | |A02  |
A01='''[[Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman|Martanda<br>Bhairava<br>Tondaiman]]'''<br><sup>(8)</sup><br><small>r. 1886-1928</small>|boxstyle_A01=border-color:#008000|
A02=Ramachandra<br>Tondaiman}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | | |!| |}}

{{Tree chart|border=1| | | | | | |A01  |
A01='''[[Rajagopala Tondaiman|Rajagopala<br>Tondaiman]]'''<br><sup>(9)</sup><br><small>r. 1928-1948</small>|boxstyle_A01=border-color:#008000}}

{{Tree chart/end}}

{{Chart bottom}}

== Notes ==

{{Reflist|2}}

==References==

* {{cite book | title=The Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume XX| year=1908| publisher=Clarendon Press| location=London|ref=Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908}}
* {{cite book | title=Trichinopoly District Gazetteer, Volume I| year=1907| publisher=Clarendon Press| location=London|ref=Trichinopoly District Gazetteer 1907}}
* {{cite book | title=The Hollow Crown: Ethnohistory of an Indian Kingdom| last= B. Dirks| first=Nicholas| year=1993| publisher=University of Michigan| isbn= 0-472-08187-X| id=|ref=The Hollow Crown}}
* {{cite book|title=The Pudukkottai State Manual|first=K. R. Venkatarama|last=Ayyar|year=1940|publisher=Sri Brihadambal State Press|ref=State Manual}}

==External links==
{{EB1911 Poster|Pudukkottai}}
*{{commons category-inline}}
{{Pudukkottai district}}
{{Princely states of India}}
{{Princely states of the Madras States Agency}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pudukkottai State}}
[[Category:Pudukkottai state| ]]
[[Category:1680 establishments in India]]
[[Category:1948 disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1680]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1948]]
[[Category:Gun salute princely states]]