Supplementary Treaty – 1807

Chapter 4
Supplementary Treaty – 1807

Not only did the Mysore contingents help in all the military encounters
faced by the Company, but they provided their army with supplies which were
not easy to secure. Even in 1802, during the uprising of the Nayar Chieftains
of Wynad, the Mysore army had helped the Company to suppress them. In
fact, Purnaiah adhered to all terms of the Subsidiary Treaty of 1799 to the
great satisfaction of the Company’s Government including Article 3.
Governor-General Wellesley announced this himself. On 29 January 1807
a Supplementary Treaty between Mysore and the Company was signed by
Resident Major Wilks on behalf of the Company. The object of the Treaty was
to render Article 3 of Subsidiary Treaty which obliged the State to make an
indefinite contribution in wars fought by the Company.
This was commuted for fixed maintenance of a certain
body of horses in peace and war. Thus the State was
relieved from making any financial contribution which
was liable under Article 3. Further, the State was not
obliged to maintain a contingent of 4000 horses for the
Company. While this did not need to be maintained
by the State regularly, yet it must be in a position to
mobilise the number whenever the Company required
the contingent to accompany the Company’s army. It
further stated that beyond the borders of the State, all
expenses of their maintenance would be met by the Major Wilks

Company when such contingents were taken, but after one month. They were
to be paid at the rate of 4 Star Pagodas per horse and man per month, and a

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bhatta at the rate of Four Star Pagodas per month. The State was also to make
its utmost effort to supply an additional 4000 horses, if Company demanded
this, with an augmented salary at the rate of Eight Star Pagodas. Thus the
State was absolved of the obligation of maintaining the cavalry free for the
service of the Company.
“An important effect of this Treaty,” says Hayavadana Rao “was that it
reserved for the State a responsible part of the excellent cavalry of Mysore.”
He also points out that in 1817 when the Pindaris played havoc, the cavalry
was useful in putting them down.1

Suppression of Palegars
Purnaiah had been ordered in 1799 not to allow anybody to claim any
territory in Mysore State as per a letter from Maj. Gen. Kirkpatrick. Some
had already revolted and such recalcitrant Palegars (true and pretentious) had
been suppressed. Many former Palegars who came to claim their territory were
comforted by giving them a regular pension. They were allowed to stay in the
capital with their families but were under surveillance. Whenever Purnaiah left
the capital, they accompanied him as they had to be kept under the watchful
eyes of Purnaiah’s retinue.
The Palegar of Koligunduru Kota made many inroads into Mysore territory.
He was suppressed by Purnaiah2. Kudupatti Nayaka of Sunnakally near
Mysore was also a constant menace to the State and he too was silenced. The
Palegars of Savanur repeatedly made inroads into Mysore territory. To counter
these recalcitrant Palegars, a contingent of 1500 cavalry, 3000 infantry and
5000 Kandachar peons were stationed at Manjarabad3.
Medekeri Nayaka, a member of the Nayaka family of Chitradurga was in
captivity at Srirangapatna from the days of Hyder. Purnaiah had won him
over, made him a commander under Tipu and sent him to Kerala to establish
order there. During the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, he joined the British
against Tipu. The British by sending him to Mysore in 1802, orally suggested
Purnaiah to return Chitradurga territory to him, as this was oral, Purnaiah
did not act according to this suggestion though he received the Nayaka well.
Purnaiah went on procrastinating under some excuse or the other and fixed a
pension for him. Similar was the fate of the Madhugiri Palegar, who was given
a pension.4 Later Medekeri Nayaka came to Challakere.5 B.Rajashekarappa
further points out that a pension of 105 Pagodas was fixed for him. He came
to Challakere, stayed at Katappanahalli and died in 1825.6

1. Hayavadana Rao, pp.2208.

2. R.Gopal, Diwan Purnaiah (Kannada), K.Krishnakumar, “Mysuru Rajyada Palegararu”, p.130. (Henceforth
Dipu).
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid. p 132.
5. Ibid. p 133.
6. Ibid. p. 135.
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 Supplementary Treaty – 1807

M.G.Nagaraj points out many more such instances. The Palegar of Tarikere,
Krishappa Nayaka had been apprehended. After many entreaties, Purnaiah
released him and fixed a pension. He returned to Tarikere and engaged himself in
agriculture.7 Similarly the Palegar of Shivagiridurga near modern Ramanagaram
(Closepet) was also reined in by Balajirao, the Killedar of Ramagiri.8 The
author also points out how the former Palegar of Gummanayakana Palya was
treated with kindness by Purnaiah. He sought protection and rahadari to visit
Mysore, and accordingly the Palegar came to Mysore. He was also honoured
by providing an opportunity to meet Krishnaraja Wodeyar. The Palegar had no
territory under him, but was engaged in agriculture.9
Purnaiah did not allow any former Palegar to secure power, but treated them
with compassion if they were obedient, and suppressed the recalcitrant with
an iron hand to strengthen the Mysore State and monarchy. The territorial
integrity of the Mysore State was maintained when Resident Close persuaded
some Palegars to reconcile to the arrangement offered by the Dewan.

Charity to Holy Places

Purnaiah had been instructed not to alienate lands to religious centres
or to Brahmins. He was however allowed to continue the Jagirs and Inams
for religious purposes granted under Hyder Ali. He gave an account of such
grants which as pointed out by Rice10 are as follows:
• 1,39,959 Pagodas - Devasthanams and Agraharas
• 20,000 Pagodas - Mathas and Brahmans
• 20,000 Pagodas - Muhammadan establishments as allowed by
Hyder and Tipu Sultan
Rice further says that “The particular attention of the Resident directed to
the diminution and check of these expenses, and chiefly to guard against the
alienation of land to Brahmans, an abuse considered not improbable under a
Hindu Government administered by Brahmans.
“The Dewan in the first instance assumed
the possession of lands of all descriptions,
principally with the view of revising the
grants of every kind, and this enabled him to
make many commutations of land for money
payment, with consent of parties.”11 To the
Krishna Matha of Udupi, Purnaiah made a
substantial personal grant through lands in
Canara which were under British Rule. This Krishna Matha (Temple), Udupi
7. Ibid. Nagaraj, M.G., “Mysuru Rajyada Palegararu mattu Adhikarigalu”, p.158.
8. Ibid. p. 164.
9. Ibid. p.164-65.
10. Rice, p.608.
11. Ibid. p. 609.
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has been pointed out by P N Narasimha Murthy. However, the grant was
executed after his death in 1818. The problem in this delay in execution of the
grant is not clear. His successors had faithfully fulfilled his wish by granting
1301 Pagodas and 7 panas from 104 land holdings in Canara. This amount
was to be equally distributed among the eight Mathas, with the name of the
Matha and the incumbent Swamy in each of the Mathas being mentioned.
They were to use the grants for the services of God Krishna. This grant is
recorded in a copper plate now under the custody of the Shirur Matha.12
The Shringeri Matha had also a Jagir, administered by the Matha, with a
cluster of villages under its administrative control. The grants had been made
by generations of rulers and individuals.
Neither Hyder nor Tipu disturbed them.
Tipu had deep faith in the ‘spiritual
powers’ of the Matha and made cash
grants to them for performing various
rituals for his success and victory.
Purnaiah had ordered that materials
supplied (carried) to the Matha were to be
exempted from Sayar, as pointed out by
A.K.Shastry.13 Shastry has also pointed
Shringeri Matha, Shringeri out that as the Vidyashankara Temple
was getting dilapidated (gaccugare shithilavadaddarinda), Purnaiah ordered
the Amildar at Koppa to provide all material and men for its conservation in
1807.14
An order that those employees of the Matha who were loitering and misusing
the Matha’s name and those disobeying the Matha must be apprehended and
sent to the Matha, was issued to the Amildars of Nagar taluk and Killedars
in 1810.15 To uphold the dignity of the Swamy and Matha, Purnaiah issued
orders to various local officers outlining the steps they have to take when the
Swamy was on tour and during visits to their places.16 This included arranging
for a place of stay for the Swamy, providing protection to the Swamy and his
retinue and helping them with all facilities and provisions.
Keladi Venkatesh Jois has pointed out that two villages, Hanumanahalli
and Marabagatte, granted to the Kudali Sringeri Matha had been confiscated
and they were regranted by Purnaiah in 1799.17 Exemption was granted for
payment of Sayar to items transported to the Matha.18 In 1802, two more
villages were regranted to the Matha namely Shettihalli and Javalli, as the
grant enjoyed by the Matha had been earlier cancelled.19 Francis Buchanan
12. Dipu, p.22-30.
13. Ibid. p.35.
14. Ibid. p.34.
15. Ibid.
16. Ibid.
17. Ibid.
18. Ibid.
19. Ibid. 57.
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 Supplementary Treaty – 1807

reports that the Biligiri Ranga temple in Bilikal village had been granted land
by the Dewan.20
Seetharam Jagirdar, with the help of Persian
records has mentioned the grant of land to a
mosque at Chennagiri by Tipu, Purnaiah and
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III.21 He also points
out with the help of an inscription, that
Purnaiah donated a mantapa made of gold to
the Swamy of Vyasaraya Matha (Sosale) for
installing an image of God Rama.22 Vyasaraya Matha (Sosale)

The grants extended by Purnaiah on his own account, as in the case of Udupi
Krishna Matha and on behalf of the State are numerous. He also rebuilt the
Svetha Varaha Temple in the Mysore Palace
premises. The image had been brought as a
war trophy from Srimushnam in Tamilnadu
by Chikkadevaraya Wodeyar which was
installed in a new temple at Srirangapatna.
This temple was destroyed and the image was
reinstalled by Purnaiah in a temple, built by
using the material of a dilapidated Hoysala
Dariadaulat Paintings temple from a far off place. Inner walls of
the new temple had a number of beautiful paintings. Thomas Hickey, the
well-known portrait painter, urged by Arthur Wellesley, visited Srirangapatna
between 1799-1800. Several historical paintings in the Dariya Daulat palace
were undertaken by him.23
In fact Gen. Wellesley advised his brother, Lord Wellesley, the Governor-
General that the administration of Mysore may be looked after by the Supreme
Government at Kolkata instead of the Fort St. George. “How far the opinion
of General Wellesely influenced the Governor-General to reach a conclusion
later it is difficult to know,” says Shama Rao.24 On 5th October 1804, the
Governor-General issued instructions to Lord William Bentinck, the Governor
of Madras intimating him of the transfer of control over Mysore to the Supreme
Government. This was the arrangement related to Hyderabad State from the
beginning. But the transfer was not appreciated by the Court of Directors in
England. In December 1806, after Wellesley’s term as Governor-General was
over, the Madras Government continued to look after Mysore affairs.
There was also a proposal to shift the Company’s army which was stationed
at Srirangapatna as the place was marshy. The British officers found the place
not congenial for their health as malaria was pervasive. There was a proposal
to shift the army to Bangalore, but Arthur Wellesley and Lord Wellesley did
20. Ibid.
21. Ibid. p.60.
22. Ibid. p. 77
23. Ibid. p. 12
24. Shama Rao p.376
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not agree to this. Soon after they left India, the troops from Srirangapatna
were shifted to Bangalore in 1809. Bangalore Cantonment was established
around Halasoor tank and Srirangapatna was returned to the administration
of Mysore State. With this, a twin town to Bangalore slowly started growing.
The process of shifting troops to Bangalore had started in 1806 and the
Cantonment under British Administration came into existence in 1809 with
an area of 12 ½ square miles. Since this was an Assigned Tract, it was directly
under British rule, the Resident being its Governor and a separate Collector.
It came to have its own administrative arrangements.

End of Dewanship
Purnaiah had requested the British since1806 that the Dewanship of
Mysore be made hereditary in his family but the idea was not accepted by
the Company as they had their own definite reasons. They granted him a
hereditary Jagir at Yelandur in 1807 (Dec 27) and honoured him with presents
like an elephant and a costly khillat.
His request for hereditary Dewanship disturbed the palace circles. There
were certain developments that forced the Prince to demand the retirement of
the Dewan. The Prince assumed power when he attained the age of 16 and
thus ended Purnaiah’s Regency.
Purnaiah received One percent of the State’s revenue as his remuneration.
Resident Wilks observed that Purnaiah’s calculation of this One percent was
unfavourable to him. Arthur Wellesley, who left India in March 1805, wrote
to Purnaiah that, “For six years I have been concerned with the affairs of the
Mysore Government and I have contemplated with greatest satisfaction in its
increasing prosperity under your administration. The experience has proved
the wisdom of the arrangement which would under no other arrangement
have been possible for the British Government to derive such advantages from
the country which you have governed.25
The Supreme Government had been advising Resident Cole to bring about
a reconciliation between the palace parties who were critical of Purnaiah, and
Purnaiah himself. This went on for seven months, but Cole did nothing positive.
The Supreme Government too did nothing in this direction relying on Cole; later
the Supreme Government passed severe strictures against Cole for his passive
behaviour. This shows the Supreme Government’s eagerness to continue with
Purnaiah as Dewan in recognition of his efficient administration.
Through his systematic administration, maintenance of law and order,
collection of revenue, re-organization of judiciary and irrigation programmes,
Purnaiah made Mysore a prosperous state. In 1804, when there was a famine
to the north of the Tungabhadra, people from that region migrated to Mysore
where there was abundant supply of food. Governor Bentinck wrote a letter
25. Ibid., p.360.
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and complimented the Dewan on the fact that, “Mysore continued to enjoy the
blessings of abundance due to the Dewan’s unrelenting zeal and vigilance in
the internal administration.
“The country became prosperous indeed under the new administration that
it was able to find funds not only for the regular payment of the subsidy
due to the Company for the maintenance of the Subsidiary Force, which had
to be remitted in 12 equal monthly instalments, but also for meeting the
extraordinary military charges that His Highness’ Government had to provide
in connection with the Maratha War and for public improvement that were
vigorously pushed on by Purnaiah to bring the country to its former position.
More than that, Purnaiah’s financial measures enabled the State, as he states
in a letter dated 30 October 1801 to Lord Clive to reimburse the Company in
the amount remission in the subsidy of the first year,” says Hayavadana Rao.
This first year’s Subsidy was for the “unsettled state of the country in the
commencement of any management, appeared to render a proper indulgence,”
says Purnaiah himself.
The Company officials and Clive were surprised by this honest stand of
Purnaiah as nobody had demanded subsidy for this unsettled period of one
year.26 Clive wrote to Purnaiah regarding his gesture, “Recent dispatches
from England make honourable mention of the punctuality observed in the
performance of engagements.”
Col. Malcolm, the Resident wrote on 2nd November 1807 to Governor-General
in Council, which summarises all the compliments that are due to Purnaiah.
“Placed at the creation of this Government (restored Mysore Government) in the
possession of all authority and charge of its infant Prince, he not only exercised
his great power in a manner that has promoted the prosperity and increased
the revenue of the State he ruled, but by deep attention to the happiness of
the inhabitants of Mysore, and the education of the young prince, and his
undeviating adherence to principles of alliance with the English Government,
he has merited and received uniform support of the power; nor can I call to
mind, during the period of eight years that he has governed Mysore not even
in one instance in which his conduct has been censured by those authorities
to whose inspection and control he has been during the whole of the period.”
His Highness was brought up in the traditional code of Hindu learning
and soon became proficient in Kannada, Marathi, Persian and Sanskrit.
Purnaiah took personal interest in the disposal of public business, till the
prince reached the age of 16. “With the increase in years and the growth of
knowledge, the desire was kindled in His Highness to take more direct share
in the daily work of administration of the State. Purnaiah, unaccustomed to
control, misapprehended the Prince’s ardour,” says Hayavadana Rao.27
In 1811, the Prince expressed his wish to assume his royal office to Resident

26. C.H; pp.2799-800.

27. Ibid., p.2024.
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Purnaiah’ s Bungalow before Conservation, Yalanduru

Cole. Purnaiah, on hearing this, chose to retire in December 24th of the same
year. He moved to Srirangapatna and died the next year on 27th March
1812.
The reason for the differences between the Prince and the Dewan are not
recorded but among the likely causes could be Purnaiah seeking to secure
hereditary Dewanship, a retinue of the Prince in the palace trying to carry
tales on the Dewan of the errors that the Dewan could have committed due to
the failing memory of a highly taxed mind for over 50 years. Malcolm stated
that “the enemies of Purnaiah succeeded in poisoning the mind of the young
Prince” against the able minister. Purnaiah was sanctioned a life pension of
6000 Pagodas per year by the Prince on his retirement.
The Prince was shocked to hear the news of the early death of Purnaiah. He
directed that the palace in the Fort at Srirangapatna be placed at the disposal
of Purnaiah’s family for conducting Purnaiah’s funeral rites. He also proposed
a pension of 500 Pagodas per month in recognition of the achievements of
Purnaiah.
Purnaiah’s work had established an absolute identity of interest between the
Prince’s government and government of the Company. This proved beneficial
to the Prince as well as the Company. It was the abundant treasury of Mysore
which helped the Company to fight six wars during the first decade of the 19th
Century. Purnaiah also used his opportunities for the advantage of the State

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he administered. His administration proved the capacity of Indians in the

political and administrative fields, beyond doubt.
Wilks in his History of Mysore states that “Lord Wellesley had the satisfaction
of being enabled to declare at the close of his memorial of administration in
India that actual success of the arrangement of Mysore had fulfilled most
of his expectations.” Such a satisfaction could be experienced only by the
personality and performances of Purnaiah.28
Men like Lewin Bowring and Rice have described Purnaiah’s administration
to be “arbitrary” and “absolute”. However, the policies formulated by Purnaiah
were not justifiable in normal situations. Yet, the age and the circumstances
demanded such an attitude where the subsidy and other demands made on
the State by the Company were equally responsible for his monetary policy as
it had put a heavy responsibility on Purnaiah’s shoulders.
Having accumulated about Rupees two crores by 1811 in the Treasury,
was no doubt at the expense of the State and welfare of the people. But the
Subsidiary Alliance and Article 4 and 5 therein forced him to resort to economy
and traditional ideas of financial management since the British made the State
shoulder the extraordinary war expenditure in their fight against Dhondji
Wagh and the Second Anglo Maratha War which was deep in Maharashtra.
These savings were the result of the prudency of an able and responsible
administrator who had nobody to help him in a financial crisis. Banking had
not developed in those days, nor was Purnaiah a free or arbitrary person to
borrow from bankers as Hyder or Tipu did.
When he was invited by the British to surrender in 1799 and being assured
that he had no cause for alarm, his reply was “How can I hesitate to surrender
to a nation who are protectors of my tribe from Kasi to Rameshvaram?” He
realised that the British were going to be the masters of the country and made
his own assessment of the type of religious tolerance the British practised as
against the proselytising zeal of his previous master Tipu, who had once asked
even Purnaiah to accept Islam.
Purnaiah was a dutiful, loyal bureaucrat who set an example to succeeding
generations of administrators of Mysore. Among the Gems of Mysore
Administrators, he is the most lustrous.

vvvvv

28. Wilks, History of Mysore, Vol II, p.386-87.

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Aerial View of Srirangapatna

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